We bring your ideas to life!
CALL TOLL-FREE: 888-858-7975
websales@techniformind.com
   

 

Specialists in thermoforming, vacuum forming, pressure forming, and twin sheet forming since 1972
 
  Home | Thermoforming | Vacuum Forming | Pressure Forming | Twin Sheet Forming | Capabilities | History | Contact
   
QUICK LINKS
thermoforming quick link
THERMOFORMING
vacuum forming quick link
VACUUM FORMING
pressure forming quick link
PRESSURE FORMING
twin sheet forming quick link
TWIN SHEET FORMING
Made In The USA
   
   

Content on this page requires a newer version of Adobe Flash Player.

Get Adobe Flash player

View Product Gallery
contact us link

At Techniform Industries our success comes from our customers' success.

If you’re now ready to bring your idea to life...
then fill out the form or call Techniform today at
1-888-858-7975!

Name:

Phone:

Email:

Request/Comment:

Be sure to ask for your copy of our capabilities brochure too!

Technically Speaking - Techniform's Information Forum

Thermoforming Conversion Case Stories!

Concept to Reality - Tinker Toy Hub

Every now and then a project comes along that not only tests the broad capabilities of plastic thermoforming but also manages to be a lot of fun. Such a project came along when Techniform was approached by a client representing the Betty Brinn Children ‘s Museum to develop a large scale key component for their TinkerToy exhibit.

The required component was a scaled-up representation of the wooden hub used to interconnect the TinkerToy pieces, and fabricating the hubs out of wood was neither practical nor economical. It was determined that plastic vacuum forming was the only logical fabrication process for several key reasons.

Firstly, because the product needed to simulate a real wooden hub, a thermoformable wood grain laminate was used to achieve this appearance and this type of decorative laminate can only be formed using thermoforming since the laminate is applied directly to the plastic sheet during the sheet extrusion process. The sheet can then be vacuum formed with the stretchable decorative laminate pre-applied to the sheet. Secondly, since the production volume was relatively low the high tooling costs of other plastic forming processes were not feasible.

By choosing vacuum forming, Techniform was able to produce a low-cost epoxy mold to complete the production run and achieve the same high quality appearance on the outside of the part. Another advantage that Techniform brought to this project was its ability to produce tooling without any formal drawing or design by utilizing their in-house wood pattern shop. Although very few thermoformers still maintain pattern shops, Techniform recognizes the continued necessity for such a facility to better service certain types of projects that are better suited for “on the fly” development. Another trade technique used to keep the project tooling costs low was the use of “built-in-rout-guides” (known as BIRGS). This technique utilizes molded-in geometry along the trimmed edges and guides the cutting tool to trim the part from the scrap area. The hub’s structure consists of two vacuum formed pieces glued together which makes up one half of the hub, and then these two assemblies are bonded together as mirror image halves to form a complete hub. This type of design structure – the use of the same part in multiple locations - is yet another technique in vacuum forming utilized to keep the tooling costs low. Finally, the Tinker Toy Logo was hot stamp printed onto the hub producing a remarkably realistic large scale replica of the original wood hubs.

Gallery Photo

References:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dw6hFDRV9U

https://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/dmarek/10/1294164308/tpod.html

https://www.bbcmkids.org/salesrentals/tinkertoy.php

https://californiadaytrips.blogspot.com/2010/06/tinkertoy-traveling-exhibit-arrives-at.html

https://blog.travelpod.com/travel-photo/dmarek/10/1294164308/portland-children-s-museum.jpg/tpod.html

© 2011 Techniform Industries Michael Robinette

YouTube | www.youtube.com clipsWatch Thermoview Now!

Techniform Industries Thermoforming Disclosure:
Plastic Fabrication through Plastic Thermoforming Process can be done at low prices - as if you were buying direct and saving or even going over seas - but instead your supporting local and the creation of Made in the USA plastic thermoforming jobs! Typically plastic clamshells, blisters and trays are purchased overseas because they are thought to be cheaper! Not true. Vacuum Thermoforming offers an alternative and supports the Made in the USA innitiative.

Utilizing thermoforming equipment, Techniform can make your plastic product sucessful, unique, fun, and most importantly innovative by thermoforming plastic. Your success is our success. In some circles are even considered consultants to the plastics thermoforming industry. As one of the leading thermoforming companies we specialize in the forming of thermoplastic sheets by heating the plastic material and then pulling it down onto a mold surface to shape it with a thermoforming machine. Techniform is a full-service thermoforming service provider specializing in custom thermoformed parts via vacuum forming, pressure forming, and twin sheeting medium to heavy gauge parts. We only utilize the manufacturing process referred to as thermoforming where a plastic sheet is heated to a pliable forming temp, formed over a die to a specific shape in a mold, and trimmed to create a custom plastic vacuum formed product. Call or email us today for more information on how you too can be proud to be part of the Made In The USA movement!

 

Techniform Industries a Division of Sandusky Technologies, LLC | 2107 Hayes Ave, Fremont, OH 43420 | 888-858-7975 |
websales@techniformind.com | NEOMI | Site Map