This machine was acquired with a discount from Maac Machinery and a grant from the SPE Foundation.
Thermoforming is a process in which a polymer sheet is heated to its softening temperature and stretched into a mold by air, vacuum or mechanical action. The process is widely used for packaging (yogurt containers, cups) and for large complex parts (automotive interior door panels, overhead luggage bins).
The Department of Plastics Engineering has a 30-inch by 36-inch shuttle thermoforming machine in which the sheet is loaded at the front, is transported backward to the oven and, upon its return, is formed. The finished product is then unloaded from the same forward location.
Equipment:
- Maac Thermoforming Machinery (Model: ASP)