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Thermoforming Material
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Notable Properties
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Example Products
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Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)
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- Opaque
- Stiff
- Lightweight
- High impact strength
- Flame-retardant
- Resists temperatures -4°F to 176°F (-20°C to 80 ° C)
- Low cost
- Ideal for both thin-gauge and thick-gauge applications
- Best suited for vacuum forming
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- Sports equipment
- Automotive parts
- 3D printing components
- Plastic toys
- Musical instruments
- Electronic devices
- Pipes
- Machine casings/housings
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Acrylic (“Plexiglass”)
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- Transparent
- Shatter-resistant
- Lightweight
- Durable
- UV-resistant
- Best for thick-gauge applications
- Works well with vacuum forming
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- Retail display windows
- Retail shelving
- Fish tanks
- Television screens
- Casings for lighting fixtures
- Commercial signs
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Cellulose Acetate
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- Tough
- Deep gloss
- Highly transparent
- Natural feel
- Made from wood pulp (renewable)
- Easily weakened by strong alkaline solutions
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- Clear plastic mailing tubes
- Photographic films
- Packaging containers
- Eyeglass frames
- Transparencies for overhead projection
- Fibers
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Nylon
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- Durable
- Lightweight
- Soft and malleable
- Waterproof
- Resistant to punctures and scratches
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Polystyrene (PS)
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- Transparent
- Low impact resistance
- Fair strength/stiffness
- Not much chemical resistance
- Moderate temperature resistance
- Low cost
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High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS)
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- Versatile, balanced properties
- Increased toughness and impact strength vs. polystyrene
- Cost-effective
- Ideal for both thin-gauge and thick-gauge applications
- Best suited for vacuum forming
- Easy to customize aesthetically (color, transparency)
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- One of the most widely used materials for plastic packaging
- Plastic shipping trays
- Clamshell containers
- Food packaging
- Disposable cutlery/tableware
- Medical trays
- Electrical insulation
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Polycarbonate (PC)
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- Highly transparent
- Customizable to different shades
- High impact strength
- Heat resistant, but degrades over 140 ° F (60 ° C).
- Rigid, dimensionally stable
- Low fatigue endurance
- Good chemical resistance
- More typical for injection molding than thermoforming
- Strong electrical insulation properties
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- Ideal alternative to glass
- Household appliances
- Automotive parts (such as headlights)
- Construction materials
- Sunglasses and eyeglasses
- Safety goggles
- Electronic devices
- Helmets
- Compact discs
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Polyetherimide (PEI)
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- Natural amber color
- Requires thick-gauge process
- Extremely high-temperature resistance
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- Approved for aerospace products
- Aircraft components
- Medical devices
- Electrical components
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High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
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- Chemical resistant
- Resists most solvents
- Low moisture absorption
- Durable, fairly rigid
- High strength-to-density
- Ideal for both thin-gauge and thick-gauge applications
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- Food packaging and containers (milk jugs, juice bottles)
- Chemical bottles and jugs (detergent, bleach, shampoo, cosmetics)
- Containers for prolonged reuse
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High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (HMWPE)
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- Similar to HDPE
- Better than HDPE for applications with mated parts, abrasive forces, heavy slamming
- Ideal for both thin-gauge and thick-gauge applications
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- Material handling products (wear parts, conveyor components)
- Cutting boards
- Abrasion resistant components
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Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)
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- Transparent
- Flexible
- Chemically stable
- Low gas permeability
- Lightweight
- One of the most commonly recycled plastics
- Must dry after forming
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- Carbonated soft drinks and mineral water bottles
- Synthetic fibers
- Glass replacements in some applications.
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Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol (PETG)
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- Transparent
- Great impact strength
- Easy to mold
- Ideal for both thin-gauge and thick-gauge applications
- Best suited for vacuum forming
- Cost-effective
- Ideal for thermoforming; sturdy and easy to mold with sharp detail
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- Food and beverage containers
- Signage
- Medical packaging
- 3D-printed materials
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Polypropylene (PP)
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- Used for both thick and thin-gauge applications.
- Chemical-resistant
- Rigid
- Good impact strength
- Performs well at higher temperatures
- Elastic properties
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- Among most popular thermoformed plastics
- Toys
- Packaging
- Hinges
- Plastic parts for machinery and equipment
- Fibers and textiles
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Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
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- Works in both thick-gauge and thin-gauge applications
- Ideal for vacuum-forming process
- Great resistance to grease, fire, impact, and extreme environments
- Good electrical insulator
- Pliable with addition of plasticizers
- Can increase chemical stability and insulation properties with chlorination
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- One of the most widely-used thermoformed plastics
- Construction materials and piping systems
- Cables, wires, and electrical conduits
- Signage
- Clothing and fashion accessories
- Chemical delivery systems
- Hot and cold delivery systems
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Thermoplastic Olefin (TPO)
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- Excellent impact resistance
- High-gloss finish
- More difficult to form than other options
- Only for thick-gauge applications
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- Automotive components (dashboards, bumpers)
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