High Pressure Forming
For low volume plastic parts, there is no doubt that product designers would like to retain the advantages of injection moulding - the visual crispness and detail, the high quality of finish, colour control and internal engineering - but the investment is substantial, lead times are long and the tools cannot be modified easily.
High Pressure Forming can address these issues:
High Pressure Forming can address these issues:
- where production runs of less than 10,000 are envisaged,
- where uncertainty exists as to the viability of the product,
- where lead times are tight,
- where start up costs have to be minimised,
- where design changes may entail tooling modification or,
- where parts are large.
Viability
We can provide Designers with the basic information to assess the viability of Pressure Forming for their particular requirements. We are experienced in assisting designers to achieve a match of the part DESIGN with the selected MATERIAL requirements and capabilities and the PROCESS possibilities and limitations. Anything less than a complete match will end up with a part which is either deficient in performance or which costs far more than it should because of production difficulties.
David Russell Associates can also provide Designers with an interface between Materials, Process and Design in order to allow them to proceed with a clear knowledge of what Pressure Forming can and cannot provide and understand the commercial benefits.
David Russell Associates can also provide Designers with an interface between Materials, Process and Design in order to allow them to proceed with a clear knowledge of what Pressure Forming can and cannot provide and understand the commercial benefits.
Experience
We have the experience and are willing to share it with you. We would suggest, therefore, that talking to us before and during the design process is a logical step - and could be more useful and less time consuming than discussing the design after it is completed. We carry samples which demonstrate the do’s and dont’s of the process.
Pressure Forming offers a means of achieving a high-quality product using tooling which is cheaper, more rapidly produced and more easily modified than that required for other moulding processes.
Pressure Forming offers a means of achieving a high-quality product using tooling which is cheaper, more rapidly produced and more easily modified than that required for other moulding processes.
What is Pressure Forming?
In traditional Vacuum Forming the mould is moved into the hot sheet and atmospheric pressure forces the sheet into contact with the mould as the air is evacuated between the sheet and the mould.
The same principle is used in Pressure Forming except that compressed air is used to force the sheet into contact with the mould.
The other major difference is that the visible face is always tool-side so all details are picked up from the mould (as opposed to vac-forming where the visible side is non tool-side).
What are the advantages of Pressure Forming?
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The same principle is used in Pressure Forming except that compressed air is used to force the sheet into contact with the mould.
The other major difference is that the visible face is always tool-side so all details are picked up from the mould (as opposed to vac-forming where the visible side is non tool-side).
What are the advantages of Pressure Forming?
- Minimal project start-up costs,
- Short lead times,
- Small production runs = reduced stockholding,
- Crisp appearance,
- Undercuts,
- Tool costs typically 15% of those for Injection moulding,
- Lead times of 6-8 weeks,
- Easily modified tools = design flexibility.
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