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ABS, ASA, Acrylic, APET, HIPS, HDPE, LDPE, PETG, PCABS, PMMA, Polypropylene, Polyethyene, Polycarbonate,  UHMW. uPVC, SAN, special blends, fire retardents,  Co-Polymers, talc filled, UV stabilisers, heat stabilisers, Acrylic cappings, Co-extrusions, reverse printed, metallic, wood grains, embosses, ........cuddly toy!

Vacuum forming is a relatively low-tech method of producing moulded plastic components. That's not to say it's easy! There are many companies that describe themselves as 'Vacuum formers'. And indeed in simplistic terms they are. However the knowledge required to heat a sheet of plastic and 'suck it over a mould' is directly proportional to the materials that are being processed and the complexity of the product design.

Many processors therefore prefer to stick to either basic materials such as H.I.P.S. or processes such as thin film moulding. We at Techplas mould a whole host of materials each with vastly differing qualities. The correct material selection is vital to ensure the success of the product and so, it is important to make sure that the right material is selected for the right reasons and not simply because it's the easiest to process.......

The list below is not exhaustive but will be regularly updated.

ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)

ABS is a rigid material generally reserved for the higher end of the market. It has excellent impact resistance and is reasonably resistant to chemical attack. ABS should be considered for products that are subject to repeated handling, possible abuse and a relatively long life. It is not suitable for use with solvents or prolonged exposure to sunlight. It's outdoor life can be vastly improved by Capping with either Acrylic or ASA. ABS mouldings can be successfully plated with a variety of metal finishes. ABS is hygroscopic and must be pre-dried prior to moulding. Special fire retardent grades are available.

Acrylic (PMMA)

Acrylic or 'Perspex' as it is widely known is a rigid material often supplied in clear and tinted colours. Opaque colours are available. Extensively used in the sign and point of sale industries. It has excellent weathering characteristics and can be easily fabricated using a variety of techniques. It has reasonable chemical resistance;  it is easily damaged by solvents. In comparison with similar materials such as P.E.T.G or Polycarbonate, Acrylic has a low impact strength. Surface marks are easily polished out and it will readily accept inks or paints. The surface is easily marked and stresses are often caused in this material during machining and annealing is often required. Drilling may only be carried out successfully with specially sharpened drill bits/cutters. Flame polishing is often used on cut edges. Acrylic is Hygroscopic

A.S.A (Acrilonitrile Styrene Acrylate

 

HDPE (High Density Polyethylene)

A member of the group termed Polyolefines. A rigid material, HDPE has additional strength and rigidity over it's lower level cousin LDPE. HDPE is used extensively throughout an ever expanding number of industrial and domestic applications. From automotive to children's garden slides and toys. It has excellent weathering properties, abrasion and impact resistance and a wide operating temperature. The semi-matt surface is low friction and 'waxy' to the touch. It cannot be easily bonded using adhesives and it's excellent chemical resistance renders it impervious to solvent jointing. All joints must be mechanical or fusion. Post-forming distortion is low.  HDPE has a high co-efficient of thermal expansion and is not recommended for high tolerance applications. This must be considered when designing for this material. A wide operating temperature of approx -40º to 100º. This is an engineering material and although of quality it is generally reserved for applications that require it's physical rather than asthetic and stable dimension properties. Fire retardant grades are available.

H.I.P.S. (High Impact Polystyrene)

This material must one of (if not the most) widely used thermoplastics in the world today. Extensively employed in the point of sale industry it is favoured for it's low cost, excellent surface finish, reasonable impact resistance, ease of processing and wide availability.  HIPS is available from stock in a wide range of colours and thicknesses and is suitable for use with a wide range of solvents & adhesives.  It's low resistance to chemical and solvent attack enables straightforward solvent joints to be made easily and quickly.  HIPS is unsuitable for outdoor use.  It is the first choice for low cost static mouldings that have a short to medium term life span and do not require specialist physical properties.  HIPS readily burns and is unsuitable for applications that require high temperatures, fire retardant grades are available.

L.D.P.E (Low Density Polyethylene)

A member of the group termed Polyolefines. LDPE is a semi-rigid material with properties similar to HDPE. Generally used for applications that require a higher flexibility than can be obtained with HDPE. 

P.E.T & P.E.T.G. (Polyethylene Terephtalate (Glycol)

PET and  PETg are glass clear materials. Originally designed as a packaging material for the medical industry particularly for medical devices. PET can be sterilised using either ethylene oxide or gamma radiation. High rigidity, impact strength. food compatibility and easy processing makes PETG an ideal selection for many shop fitting and display applications. One of the most environmentally friendly thermoplastics currently available (combustion generating almost exclusively C0² and H²0), PETg can also be flame polished, solvent welded, cold bent and guillotines and punches cleanly. Applications include, machine guards, covers, interior glazing, food environments, packaging and point of sale display. APET is third member of this group of thermoplastics. .

Polycarbonate

One of the toughest thermoplastics available today. Polycarbonate is used extensively in machine guards and security applications. This material can withstand severe impact without damage. It is Hygroscopic and available in clear, tinted and opaque colours. Operating temperature range of -40º to 115º. Reasonable chemical resistance, good weathering characteristics and temperature stability makes this high specification material amongst the most expensive. But it must be said, you get exactly what you pay for!

Good

Polypropylene

A member of the group termed Polyolefines. Polypropylene shares many similarities with HDPE.. An inert material, Polypropylene is a 'softer' than HDPE and has a different temperature range of approximately -20º to 110º. It can be autoclaved. It is highly impact resistant and it's superb chemical resistance makes it the material of choice for commercial laboratory equipment and plant. Easily fabricated using hot gas or ultrasonic welding techniques. Polypropylene cannot be solvent welded and is unsuitable for permanent paint or ink finishes. Available in a limited range of stock colours although colour matching is possible. In standard form Polypropylene is flammable and will drip flame. Special fire retardant grades are available.

UHMW PE (Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene)

A member of the group termed Polyolefines. The highest quality Polyethylene available UHMW is an engineering material designed for tough jobs over a wide range of applications. Ultra high molecular weight is the secret of this material's unique properties. It has a molecular weight range of 3 to 6 million, compared to 300,000 to 500,000 for high molecular (HDPE) resins. This difference ensures that this material is strong enough to withstand abrasion and impact much more than lower level polyethylene products. It's properties in all other respects are similar to HDPE. A specialist material for specialist applications.

uuPVC (unplasticised Poly Vinyl Chloride)

A hard rigid thermoplastic often call PVCu. One of it's more widely known characteristics is it's UV stability. However, uPVC has a greater role in the chemical and laboratory industries due to it's excellent chemical resistance and fire-retardance. uPVC is a brittle material especially at low temperatures. It can be easily fabricated using a variety of jointing techniques. It has a class 1 fire certificate but it should be noted that although self extinguishing (it will not support flame on it's own) it will produce toxic chlorine gas when burnt. Of late, uPVC has received a bad press. However, uPVC is remarkably environmentally friendly during manufacture as it is 40% salt, (the chloride content is obtained from sodium chloride) and thus uses less petroleum than many other materials.