Twin sheet forming
Twin-sheet thermoforming is a process of vacuum or pressure forming two sheets of plastic essentially simultaneously, with a separate mold on the top and bottom platens. Once the plastic has been molded, it remains in the molds, and while still at its forming temperature the two molds are brought together under high pressures, and the two sheets are welded wherever the molds dictate a weld. The process creates 3 dimensional parts with formed features on both sides. The parts are typically very strong, stiff, and quite light-weight.
Materials
Typical applications are: pallets, industrial dunnage, portable toilets, medical housings, surfboards, fuel tanks, air/ventilation ducts, electrical enclosures, recreational boats, cases, toys, marine products, doors, tables, spine boards and numerous transportation-related products. Main Advantages
The process has some distinct advantages over blow-molding and rotomolding. Compared to blow-molding, the twin-sheet process:
Compared to Rotomolding, the twin-sheet process:
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Molding
Blow Molding BL
IBM SBM EBM
Injection Molding IM
RIM LIM RTM VARTM
Rotational Molding
Compression Molding
Insert Molding
Dip molding
Transfer Molding
Thermoforming
Vacuum Forming
Pressure Forming
Drape Forming
Stretch Forming
Inline thermoforming
Twin sheet forming
Extrusion
Co-extrusion
Profile Extrusion
Blown Film Extrusion
Foam Extrusion
Sheet Extrusion
Pultrusion
Calendering
Coating
Fluidised Bed
Electrostatic spraying
Flame Spraying
Laminating
Recycling
Granulation
Blending
Compounding
Other processes