How Thermoformed Plastic Packaging Can Be Useful

By Cara Torres


Thermoforming is the process of making plastic sheets pliant so that it can be formed into specific shapes in a mold and it is used mostly in manufacturing. In the oven, the temperature that is used should be high enough to make it stretch onto the mold. The cooled finish thermoformed plastic packaging is trimmed of the excess and will now become a usable product.

All of us are exposed to these kinds of plastics in our daily lives. They have replaced parts previously manufactured in wood, paper, glass or even metal. It is used in a wide range of products from food to electronics which makes it a vital part of the modern commercial and industrial enterprise. It offers close tolerance, tight specifications, and even the sharp details.

It can be easily be modified and making a short term test for design issues and product market acceptance is inexpensive. It can also be considerably cheaper than injection and blow molding depending on the size of the parts. Tooling can also be made in a short time in relation to other molding processes.

Products are also produced much faster with this technique than other processes like rotationally processed mold or fiberglass reinforcing processes. It is also a cheaper option to steel and fiberglass, which are getting costly everyday. There are many times that the parts made of them are more or equally superior in their longevity and strength than products made of fiber glass and steel.

They are also lightweight and do not rust like steel does or brittle like fiberglass is. Steel can be enclosed in the plastic which may result in a product that is strong as still, but still has the benefits of plastics. The process is great to use to many materials, which may come in different colors, textures and finishes.

Final parts can also be granted a class A finishing in custom pre colored sheets so that post production painting can be eliminated. Thermoformed materials are all recyclable, therefore there is little waste being made in the process. The excess products are not sent to the landfills instead they are collected, granulated, then extruded with the pure resins to make a new sheet.

These materials are usually used in manufacturing industries and by commercial distributors such as electronic companies, food service, medical companies and many others. In pharmaceutical companies, the packaging should be done in clean room conditions to make sure that the blister packs and other types of package are sterile and in high quality. To protect medical equipment and keep them sterile and in great condition, they are kept in plastic trays and bags.

Cell phones and other electronic devises must be protected especially during shipment. Food service packaging can be personalized during the thermoformed process through advance vacuum techniques. Other common products include picnic plates, bowls, cups, lids for condiments, fast food take out containers and others.

They can be made in different sizes and configurations such as the diversity of design of hot beverage lids. Different kinds of businesses take advantage of the convenience and the flexibility of these material for pre packaged lunch and dinners. Hospitals, schools and many other institutions use thermoformed plastic packaging for their everyday needs such as disposable dinnerware.




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