While many people might not be aware of it, thermoforming companies around the country provide many extremely important services for manufacturing. The creation of custom thermoformed packaging is perhaps the top task that these companies complete for clients. Here are some common terms used by workers in this important industry.
The term thermoforming is what describes the process where a sheet of plastic is being heat up to a certain point until it becomes malleable thus can be formed into several products or shaped packages. When plastic is warmed up it is either radiant heat or convection that is being used and then being molded. Upon cooling it down, excess plastic is then removed so you can have the finished product.
The term thermoplastic is referred to the type of plastic required for thermoforming. One type of plastic you may also encounter is thermoset plastic but this one is different though. Thermoset plastics can also be melted and molded however you should know that the first time you apply heat to it, its chemistry changes and so it would not be possible to melt it done again and remold into a new form or product.
Thermoplastics on the other hand are truly recyclable plastics making it possible to use and remold many times. It also comes in different types and in order to classify each type, a special resin identification code is used. You have probably seen these codes before - the number surrounded by a triangle of arrows. Many materials come with these codes like paper products, plastics, glass products and metal products too. Because of these codes recycling centers find it easier to sort and separate items.
Thermoformed packages and products which are made of polyethylene terephthalate is perhaps the most commonly found items and they carry the resin identification code 1. Plastic water bottles and soda bottles are among these items. In the country several recycling centers accept these items being turned over and a deposit refund may even be guaranteed to you if you turn them to a specified type of recycling center in some states.
There are many other words and terms associated with thermoplastic, such as PVC, which stands for polyvinyl chloride. This is one of the most widely used types of thermoplastic. Acrylic, nylon and Styrofoam are just a few more common types of thermoplastics. All of these plastics are polymers, which is a molecule made up of large chains of monomers. The monomers are simply molecules that can be bound together chemically. Some polymers are naturally occurring and others are synthetic and have been created by chemists.
The term thermoforming is what describes the process where a sheet of plastic is being heat up to a certain point until it becomes malleable thus can be formed into several products or shaped packages. When plastic is warmed up it is either radiant heat or convection that is being used and then being molded. Upon cooling it down, excess plastic is then removed so you can have the finished product.
The term thermoplastic is referred to the type of plastic required for thermoforming. One type of plastic you may also encounter is thermoset plastic but this one is different though. Thermoset plastics can also be melted and molded however you should know that the first time you apply heat to it, its chemistry changes and so it would not be possible to melt it done again and remold into a new form or product.
Thermoplastics on the other hand are truly recyclable plastics making it possible to use and remold many times. It also comes in different types and in order to classify each type, a special resin identification code is used. You have probably seen these codes before - the number surrounded by a triangle of arrows. Many materials come with these codes like paper products, plastics, glass products and metal products too. Because of these codes recycling centers find it easier to sort and separate items.
Thermoformed packages and products which are made of polyethylene terephthalate is perhaps the most commonly found items and they carry the resin identification code 1. Plastic water bottles and soda bottles are among these items. In the country several recycling centers accept these items being turned over and a deposit refund may even be guaranteed to you if you turn them to a specified type of recycling center in some states.
There are many other words and terms associated with thermoplastic, such as PVC, which stands for polyvinyl chloride. This is one of the most widely used types of thermoplastic. Acrylic, nylon and Styrofoam are just a few more common types of thermoplastics. All of these plastics are polymers, which is a molecule made up of large chains of monomers. The monomers are simply molecules that can be bound together chemically. Some polymers are naturally occurring and others are synthetic and have been created by chemists.
About the Author:
Lenna Stockwell loves blogging about how stuff is made. For further details about custom thermoforming or to find out more about thermoform packaging, please check out the Indepak.com site now.
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