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Above and Beyond the Basics: An Advanced Thermoforming Seminar LLC PLASTIC CONCEPTS AND INNOVATIONS THERMOFORMING & EXTRUSION CONSULTANTS Guiding Innovations in the Development & Production of Thermoformed Products Day 1 Materials, Extrusion Basics, Sheet Quality, Sheet Specifications, Heating Technologies This is an overview of what every thermoformer needs to know about materials, the extrusion process, and the effects of heat on materials. Plastic Materials ➢ Basic definitions of plastic materials ➢ How plastics are made and the effect on material characteristics ➢ Molecular characteristics and the importance of understanding them ➢ Structures and the effect on material properties ➢ Chemistry – A simple but necessary overview ➢ Material Properties – What are they? What do you need to know? • Material Test Methods – The good , the bad, the worthless • Significance to thermoformers ➢ Advanced Material Properties • TPOs • FR Materials • Nylons ➢ What test(s) should thermoformers use Sheet Extrusion – What Thermoformers Have to Know! ➢ Definitions and the process ➢ Equipment and how it impacts your sheet ➢ Process variables and the effects on extruded sheet problems ➢ Writing Sheet specifications- Tips, clues and pitfalls What you need to tell the extruder ➢ Sheet Quality-getting what you want every time! Heating Technologies ➢ Types of heat and how they really work • Conduction • Radiation Day 2 Processing Advancements – The Good and The Bad This section focuses on the process control of heating, vacuum, tooling processes, forming assists, forming methods for advanced materials, new material advances, and troubleshooting to prevent problems. An Analysis of Heat Systems Available Today for Thermoformers ➢ Halogen ➢ Ceramics ➢ Quartz ➢ Gas catalytic ➢ Calrods ➢ Others Controlling The Heating Process ➢ What is proper control and why it is important for advanced materials ➢ How to achieve control • Zoning and profiling • Controlling zoning • Oven controls • Measurement devices – The myths and truths • Types • Techniques • Effects and corrections Thermoform Tooling Process ➢ A specification guide ➢ Temperature control • How to measure tool temperatures • Why be concerned? • Case study – Development of the thermoformed outboard motor cover • Case study – The fan shroud fiasco Vacuum ➢ An overview on a little used but a highly needed technique New Adventures in Part Cooling Technology ➢ The demise of fans ➢ How to achieve uniformed cooling, reduce your cycle times, and save some money! Forming Techniques for Advanced Materials ➢ ABS with paint films - Case Study – The Dodge Caravan window conversion project ➢ TPOs • Techniques • Pressure-forming - Case Study – The Think car project • Twin Sheeting - Case Study – Ingersoll-Rand compressor cover • Tooling • Proper heat ➢ TPOs with Paint Films – Not for the faint of heart • Case Study – The Denali story • Case Study – The HHR stone guard adventures: forming different gauges in the same frames New Material Advances – What’s New Trouble Shooting – A commonsense approach to avoiding problems CNC Machining of Plastic Parts (Only at the October Seminar Full outline on website) ➢ CAD-CAM Systems ➢ Basic 5-Axis moves and Features ➢ Machine Controllers ➢ Basic Programming Concepts ➢ Strengths and Limitations of Equipment ➢ Tool and Cutter Design ➢ Part Fixturing and Trimming
