Improving the Thermoforming Process

What’s one thing that car parts, medical equipment, air ducts, and children’s toys all have in common? They’re all items you probably come across every day, and they’ve likely been created through thermoforming. Thermoforming is a popular production process that turns rolls of plastic into almost any item you can imagine, and it is used in industries of all kinds. With the global focus on environmentally friendly solutions and the ever-increasing mandates and bans across the country, forward-thinking manufacturers are searching for ways to offer viable recycled solutions by incorporating recycled plastics into the thermoforming process. 

With this challenge in mind, one question demands an answer: Can the science meet the demand? Let’s discuss. This blog will dig into the thermoforming process, taking a closer look at the steps, the difficulties with using rPET in thermoforming, and the critical role Verdeco plays in creating viable rPET solutions to improve the thermoforming process.  

The Thermoforming Process

Thermoforming is the process of heating a sheet of plastic until it’s malleable and shaping that sheet into a three-dimensional shape using a pre-fabricated mold. Generally, the process follows these steps:

1.) A large roll of plastic sheeting is fed into a set of indexing chains that pin it down to a line

2.) The sheet travels to an oven, where it is heated to the proper forming temperature.

3.) From the oven, the plastic goes to a form station, where a mold and pressure box close around the sheet.

4.) A vacuum removes any air trapped in the cavity.

5.) Pressure is applied to form the plastic to the shape of the mold.

6.) Reverse air pressure is used to break the vacuum seal between the plastic and the mold.

7.) The mold is removed.

8.) The newly formed plastic travels to a trimming station to remove excess plastic and create the finished part.

Several reasons explain why thermoforming is widely used to create items and equipment for so many industries. First, multiple types of plastic can be thermoformed. Second, the process allows manufacturers to create several finished products from the same material. Beyond those initial perks, thermoforming also offers opportunities for quality control throughout the process, making it easier to resolve issues in real time. Thermoforming is also an efficient, cost-effective solution for creating large parts, one that saves valuable time and money. 

rPET and Thermoforming

With the widespread use of thermoforming to make so many everyday products, it’s easy to see why there is serious conversation surrounding the viability of rPET and recycled plastic’s suitability for thermoforming. Based on our extensive research and proven testing, we’re here to tell you that not only is rPET viable, but this recycled material can create products with the same level of quality as those made from virgin PET. In fact, at Verdeco, we are pioneering a new frontier of recycled PET that is nearly identical to virgin PET in terms of aesthetics, durability, consistency, and quality. 

Verdeco’s Role in rPET Thermoforming

Because thermoforming has so many applications across numerous industries, finding a more sustainable solution for thermoformed products is a critical step in making a practical, lasting impact. That’s where Verdeco’s unwavering standards and unmatched innovation come into play, including two of our breakthrough solutions.

Verdeco’s tims^TM is one of a kind solution. It allows products created by thermoforming, injection molding, and sheet processes to be made with 100% rPET, with the same quality as if they were made with virgin PET. There’s no waste, only results. And perhaps most importantly, it can help your business achieve your sustainability goals without sacrificing your high standards. 

Read more about tims^TM : https://verdecorecycling.com/solution/tims/ 

For thin-walled packaging products produced through thermoforming, Verdeco’s thyn^TM solution is your ticket to sustainable innovation that delivers products of the highest quality. By doing so, it allows businesses to make good on their sustainability promises while using premium, thin-walled packaging made from 100%, high-quality rPET.

Read more about thyn^TM: https://verdecorecycling.com/solution/thyn/

To learn more about how Verdeco is changing the world through sustainable innovation, visit verdecorecycling.com.