Achieve Precision and Detail With Cost-Effective Pressure Forming Technology

Pressure thermoforming is the best option when aesthetics are important. Pressure-formed plastic rivals the cosmetic appearance of injection molding. And because its tooling and production are simpler and faster than injection molding, pressure forming creates plastic products that get to market quicker.

How pressure forming plastic works

To pressure form a plastic product:

A sheet of plastic material is heated in an oven.
The heated sheet is set on a mold.
A vacuum pulls air out of the mold, pulling the sheet against the mold. At the same time, air pressure is applied to the back of the sheet, pushing it tightly into the mold. These twin forces give pressure-formed products crisper details and sharper features.
After the formed plastic cools and hardens, it’s removed from the mold and trimmed.

Advantages of pressure forming

Pressure forming can produce plastic parts that look injection molded, especially when you have more complex designs that include:

Detailed textures
Multiple textures
Sharp, crisp formed-in features
Edges that turn inward or undercuts
Very tight tolerances

A wide range of resins and finishes

There’s no limit to the combination of base materials, colors, exterior details and finishes that can be incorporated into a pressure-formed part. Pressure-formed plastic can be painted, screen-printed, hot stamped or given other finishes. Additionally, forming with a colored resin can prevent the need for painting.

When to use pressure forming

Parts, panels, enclosures and other components that need precise details, sharp and attractive surfaces are best suited for pressure forming. Applications include:

Bezels and fronts of displays that require a logo, model designation, surface texture and styling features
Instrument panels that require precise openings for gauges and controls
Exteriors of office and medical equipment, electronic devices, business machines and other consumer or commercial products
Doors, hatches or covers that need consistent indentations and cutouts for hinges, latches, handles and other hardware

Interested in learning more about the pressure forming process? Contact us today. Our team can take your vision and turn it into a reality.