Leading Plastic Forming Manufacturers

Plastic forming is a method of designing, manufacturing, and assembling a product that is made from plastic. Plastic material is used in various ways in our daily life, and the plastic industry is growing daily. According to experts, plastic production may continue to grow and reach 540 million metric tons by 2040. Read More…

Plastic Forming Plastic forming is a group of manufacturing procedures that takes thermoplastics and forms them through molding processes into a wide variety of plastic products for numerous industrial, commercial and domestic applications.

Valk’s policy is “to meet or exceed our customer’s requirements, working together as a team with honesty and integrity.” Valk’s success is due to their long standing focus on quality & customer service.

Valk Industries, Inc. $$$

Since 1960, Profile Plastics Inc. has been at the forefront of thermoforming technology. Utilizing the latest software and technology, our expert staff of engineers can design custom vacuum, pressure, and twin-sheet thermoformed solutions. Over the last 60 years, we have developed a process that allows us to deliver consistent, high volume, and precise products with superior quality. Our high...

Profile Plastics, Inc. $$$

Quality Plastics has been a leading manufacturer of vacuum forming since 1976. Whether you need a small batch of custom vacuum-formed parts or a large-scale production run, we have the capabilities and expertise to deliver. We are committed to providing our customers with exceptional vacuum-formed products and services that meet their needs and exceed their expectations. Contact us today to learn ...

Quality Plastics Inc. $$$

Engineered Plastic Products custom forms & fabricates sheet thermoplastic materials, standard & specialized, for any number of industrial & commercial requirements. EPP has been widely recognized for outstanding manufacturing & service since 1958 for companies such as GE, NASA & AT&T. Custom fabricated parts can be as large as 72"x108" down to 2"x2" in any thickness up to 1 1/2". Post-forming...

Engineered Plastic Products, Inc. $$$

At Lerner Molded Plastics, we specialize in crafting high-quality vacuum-formed products tailored to meet the diverse needs of our clients. With years of expertise in the industry, we take pride in our ability to deliver innovative solutions that exceed expectations.

Lerner Molded Plastics $$$

RapidMade is a leader in thermoforming and vacuum forming solutions, offering unmatched customer experience, quality, and speed. We cater to diverse needs with a broad material and equipment portfolio, ensuring cost-effective, engineered parts. Trust us for reliable, timely delivery of your small to medium batch plastic projects, meeting the highest industry standards. Choose RapidMade for...

RapidMade $$$

At Duo Form, we are pioneers in the realm of vacuum-formed plastic products. With a collective passion for precision engineering and creative problem-solving, we've established ourselves as leaders in delivering high-quality solutions to a wide range of industries.

Duo Form $$$

Robinson Industries offers thermoformed and injection molded reusable, heavy duty plastic pallets, packaging and more. We are one of the largest suppliers of reusable pallets to many industries.

Robinson Industries $$$
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placeholder image Valk Industries, Inc. Profile Plastics, Inc. Quality Plastics Inc. Engineered Plastic Products, Inc. Lerner Molded Plastics RapidMade Duo Form Robinson Industries

Plastic forming is a method of designing, manufacturing, and assembling a product that is made from plastic. Plastic material is used in various ways in our daily life, and the plastic industry is growing daily. According to experts, plastic production may continue to grow and reach 540 million metric tons by 2040. The plastic industry has taken over our kitchens, wardrobes, electronics, and more. Plastic is used in consumer goods, electronics, toys, kitchen appliances, and electrical and industrial machinery.

Plastic Forming

Properties of Plastic

  • Plastics are lightweight and can be molded easily into any shape and size.
  • They are chemically stable, with good rust resistance.
  • Plastic has good insulation and low thermal conductivity.
  • Plastic is transparent and has poor dimensional stability.
  • Plastic material is low–cost and easy to process.

Types of Plastic

There are two types of plastic. These are:

  • Thermosetting Plastic

    Thermosetting plastic, also called thermosets, is plastic that does not undergo any changes in shape once heated and molded. These plastics degrade, deter, and are destroyed on reheating. Common examples are epoxy resin, rubber, polyurethane, etc.

  • Thermoplastic

    Thermoplastic does not change its chemical composition and can be remolded multiple times. Common examples are polystyrene, Teflon, acrylic, and nylon.

