Thermoforming Services
Thermoforming is a plastic manufacturing process that forms hot sheet plastic over a mold using vacuum or pressure to create complex surfaces with precise detail. Once the formed plastic cools and hardens, excess plastic is trimmed away and recycled. Then parts are hand finished, inspected and packed for shipment.
Thermoforming is especially effective for creating custom packaging, trays, covers, panels, and housings – ideal for any plastic part with a single surface shape.
This cost-effective technology not only reduces lead times and tooling costs compared to other common techniques like injection molding and machining, but it also offers lower unit costs than 3D printing.
While there are some design limitations, our thermoforming equipment supports a versatile range of gauges and plastics.
In short, thermoforming provides excellent value for large parts up to 10′ in length and high volume orders of hundreds to thousands of units.
The Thermoplastic Advantage
Engineers love thermoplastics.
They are strong, durable and inexpensive materials. RapidMade offers an extensive range of thermoforming plastics, including PETG, HIPS, ABS in thicknesses ranging from 0.020″ to 0.250″ (0.5 mm to 6.5 mm). An extensive list of our sheet plastic options are below on this page.
With so many material options, thermoformed products are able to meet a host of mechanical and aesthetic demands, from conductivity and heat resistance to FDA food- and medical-grade certifications.
Thermoformed parts can be rigid or flexible, glossy or matte, translucent or opaque. This versatility lends itself to applications in a variety of industries, including food, medicine, robotics, automotive, aerospace, electronics and industrial manufacturing.
Engineering, Finishing and CNC Machining
At RapidMade, we differentiate ourselves by employing a team qualified engineers who are assigned to your project. Unlike other firms, we don’t just fabricate parts; we ensure they meet your exact specifications. This commitment to quality starts with a rigorous upfront design review, followed by thorough backend inspections.
The result? Engineered products that meet your needs and deliver lasting value. Our manufacturing expertise shines through in every project.
Our engineering process includes the following services:
No parts are made without thorough engineering review and customer approval (see sample ERR document.)
Up to one hour of revisions included with jobs; we can also do full part design or modifications as needed
We design and build our own tooling to ensure parts are made in spec with our advanced thermoforming equipment.
Painting and Coating
At RapidMade we have a full service paint shop capable of painting parts up to eight feet in length. We employ several full time painters who can achieve basically any finish you want.
Perfect for small batch jobs where you do not reach the MOQ for custom color or finish.
ESD: Electrostatic Dissipation Coating
- Our ESD coat is field tested for over 7 years with no adhesion problems.
- We employ rigorous quality control. We certify all parts will be 10^7 – 10^8 Ohms Surface Resistivity.
- Great for electronics, optics, and flammable applications.
Genesis: Automotive Paint Finish
- Custom Pantone or Paint chip color match
- 10 year rated UV protection
- Scratch resistant
- Control luster levels: flat, matte, satin, semi-gloss and gloss
- Additional clear coat top coat available
3- and 5 Axis CNC Trimming
We offer a full range of trim options, from quick, low-cost hand trimming to precision 3 and 5 axis CNC machining, so you can choose the right balance of cost, speed, and accuracy for your project.
Our CNC trimming offers the following advantages:
We are staffed to run multiple shifts per day, 7 days a week. Ask us about expedite options!
Our machinists have dozens of years of experience. We will provide honest evaluations of your drawings and inspect your parts per an ISO sampling plan.
Our largest 5 axis machine tool has a 10’x5’x5′ travel – we can accurately trim the largest parts.
The way we trim your part will be called out on the quote!
Blazing Fast and Low Cost
Our specialty is thermoforming with 3D printed tooling: a unique process RapidMade pioneered.
Traditionally, molds are milled or cast from aluminum. This can be slow and expensive, taking weeks to months to produce. By using 3D printed nylon molds we can create durable tooling in under 48 hours for 25% of the cost of aluminum.
MJF Nylon 12 offers high temperature resistance, robust mechanical properties and has a consistent matte finish. 3D printed tooling also provides profound design freedom, easy surface texture, and fine detail – all with unlimited tooling life!
The low costs and faster production times make it easier than ever to prototype thermoformed parts. Savings from 3D printed molds make thermoforming an economical option for an even wider range of parts throughout your product life cycle.
Types of Thermoform Tooling:
- 1-2 weeks to samples
- The overall best tooling option for parts 19”x17” or smaller
- Not suitable for ultra high temperature materials
- Very high detail and clean, matte finish
- Permanent tooling
- 3-6 weeks to samples
- The best option for larger tools up to 8+ feet
- 30# tooling board for prototyping (50 – 100 forms) – matte finish
- 50# tooling board for production (permanent) – matte finish
- 70# tooling board for production (permanent) – polish finish
- 3-6 weeks to samples
- Best for transparent parts when clarity is required
- Best for high temperature plastics like Polycarbonate and Polypropylene
- Capable of the finest detail and thinnest mold features
- Permanent tooling
- 10-12 weeks to samples
- Best for massive molds and thousands of parts
- Rough toolside finish
- Requires a 3D printed or machined master mold that we ship to a foundry.
