free help with vacuum forming - material selection guide |
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| To give you more free help with vacuum forming for your needs, this vacuum forming material selection guide lists most common vacuum forming materials available & an overview of each one's basic properties in standard grade. Also listed is some advice on costs & uses for typical formings made from each material type. |
| Material Types, Abbreviations & Density | Description, Details & Typical Applications |
Comments / Options |
|---|---|---|
| Acrylic PMMA |
High quality, hard, medium - high strength but brittle, good clarity, high cost |
Various colours & clear grades in 1½ - 6 mm thickness' Can be hand worked or cellulose / enamel painted |
| Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene ABS, 1.08 g/cm³ |
Hard, rigid, very good impact strength & weather resistance, medium cost Electrical Enclosures, Luggage, Sanitary & Vehicle Parts |
Limited colours & clear, various textures & finishes, plus fire retardant and UV stabilised grades. Easy to obtain in 1 - 6 mm thickness' Easy to cut, paint or print on |
| Polycarbonate PC |
Hard, rigid, very good impact strength & clarity, self extinguishing, high cost Aircraft trim, Light diffusers, Machine Guards, Riot Shields, Signs, Skylights and Visors |
Various colours & clear, plus textured & UV stabilised grades, 1 - 6 mm thickness' Easy to machine, screen print, drill, tap & ultrasonically weld |
| Polyethyleneterephthalate Glycol PETG, 1.27 g/cm³ |
FDA approved, good - high impact strength, optically very good, can be sterilised & resilient to wide range of acid oils and alcohols, but not with highly alkaline solutions, high cost Dairy & Medical Parts, Point of Sale. |
Clear only, easy to obtain in 0.8 - 6 mm thickness' Easy to cut, machine or paint |
| Polyethylene - High Density HDPE, 0.96 g/cm³ |
Flexible, v.good impact strength, low cost Caravan Parts, Enclosures, Housings & Vehicle Parts |
Black or white only, easy to obtain in 1 - 5 mm thickness' Needs specialist inks, can't be painted |
| Polypropylene PP, 0.91 g/cm³ |
Flexible, v.good impact strength, low cost Chemical Tanks, Enclosures, Food Containers, Luggage, Medical Applications and Toys. |
Black or natural only, easy to obtain in 0.75 - 6 mm thickness' |
| Polystyrene - High Impact HIPS, 1.06 g/cm³ |
Wide range of options, high impact strength, low cost Displays, disposable items, models, packaging, presentation & toys |
10+ colours, various textures, flocked, conductive & UV stable grades. Easy to obtain in 0.25 - 6 mm thickness' Screen ink sprayable, cellulose paint needs etching primer |
| Polyvinyl Chloride PVC, 1.37 g/cm³ |
Medium - high strength, good transparency in thinner gauges, good fire retardant & chemical properties. Highly resistant to solvents, low cost Car Trims, Machine Guards & Packaging |
Clear, black or white, easy to obtain 0.25 - 0.75 mm thickness'.
Thicker grades with good rigidity & impact strength available - most suited for outdoor industrial use Needs specialist inks, can't be painted |
For more help with vacuum forming - use the links below or view our vacuum forming material specifications or process guides.