Manufacturing Process of Plastic

Plastic forming involves many different processes, and each depends on the type of product and the plastic used. The manufacturing process consists of the following steps:

Plastic Injection Molding

  • This method uses a mold made of aluminum or steel.
  • The mold, consisting of a core and an inner cavity, is placed in the machine.
  • The heated plastic pallets are injected into the molds and then cooled.
  • About 80% of plastic items that we use in our daily life are made by this process.
  • It is a low-cost process that gives an excellent finish, and millions of the same products can be made rapidly.
  • Molds can be expensive, so proper engineering and cleaning are required to prevent mold defects.
Plastic Injection Molding

Rotational Molding

  • In this process, plastic powder is poured into molds and then placed in the ovens.
  • While heating, the mold is rotated slowly on two axes, and gravity is used to stick the powder to the mold walls.
  • The heated plastic is then cooled down slowly to prevent disfiguration.
  • This molding is best for making concave or hollow shapes and large products such as tubs.
  • It is an inexpensive process; the product formed is strong and fault-free.
  • The tools are to be changed after a few thousand cycles, and the method is not best for precision forming.
Rotational Molding

Extrusion Blow Molding

  • This molding is done to make inexpensive products such as disposable cups and bottles.
  • It is a fast process, and the tools are easy to make.
  • Molten plastic takes the form of a large droplet, called a parison, and is placed in a two-piece clamshell mold.
Extrusion Blow Molding

Injection Blow Molding

  • In injection molding, pressure is used to place the molten plastic in the molds.
  • It is used to make transparent plastic bottles and is easily controlled and a repeatable process.
  • These are not ideal for thin walls. However, these are durable and safe to consume.

Reaction Injection Molding

  • RIM is used in the automotive industry as it makes light-weighted parts with rigid skin.
  • Thermosetting plastic expands like foam on heating and fills the mold.
  • Production tooling is expensive for RIM.

Vacuum Casting

  • A master model is placed in a sealed box filled with flexible urethane or silicone.
  • When removed, it forms a cavity in the mold, which is then filled with resin.
  • The air bubbles are removed by using vacuum pressure.
  • These molds are not durable and will degrade after 20 or more copies.
Vacuum Casting

Thermoforming

  • A thin or thick plastic sheet is placed on the die, and the rising temperature makes the material pliable.
  • It is used for prototypes of thin-walled and hollow-bodied parts.
  • It is used to make plastic cups, lids, boxes, and plastic packaging.

Compression Molding

  • The raw material used in this process is pre-heated and placed in the cavity.
  • A cap or a plug is used to cover the die, and heat and pressure are applied.
  • It is used to make rubber keypad switches, gaskets, and o-rings.
Compression Molding

Application of Plastic

Plastic material is used in home items such as vacuum cleaners, television, sound systems, chairs, tables, appliances, electronics, utensils, automobiles, space stations, pipes, gaskets, cladding, food packaging, food containers, medical equipment, children safety gears, and many more.

Application of Plastic

Choosing the Proper Plastic Forming Company

For the most positive outcome when choosing a plastic forming company, it is important to compare several plastic forming businesses using our directory of plastic forming companies. Each plastic forming company has a business profile page that highlights their areas of experience and capabilities, as well as a contact form to directly communicate with the business for more information or request a quote. Review each plastic forming business using our proprietary website previewer to get an idea of what each company specializes in. Then, use our simple RFQ form to contact multiple plastic forming businesses with the same form.

Plastic Forming Informational Video

 

Vacuum Forming Power Pages

Thermoforming

Thermoforming

Thermoforming is the process of heating thin plastic sheets to its forming temperature and stretching it over a mold which takes its shape. After cooling and setting of the molded plastic sheet, each part will be separated from its batch to form a single unit or product...

Vacuum Forming

Vacuum Forming

The process of heating and shaping the plastic material using a vacuum is called vacuum forming. Vacuum forming is one of the oldest and cheapest methods for plastic molding and is widely used in our everyday life, from smaller objects to huge industrial machinery...

Blister Packaging

Blister Packaging

Blister packaging, or blister packs, are pre-formed packaging materials composed of a thermoformed plastic cavity and a pliable lid. In this type of packaging, the product is placed in deep-drawn pockets or cavities resembling a blister...

Plastic Bags

Custom Merchandise Plastic Bags

A plastic bag is an unwoven single piece poly fabricated container for storing, carrying, and packaging of a wide variety of items and materials. Though they are very thin and easy to carry, plastic bags are strong, waterproof...

Contract Packaging

Contract Packaging

Contract packaging involves putting a specific product into its completed packaging using a contracting business. It is also known as co-packing or co-packaging. A company can hire another business entity for the production of its packaging, product assembly and...

On-Demand Manufacturing

The manufactured demand definition, often known as on-demand manufacturing or manufacturing on demand (MOD), is a relatively new idea in the manufacturing industry. In an on-demand manufacturing system, goods are only produced as...

Plastic Molding Processes

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