- Permanent tooling
*Note: Tool surface finish is only important for clear materials or glossy finishes on the mold side. For most opaque materials and positive/male molds tooling surface finish is not important. For clear plastics a matte finish will leave a frosted/diffused texture on the mold side, which may or may not be desirable.
When designing parts to be thermoformed plastic parts, there are a few important considerations to ensure quality and consistency. Draw ratio, or the ratio of the part’s depth to its width, cannot exceed 4:3. We recommend a maximum draw depth of 1:1 if possible or quality may suffer. We can build a pre-stretch box to help with this, but it adds cost.
Due to shrinkage thermoformed parts also require 1-2 degrees of draft for internal surfaces and 3-5 degrees of draft for external surfaces in order to be removed from their molds. We will adjust your models for shrinkage!
To learn more about mold and part designs from a trusted thermoforming company, check out our dedicated page, our Thermoforming Design for Manufacturing (DFM) Guide.
Thermoforming Tolerance Guidelines | ||
|---|---|---|
| ACTIVITY | TOLERANCE | GUIDELINE |
| FORMED MEASUREMENTS | +/-0.020” | Additional 0.001” per Inch beyond 12” |
| DRILLED HOLE DIAMETERS | +/-0.005” | Holes Equal or Lesser than 1” |
| DRILLED HOLE DIAMETERS | +/-0.010” | Holes from 1” to 5” |
| SLOTS | +/-0.010” | Slot Equal to or Lesser than 1” Any Direction |
| SLOTS | +/-0.020” | Slots Greater than 1” |
| 5 AXIS TRIM | +/-0.015” | Trim Features under 5” |
| 5 AXIS TRIM | +/-0.020” | Trim Features Greater than 5” |
| HAND TRIM GENERAL | +/-0.062″ | Trim Guides Molded into Form |
| HAND TRIM HOLE DIAMETER | +/-0.020″ | Blind Drilled on Dimples or Jig-Assisted |
Available Thermoforming Plastics
Thermoforming is compatible with a variety of plastics that can achieve a wide range of thermal, mechanical and chemical properties.
Below, is an extensive list of the thermoplastics we regularly use with our thermoforming process and some of their ideal applications. Although these resins are a complete list of our standard offerings, the world of plastics is vast – we might be able to work with customer supplied materials or source something special upon request.
It always helps to start a conversation with our sales team if you are curious about a niche plastic not listed below. At RapidMade, we embrace your toughest challenges.
Standard (No Minimum)
The following materials are stocked at RapidMade or easily obtained at a local distributor with limited color and finish.
Materials are not always readily available in every thickness but at worst they can be purchased in as little as a single 4’x8′ sheet with a 1-3 weeks lead time.
Custom orders of these materials are available and offer more textures, pantone color match, additives (like UV or flame rating) and to greatly reduced cost. These runs can take 4-8 weeks and require 2500 lb material minimums.
Lowest cost and easy to form. Smooth, flat and clean surface finish which paints well. One of the most aesthetic forming grade plastics. Popular for packaging, material handling and signage. Less mechanical than ABS and poor chemical resistance. Available in food grade. Stock white and black colors – and takes paint beautifully. Famously used in iPhone packaging.
Moderate cost and easy to form. High gloss surface finish. Food grade and available in medical grade. Popular for packaging, food processing and pharmaceutical applications. Stiff and flexible material. Clear plastic which easily shows the mold finish – polished molds necessary for high clarity. Frosted finish on tool side is standard.
Lowest cost and easy to form. Impact-resistant mechanical plastic and the industry standard when cost and performance are priorities. Used for automotive body parts, high wear housings and covers and moderate-load structural components. The stock hair cell finish is ideal for hiding scratches and taking a beating.
Expensive flame-retardant engineered plastic with extremely high impact resistance. Used for moderate-load structures, covers and enclosures that require fire resistance. Top tier mechanical properties. Kydex 100 is our go-to material for radomes due to RFI properties. Variety of colors and finishes with a 600 lb MOQ. Absolutely stunning aesthetics.
Moderately expensive plastic with high stiffness, impact strength and temperature resistance, plus options for UV and scratch resistance. Used for glass replacements on phones, TVs, lights or glasses, and high-temp applications. Difficult to form, especially fine detail. Requires pre-drying and aluminum molds which ads cost. Very prone to blemishes during forming – do not expect perfect aesthetic form quality!
Semi-rigid, moderate cost (HDPE prices are very volatile!) plastic with high chemical resistance. Does not off-gas at high temperatures. Chemical and thermal durability makes it well-suited for chemical-resistant containers. Highest shrink rate of any plastic, which lowers composite tool life and increases variability between parts. HDPE is sometimes the only acceptable plastic for certain chemical applications.
