Plastic Sheet Heat Forming

How to make a successful straight bend in sheet acrylic or plastic.

Plastic sheet heat forming.

The only absolute requirement for bending and forming kydex is heating the sheet until soft when the material becomes formable. Abbeon industrial plastic working equipment precision instruments. It is our mission at abbeon to provide project solutions and outstanding customer service. The object of heating the sheet is to heat it evenly along a line just in front of the straight edge of your clamped jig.

With your sheet plexiglass clamped securely to your work surface under a straight edge that defines where the bend will be it is time to heat your material. Cut out different shapes from the sheet. This article uses a sheet about 1 4 thick so all times are about 10 to 15 minutes per step. Modify the timing as necessary.

Kydex can be easily cut to size by scoring and cutting sheets with a razor or similar knife. Thermoforming is a manufacturing process where a plastic sheet is heated to a pliable forming temperature formed to a specific shape in a mold and trimmed to create a usable product. The sheet or film when referring to thinner gauges and certain material types is heated in an oven to a high enough temperature that permits it to be stretched into or onto a mold and cooled to a finished shape. Strong reusable our sheets can be re melted again and again so you can build reshape and add to your work as often as needed.

Heat guns and toaster ovens have proven the best diy method for our customers. For thicker sheets it will take longer and for thinner sheets it will take less time. Biggest problem will be the heating and forming as it is never a good idea to work on bigger pieces with a heat gun.