What are the two types of thermoforming?

Thermoforming technology is a widely used method in the plastics processing field, of which vacuum forming and pressure forming are the two main processing methods. This article will compare these two technologies and analyse their advantages and disadvantages as well as applicable scenarios.

Vacuum forming:

Vacuum forming is a processing method that uses vacuum adsorption to adsorb a heat-softened plastic sheet onto the surface of a mould to form the desired product shape. The main steps include material preheating, adsorption, moulding and demoulding.

Advantages:

Wide range of application: vacuum forming is suitable for the production of plastic products with simple shapes and low surface quality requirements, such as packaging containers and liners.

High production efficiency: the method can quickly mould large quantities of products and can be automated.

Lower cost: compared with pressure forming, vacuum forming equipment costs less and is suitable for small and medium-sized manufacturers.

Disadvantages:

Limited shape complexity: vacuum forming has some limitations on the shape complexity of the product and cannot produce highly complex products.

Limited surface quality: Due to the direct contact between the product and the surface of the mould, the surface quality of vacuum forming products is relatively low.

Pressure forming:

Pressure forming is a processing method that uses the pressure applied when the mould is closed to fully fill the mould cavity with plastic sheet to form the desired product shape. The main steps include material preheating, mould closure, forming and demoulding.

Advantages:

Wide range of application: Pressure moulding is suitable for the production of plastic products with complex shapes and high surface quality requirements, such as automotive interiors and medical devices.

High precision: by applying pressure, it can make the plastic fill the mould fully and produce high-precision and high-quality products.

Good surface quality: as the plastic sheet is subjected to pressure during the moulding process, the surface quality of the products is high.

Disadvantages:

High equipment cost: compared with vacuum forming, pressure forming equipment cost is higher, which is suitable for large-scale manufacturers or scenarios with higher requirements for product quality.

Long production cycle: due to the need to apply pressure and cooling during the forming process, the production cycle is relatively long.

Conclusion:

Vacuum moulding and pressure moulding have their own advantages and disadvantages and are suitable for the production of different types of plastic products. Choosing the right forming technology depends on factors such as the complexity of the shape of the product, the surface quality required, the scale of production and the investment in equipment. Taking these factors into account, manufacturers can choose the thermoforming technology that best suits their needs to improve production efficiency and product quality.