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.
As for thermoplastics, this type is surely recyclable and so can be used and remolded many times over. Thermoplastic also comes in several types where each one actually comes classified with the use of resin identification code. If you have seen a number surrounded by arrows forming a circle before, then this is it. Many materials of all kinds come with it just like plastics, metal products, paper products and glass products even. Recycling centers find this useful as they use these codes in separating items upon their drop off.
The most common resin identification code is perhaps 1, which identifies thermoformed packages and products made from polyethylene terephthalate. This includes plastic water bottles and soda bottles. Most recycling centers around the country will take these and some states offer a deposit refund if you turn them into a specific type of recycling center.
Of course several more terms are being linked to thermoplastic juts like "polyvinyl chloride" or PVC. PVC is definitely the most widely used of the thermoplastics. Other common types of thermoplastic are nylon, acrylic and Styrofoam. Now these are the plastics which are polymers - a molecule made up of chains of monomers which are large. Monomers are those molecules capable of being chemically bound together. There are polymers which are naturally occurring but then some of them are created by chemists which make them synthetic.
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.
As for thermoplastics, this type is surely recyclable and so can be used and remolded many times over. Thermoplastic also comes in several types where each one actually comes classified with the use of resin identification code. If you have seen a number surrounded by arrows forming a circle before, then this is it. Many materials of all kinds come with it just like plastics, metal products, paper products and glass products even. Recycling centers find this useful as they use these codes in separating items upon their drop off.
The most common resin identification code is perhaps 1, which identifies thermoformed packages and products made from polyethylene terephthalate. This includes plastic water bottles and soda bottles. Most recycling centers around the country will take these and some states offer a deposit refund if you turn them into a specific type of recycling center.
Of course several more terms are being linked to thermoplastic juts like "polyvinyl chloride" or PVC. PVC is definitely the most widely used of the thermoplastics. Other common types of thermoplastic are nylon, acrylic and Styrofoam. Now these are the plastics which are polymers - a molecule made up of chains of monomers which are large. Monomers are those molecules capable of being chemically bound together. There are polymers which are naturally occurring but then some of them are created by chemists which make them synthetic.
About the Author:
Lenna Stockwell enjoys writing about how stuff is made. For further details about custom thermoforming or to find out more about thermoform packaging, please visit the Indepak.com website now.
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