Low cost alternative to HDPE with decent thermal and mechanical properties. Very soft plastic with a lot of flex. Slightly less shrinkage than HDPE but still has a high shrink rate. Higher level of chemical resistance than most plastics. Can be hard to form without aluminum molds. FDA approved for direct food contact.
Rigid and versatile plastic with great mechanical properties, chemical and electrical resistance. Smooth surface finish. Food and medical grade. Very similar to ABS but with a much higher material cost. Used for potable water, chemical processing, pharmaceutical and agricultural applications. Easy to work with, if a bit stinky. Engineers pick PVC when ABS does not have the chemical properties and HDPE is too soft.
An inexpensive, rigid and brittle plastic molding with high UV resistance. More difficult to form than other plastic in the US. Extremely difficult to work with – not intended for tight bends or details. Requires very soft transitions and extreme draft or material can blow out while forming. UV resistance makes it well-suited to outdoor applications. We are very selective about your design when working with this material.
500 lb Minimum
Bolteron is a trade name for several blended grades of thermoplastic which are equivalent to Kydex. For example Bolteron 4335 is equivalent to Kydex T.
They have aircraft grade mechanical properties, are UV and corrosion resistant, FST (flame, smoke toxicity) rated, UL 94-V0 rated, and FDA USP class I-VI rated for medical devices. Bolteron, like Kydex, is more expensive per pound than lower grade plastics like ABS but can be worth it for medium production runs.
The best part? At 500 lbs Bolteron is the lowest minimum order custom run plastic we. That means low minimums on:
- Custom sheet sizes – Avoid costly waste common when forced to use a 4’x8′ stock sheet size
- Custom textures – 7 available extruded textures from gloss to matte, velour to haircell
- Custom pantone color match – We can custom match any pantone color or paint chip without needing to paint
2500 lb Minimum
These materials are made to order with a 6 week lead time. These are premium automotive plastics that possess exceptional finish and durability. These plastics can have any custom pantone color and finish and even include additional features like foam and polyurethane top layers.
TPO (Thermoplastic Poly Olefin) is a compounded alloy of polypropylene, elastomers and mineral fillers offering a unique balance of stiffness and thermal expansion. TPO has superior weather-ability so it does not require a cap and it ranks extremely high on impact and chemical resistance.
Alloying Polycarbonate blended with ABS results in the best of both worlds. You get the ease of processing ABS and the durability of polycarbonate. This combination also improves heat deflection temperature, stiffness, and and low-temperature impact resistance. Needs paint or coating for automotive applications.
Cap of partially cross-linked TPE coextruded over TPO Soft-touch TPE cap – 90 Shore A
This material is outdoor weatherable, has excellent chemical resistance, very low gloss and offers options of HMS, FR, & Glass-filled TPO.
Introducing: Carbon Fiber
Aerolite Carbon Fiber is a revolutionary new composite: real, high-performance carbon fiber offering up to seven times the strength of TPO yet moldable via traditional vacuum forming processes. Its lightweight and durable properties make it ideal for producing complex, high-strength components. Suitable for applications in aerospace, automotive, prosthetics, heavy equipment manufacturing and robotics.
Maintaining its 3″ long fiber chains during the forming process we are able to create real carbon fiber parts by vacuum forming over a mold. This process cuts out 70% of the cost and 95% of the cycle time out of carbon fiber part manufacturing. Parts that previously took hours now can be made in minutes!
For more information, visit our Aerolite Carbon Fiber product page.
Thermoformed carbon fiber greatly reduces the labor costs and increases production speeds compared to layup and compression processes
In addition to being able to produce every color under the sun we can provide seven custom extruded textures shown below. These textures range from gloss to matte to satin and haircell. Our team get work with you to provide real texture images up close to help guide you on your decision or even ship samples to you.
In addition to these textures we can also provide many additional pressed textures at added cost.
Our supplier’s state-of-the-art color laboratory specializes in producing quality colored sheet from standard gray and blue hues to dynamic, bright accent colors. Expert technicians and their in-house technology offers custom color matching in a standard lead time of less than 3 days.
You can match to a physical sample or to a color reference number such as Pantone, NCS, or RAL.
Trays
Meet Your Thermoforming Specialist
I’m Isaac, the thermoforming specialist at RapidMade.
With 10 years of engineering experience, I personally oversee all vacuum forming projects and I’m here to ensure you receive unparalleled attention to detail and technical expertise.
Our edge? We put technical experts like myself on the front lines, ensuring your projects are handled with care and expertise from start to finish. You won’t be dealing with junior sales staff here.
I personally review every project, providing honest feedback and detailed quotes. My commitment: your project will be delivered on time, with industry-leading quality.
At RapidMade, we’re ready for your toughest challenges. Let’s bring your ideas to life!