Sheet Fed Thermoforming Equipment

A single sheet or “sheetfed” thermoformed is fed one sheet at a time. The process is as follows:

Operator loading, oven heating, vacuum, and then cooling/unloading. In a shuttle or rotary machine, multiple steps of the above can be performed simultaneously. For example, with a three-stage rotary thermoformer, the operator loads on sheet in zone one, one previously loaded sheet has been indexed to the oven section, and a third sheet is in the form and cool section awaiting removal. The rotary process allows multiple steps to occur simultaneously therefore increasing the production rate.

The tradeoff however is that these thermoforming machines are relatively large and costly to procure and install. A large production rate is often required to justify the cost. These used thermoforming machines are usually offered at a seller’s location to avoid moving the machines multiple times. Sheet-fed thermoforms have many options and technologies to consider. After mold size, oven type is one of the most important aspects to consider. Below are a few styles that are offered on the used market. Ceramic Infrared Gas Calrod As newer machines take on newer technologies we have seen in the used market a shift towards PLCS for heat control and servo indexing. Other important options to help with your thermoforming business is twin sheet forming, plug assist, robotics, and automation for your process.

Roll-Fed Thermoformers

Inline Thermoforming Equipment Inline or “roll-fed thermoformers” are higher output machines than the sheet-fed style. These machines work in a continuous process and can be run directly from the extrusion sheet process if desired. Because the process if automated they can produce a large volume of products. These machines are typically used in the food packaging, and blister, clamshell packaging industries. The flexible plastic sheet is feed in to the thermoforming machine where is heated and formed, then it is conveyed to be trimmed.

This trimming action can either be part of the thermoformer or a completely separate machine called a Trim Press. The trimming action separates the product from the excess scrap plastics (skeleton). T

he scrap plastics can be conveyed to be recycled and the products can be either discharged or stacked. Inline thermoforming can have many options such as servo plug drive, deep or shallow draw heights, and width of forming. Most thermoforming machinery of value in the used market are servo-driven machines.