Vacuum and Pressure Forming Services.
We have expanded to incorporate Vacuum and Pressure Forming to facilitate your company's needs. Both types of Thermoforming, Vacuum and Pressure Forming are specialized manufacturing processes within plastic fabrication and machining that produce cost effective parts.
When To Consider Thermforming.
Thermoformed plastics are sometimes used as a component of a larger product, often the outer protective and aesthetic covering for a piece of equipment. If you’re in need of custom plastic components, especially if they will be seen and therefore have aesthetic needs, thermoforming may be a good option.
Vacuum vs Pressure Forming.
Each type of thermoforming has its own advantages, and we will work with you to determine best fit for your project and objectives.
Vacuum Forming is when a sheet of plastic material is heated to pliability, then pressed against a 3D mold by vacuuming out the air between the sheet and the mold.
Vacuum formed parts can be a great option when large, cost effective parts are desired. They can also achieve high levels of shape and detail therefore may be good option when those aesthetic requirements are a necessity.
Pressure forming utilizes the same process as vacuum forming, but in addition, applies air pressure above the plastic sheet to create tighter tolerances and crisp details.
Pressure formed parts have aesthetics that rival injection molded parts at a fraction of the tooling cost. An additional benefit of the process is the use of undercuts which can allow for part attachment to mating components as well as a chassis or frame.
Drape Forming.
Our ovens are capable of handling up to 5’ x 10’ sheets of material. We make our own molds in-house to reduce costs and to control accuracy. Drape formed cylinders of all sizes, cones, custom windows and detailed hoods are just a few of the products that we specialize in.
Start with the Right Design.
All thermoforming projects start out with a design. Whatever it's being used for, most thermoformed products start out as a CAD model or drawing. We work with our customers CAD files to refine the model into a shape that will work well with our plastics manufacturing process.
In addition ATI Plastics offers design, conceptual and engineering services for projects that need a little help getting off the ground.
See Our Work
