Reheating Acrylic Sheet After Forming

The vacuum pump can be switched on which will draw air out from under the mould attracting the soft plastic over it.

Reheating acrylic sheet after forming.

Heated plastic sheet from below. Set the sheet of acrylic across the rests on the strip heater and turn it on. Thermoforming represents a group of sheet forming processes that includes vacuum forming drape forming billow of free. Jim throne consultant in applied plastics engineering handbook 2011.

For thicker acrylic you will need to use a metal bar clamped very securely and you may only be able to work with narrow strips of material as your heat source may not be able to heat wider areas of thick material. It can also shorten the time required to transport the heated sheet from the oven to the forming equipment thus minimizing the possibility of cold forming. Release mechanism for hanging plexiglas acrylic sheets in heating ovens. A photograph of a steel frp steel frp hat profile.

Acrylic oven baking sheet aluminum foil timer felt for handling the acrylic and to prevent scratches tools for forming tools for forming may include. B numerical forming simulation of the hybrid part just before bottom dead center. Modify the timing as necessary. Then the plastic melt pressure forms the sheet metal similar to sheet metal forming processes by means of plastic melt pressure 7 herein caused constructively between punch and blank holder.

Twenty four hours at 176 f 80 c dries most sheets. The only major variable that can affect the forming process is the thickness of the plastic sheet. Thermoforming is a generic term that refers to a process that begins with an extruded sheet of plastic. This device can reduce appreciably the labor required for clamping and unclamping sheets preparatory to forming.

The process involves heating the plastic sheet to a temperature range where it is soft or malleable. Plexiglass or acrylic sheet this system works well for small pieces of plexiglass in thicknesses of up to 1 8 inch. To reduce the length of the forming cycle pre dry the sheet in a spare oven and transfer it directly into the forming oven at 176 f 80 c after the drying period. Wear gloves as you do this to avoid burning your hands.

For thicker sheets it will take longer and for thinner sheets it will take less time. A b c fig. Be sure that the marked line is above the heating element. It is important to provide sufficient clamping of the sheet during the forming process.

I can t recommend for. A mold any object shape you can press the acrylic into to give it shape mallet and or a peen for shaping caution i ve only tried this in an electric oven.