In-house tool-making capabilities
Producing a satisfactory and successful part always starts with the design and construction of an excellent tool. This is true in thermoforming as well as many other processes.
At Tru-Form Plastics, we consider the initial information exchange with the customer to be a critical phase in the project. Our engineers will want to know the part end-use parameters to assist in determining the best tooling design and material selection for the application. These factors will go beyond expected volume, to include stressful environments such as chemicals, impact and temperature. We will want to know the part(s) relationship with mating parts, so features can be designed in to reduce assembly costs and improve product functionality.
The thermal efficiency and durability of aluminum make it the material of choice for the production thermoforming tools. The nature of thermoforming combined with the longevity of the aluminum tool can yield an unlimited number of production parts. Aluminum tools with adequate temperature control will produce parts efficiently, with dimensional stability, and repeatable appearance from run to run.
Tru-Form Plastics constructs their machined aluminum thermoforming tools in-house based on customer-supplied 3-D CAD part files. This capability provides economic advantages along with reduced lead times to tool completion. Also important, in-house tool-making provides control during this crucial stage of the product development cycle.
In some instances, such as early market evaluations, considering a temporary or prototype tool may be advisable. Tru-Form Plastics engineers will be able to explain the tradeoffs of temporary tooling compared to going directly to a production tool for your application.