It starts with an idea
If a Manufacturer has an idea for a new device or machine it will most likely have an enclosure or cover. In the past, most enclosures were made of sheet metal. Nowadays, an increasingly common material is plastic (aka plastic). Why? Because plastic is lighter than sheet metal so that even large covers and enclosures can reduce the weight of the entire device.
Plastic additionally has specialized technical parameters that allow it to be used in the medical, electronic, automotive or even agricultural machinery industries. UV resistance, weather resistance, high impact strength, electrostaticity or a specific degree of non-flammability are just some of the current requirements for plastic. It also allows a wide choice of colors and surface textures, and the fact that it is tinted in the mass means that even mechanical damage is not as visible as on painted sheet metal.
Good design is key
In order to make a detail we must have a 3D technical drawing, which will contain all the information, dimensions and details. If there is no design then we will be happy to make it by adapting it to the thermoforming technology. Vacuum Vacuuming involves heating the plate to the right temperature so that it becomes malleable, and then using a mold to give it the right shape.
The most important issue in designing for this technology is the mandatory inclination of the walls so that the workpiece can be removed from the mold, and the thickness of the output plate. Thickness is important insofar as in thermoforming the material is stretched, and thus the walls are thinner. Therefore, it is important to properly select the thickness of the plate to the expected thickness of the workpiece.
Prototype
The idea of a prototype is to refine the ordered component in such a way that changes and possible corrections can still be made before the start of mass production. Prototypes are shaped on molds made of MDF, as they allow for the application of changes. After 1 piece of prototype is made, it is sent to the customer for approval.
The automotive industry also often uses so-called preseries, which are a certain number of components that are subjected to transport tests. Only after the preseries have been approved and all performance characteristics have been checked is final approval given. Once the prototype is officially approved, the most important stage can begin: making the aluminum mold.
The most important thing is the form
Yes, the mold for mass production is the most important. It is the one that guarantees the repeatability of mass production and the shape according to the design. The most difficult part is to control the behavior of the heated plate during the time when it is plastic. Maintaining the right, constant, controlled temperature during forming allows the part to be made in the same shape from the first plate as from the last. Temperature control is done with a system of water tubes mounted under the mold.
It is the high serial reproducibility that makes the best type of thermostated mold the aluminum mold. Molds can also be made of other materials. However, they have a certain number of limitations whether in terms of quality or cost, which make production with an aluminum mold the most optimal in terms of price.
Vacuum thermoforming of plastics is gaining popularity. The high repeatability also reduces the price of the part due to low scrap during production.
Series production
The start of mass production is the most important stage for both the Principal and the Contractor. This is when the moment everyone is really waiting for arrives. It is then that the Ordering Party can start assembling the covers on its equipment, and the Contractor has the satisfaction of having contributed in some way to a new product.