What are the best tools to mold thermoplastic?

Question

I'm an art major and I'm playing around with different medias. What is the best way to go about shaping a sheet of thermoplastic?

Answer 1

Well, there are a few ways to do this. You can go as simply as using a heat gun, or put it in an oven, or use a torch. Now, with a torch, you need to obviously be careful of scorching the plastic. With an oven, you have to make sure the piece is small enough to fit in the oven. With a heat gun, you have to make sure it is powerful enough to heat the plastic sufficiently to form. Sometimes, even the sun can be enough, it depends on how thick the sheet is.

You really haven't given me much information to go on. I work for a thermoformer, so I know what you are talking about. We use a very specific machine that has very high output burners, and a sophisticated timing mechanism, and vacuum assist molds for high production molding. We use a positive, and a negative mold as well. The parts we make range in size from an 8 x 12 piece, all the way up to a 32 x 52 piece.

Message me, and I will help you further if I can, OK?

Good luck,

Stevo.

Answer 2

Plexiglas (acrylic) heats very nicely in an ordinary oven at about 240-260F and thus can be shaped hot with gloves. The problem is keeping from scarring the surface while heating and handling. This is assuming you want to shape a sheet into free forms and not press it down on a mold.