Materials/Services
From a Sketch on a Napkin to a Complete Thermoformed Part in Days vs. Weeks
The proprietary thermoforming tooling technology and equipment used at FastForming.com LLC in Ohio and Sandel Products in California allows them to deliver finished sample thermoformed parts in days instead of weeks. Starting with a napkin sketch, an engineering drawing, or solid model, James in Ohio or Del in California will work with you to create a thermoformed product that meets your objectives. Many years of plastic molding experience enhance their ability to recommend improvements to the plastics fabricating and thermoforming capabilities of existing designs.
As an example, good part design will avoid many potential problems when deciding whether injection molding or thermoforming is the best process for your plastic fabricated part. We can help you convert an injection molding design to thermoforming. Injection molded ribs provide stiffness, but in vacuum thermoforming the part ribs can become hinge points, decreasing stiffness. This can often lead to an increase in material thickness and cost. However, with good part design and thermoforming material choice, the extra material usage cost is eliminated, saving the cost and developmental time of an expensive injection mold.
Improving Process Time with Solid Modeling and Rapid Prototyping
FastForming.com LLC is running SolidWorks and can import your solid models directly, enabling us communicate design intent effectively, make any recommendations, create consensus, and keep your thermoforming parts project moving at a rapid pace. Because the rapid prototyping industry has greatly accelerated development cycles, stereo-lithography, fused deposition modeling (FDM), 3D Printing and other methodologies use computerized modeling software to create solid models. We can make vacuum forming tools directly from these solid models. We can also have patterns machined directly from your solid model, eliminating steps from prototype to production.
If you anticipate design changes, we provide you with soft tooling which can be changed quickly with minor cost impact. For added insurance, all FastForming.com LLC and Sandel Products’ thermoforming tooling is guaranteed to meet your production requirements.
A Thermoforming Company Offering a Wide Variety of Material Choices
Thermoforming material selection can be a daunting task with so many plastics parts forming resins offered. We can help you narrow the selection quickly. Before making a material determination many factors are considered, such as how the thermoformed part will be used, any chemical exposure, shipping methods (certain materials can add as much as 3-5 times normal costs) and any other factors that will affect the plastics parts forming process and the part’s final usage.
FastForming.com LLC and Sandel Products work with any thermoforming material including:
| ABS | ABS/PVC | ABS/Polycarbonate | High Impact Polystyrene |
| Modified Polystyrene | Polyethylene | Polypropylene | Polycarbonate |
| Acrylic | Cast Acrylic | PETG | PVC, CPVC |
| PVC Foam, HDPE Foam | Noryl | Naugaform | CAB |
| Nylon | Naugahyde, Nylon |
Ultem | PPO |
| TPO | SAN | Sintra | Cintrex |
| PTFE | Santoprene |
Plastics part forming with thin or thick gage materials is no problem with FastForming.com LLC or Sandel Products. Our custom-built thermoforming machines get the material out of the oven and onto the tool in less than two seconds. This allows us to vacuum form difficult materials like thin gage polycarbonate, Ultem, and Nylon in material thicknesses that range from 0.005 to 0.500.
Additional Plastics Parts Forming Services
In addition to thermoforming services, FastForming.com LLC performs plastics assembly services including welding, bonding, and mechanical fastening. We have assembled difficult parts like the Champion spark plug tray and the Borg-Warner tray—products that are both light and stiff because of the part’s design and bonding with a structural acrylic adhesive.
Die cutting services are achieved with our 35 ton Schwabe 34”x34” DG die press.
Please visit our Products page and view our thermoforming products Gallery for further details about how our unique vacuuming forming capabilities can help you save time and money on your next project.