Reheating Acrylic Sheet After Forming

For thicker sheets it will take longer and for thinner sheets it will take less time.

Reheating acrylic sheet after forming.

B numerical forming simulation of the hybrid part just before bottom dead center. The vacuum pump might be applied for 15 seconds or more to ensure a high definition form and to allow some time for the plastic to cool. Thermoforming represents a group of sheet forming processes that includes vacuum forming drape forming billow of free. The vacuum pump can be switched on which will draw air out from under the mould attracting the soft plastic over it.

Modify the timing as necessary. Jim throne consultant in applied plastics engineering handbook 2011. Twenty four hours at 176 f 80 c dries most sheets. 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. Heated plastic sheet from below. 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. Release mechanism for hanging plexiglas acrylic sheets in heating ovens.

I can t recommend for. This article uses a sheet about 1 4 thick so all times are about 10 to 15 minutes per step. 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. Plexiglass or acrylic sheet this system works well for small pieces of plexiglass in thicknesses of up to 1 8 inch.

A b c fig. A photograph of a steel frp steel frp hat profile. Wear gloves as you do this to avoid burning your hands. Set the sheet of acrylic across the rests on the strip heater and turn it on.

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. Turn the sheet of acrylic over on the heating element every 30 60 seconds in order to avoid damaging it. 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. 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 is important to provide sufficient clamping of the sheet during the forming process. Thermoforming is a generic term that refers to a process that begins with an extruded sheet of plastic.