How To Thermoforming Polystyrene Plastic Sheets

Select thermoform plastic sheets by plastic type.

How to thermoforming polystyrene plastic sheets.

Once heated hips is highly malleable meaning high impact polystyrene thermoforming is an excellent way to manufacture the plastics our customers need. Amorphous plastics like abs and polycarbonate generally have wide processing windows and good melt strength making them easy to thermoform. Some plastics like hdpe and pp have narrower processing windows and lower melt strength which make them more difficult but not impossible to thermoform. Use these plastic sheets along with widgetworks unlimited hobby vacuum formers and a kitchen oven to thermoform homemade plastic parts with results that rival expensive commercial machines.

Styrene thermoform plastic sheets high impact styrene is an inexpensive thermoform plastic that is easy to work with and produces excellent vacuum forming results making styrene the perfect beginner plastic for folks who are new to vacuum forming. Make your own plastic prototypes clamshell and blister packaging custom molds scale model parts and movie props. Styrene is also nontoxic and odorless with excellent forming properties. Styrene is commonly used in prototypes as it is dimensionally stable and easy to fabricate paint and glue.

Styrene plastic is a go to machinable plastic when high impact resistance and machinability are needed at a cost effective price point. To do this large sheets of hips are heated and fitted over a custom tool. Many plastic sheet materials can be shaped by thermoforming. Overview of thermoforming thermoformable plastic sheets from professional plastics.