Thermoforming continued

A continuous extmsion process, as weU as mol ding techniques, can be used as the thermoforming method. A more rapid rate of cure is then necessary to ensure the cure of the mbber before the ceUular stmcture coUapses. The stock is ordinarily extmded at a temperature high enough to produce some curing and expansion and then oven-heated to complete the expansion and cure. 

In commercial practice, packaging is produced from continuous web on intermittent-motion thermoforming/die-cut machines. The web edge is clamped and conveyed into a heating box. If a plastic with a narrow softening temperature is used, heating is carefully controUed from top and bottom. 

AH forms and compositions of reinforcements, ie, mats, woven roving, glass, carbon, and aramid, are commonly used with these processes. Special continuous glass strand mats with a thermoplastic binder aHow preforms to be made using thermoforming techniques. These processes are used for tmck and autobody components, medical equipment cabinets, transportation seating, and other parts needed in the intermediate volume range (1,000—10,000 parts/yr). 

Process used provides different control capabilities. As an example closed molding (injection, compression, etc.) provides fine detail on all surfaces. Open molding (blow molding, thermoforming, spray-up, etc.) provides detail only on the one side in contact with the mold, leaving the second side free-formed. Continuous production (extrusion and pultrusion) yields products of continuous length. Hollow (rotational or blow) produces hollow products. These processes can be used creatively to make different types of products. For example, two molded or thermo-formed components can be bonded together to form a hollow product, or they can be blow molded. 

Another route to protect polymers from oxygen, light and UV is to encapsulate the part with a continuous film of another, more-resistant polymer to provide a barrier to oxygen. This technology is also used for decoration of plastic parts (in mould decoration or IMD, painting, multilayer sheets for thermoforming. ..). There is no protection against heat. 

Casting, continuous sheet casting between stainless-steel belts, pouring and several methods in the molten state are usable extrusion, injection, compression, thermoforming, co-injection, machining, welding. Specific grades of PMI can be foamed. 

Thermoforming is the most commonly used method for volume production today [10]. In this method a special type of reinforcement that is already impregnated with a preforming powder is heated before it is clamped in a cold preforming tool [11], The most common type of reinforcement is continuous strand mat which is manufactured by e.g. Vetrotex and Owens Coming. 

Thermoforming is faster and higher fiber contents can be achieved than they can for the spray-up technique. Moreover, if continuous strand mat is used in thermoforming, it can be combined with patches of directional reinforcement. The major drawback with thermoforming is the relatively high level of waste material. 

Engineering thermoplastics have also been used in preimpregnated constructions. The thermoplastic is thoroughly dispersed as a continuous phase in glass, other resins, carbon fibers (qv), or other reinforcement. Articles can be produced from these constructions using thermoforming techniques. For example, the aerospace industry uses polyetheretherketone (PEEK) in woven carbon-fiber tapes (26). Experimental uses of other composite constructions have been reported (27) (see also COMPOSITE MATERIALS, POLYMER-MATRIX). 

Sheet can be produced by extrusion or calendering. For use in thermoforming, the sheet must be extremely uniform. For improved properties, the sheet may be biaxially stretch-oriented up to 300 percent. For large automatic production runs, it is fed continuously off a roll for short runs, large, and/or specialty jobs, it may be cut into individual sheets and fed one at a time. 

Literature continues to be rather extensive on this subject since the 1930s. A summarization is provided in this section. Products fabricated include sheets, films, rods and tubes, and embedment. Acrylic castings usually consist of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) or copolymers of this ester as the major component with small amounts of other monomers to modify the properties (Chapter 2). Adding acrylates or higher methacrylates lowers the heat deflection temperature and hardness and improves thermoformability and solvent cementing capability, with some loss in resistance to weathering. Dimethacrylates or other crosslinking monomers increase the resistance to solvents and moisture. 

Batch injection molding machine thermoplastics commodity resins, polyolefins (LDPE, HDPE, PP), styrenics (PS, PMMA. polycarbonates, ABS, PET), and engineered resins for higher impact strength. Continuous extruder thermoplastics. Casting PP fine film 10 to 50 pm cast film 100 to 400 pm thermoformable sheet 200 to 2500 pm. Film blow LDPE, HDPE, PP. Pug mill clay materials for bricks, tiles, and ceramics. 

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