Different Types Of Thermoform Molds

By Lenna Stockwell


You might not be aware, but thermoforming is one of the country's biggest industries. This industry is responsible for creating most of the plastic items we use as well as the plastic packaging that protects many of the items that we buy.

The process of thermoforming begins with a large sheet of plastic. Heat is applied, and when the plastic reaches a specific temperature, it is placed in a mold and formed into the shape needed by the client. Once molded, it is cooled and trimmed. There are various types of thermoform molds.

Aluminum molds are the ones usually used for production. These molds have some advantages because there are temperature control lines imbedded through them, and this keeps the plastic sheet at a consistent temperature. These molds also make the production process move more quickly, which can be helpful; however, these molds can be quite expensive. Their cost is one of the main drawbacks of this type of mold.

In many instances, a composite mold can be a more cost-effective option. These molds are made of resins and generally last a long time, although they won't be quite as long lasting as a mold made from aluminum. Usually a composite mold can be used in place of aluminum unless you are dealing with a particularly high volume of production. While composite molds are not quite as durable and the temperature is a bit harder to control, the much lower price makes it a viable choice.

Aluminum is an expensive material and even composite can be costly, so the before you make either one of these molds, most companies will begin with a wood mold. This is not expensive to produce, and then if any changes need to be made, it's easy to make changes when you use a wooden mold. After the wood mold has been created, you can use this wood pattern to make your composite mold or your aluminum mold.

Regardless of the materials used for the molds, thermoforming is an essential service to hundreds of different industries. You see thermoforming every time you visit a store and find products that are placed or packaged in plastic. This includes the little bins that hold berries and tomatoes in the produce section to packages of batteries that have cardboard backing and a plastic protector on the front. Even the medical and pharmaceutical industries use thermoformed plastics for a variety of trays and packages.




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