Below: free help with vacuum forming / material selection guide
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, med-high strength but brittle, good clarity, high cost.

Baths, Domes, Light Diffusers, Roof Lights Sanitary Ware and Signs.

Various colours & clear grades 1½-6mm.

Can be hand worked or cellulose/enamel painted.
Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene

ABS, 1.08 g/cm³		 Hard, rigid, v.good impact strength &
weather resistance, medium cost.

Electrical Enclosures, Luggage, Sanitary & Vehicle Parts.
 Easily obtainable in 1-6mm thicknesses, various textures, finishes, clear, limited colours fire retardant and UV stabilised grades.

Easy to cut, paint or print on.
Polycarbonate

PC		 Hard, rigid, v.good impact strength & clarity, self extinguishing, high cost.

Aircraft trim, Light diffusers, Machine Guards, Riot Shields, Signs, Skylights and Visors.
 Various patterns, textured colours, clear & UV stable grades, 1-6mm.

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.		 Easily obtainable in 0.8-6mm thicknesses, clear only.

Easy to cut, machine or paint
Polyethylene - High Density

HDPE, 0.96 g/cm³		 Flexible, v.good imp.strength low cost

Caravan Parts, Enclosures, Housings & Vehicle Parts.		 Easily obtainable in 1-5mm thicknesses, black/white only

Needs specialist inks, can't paint.
Polypropylene

PP, 0.91 g/cm³		 Flexible, v.good imp.strength low cost

Chemical Tanks, Enclosures, Food Containers, Luggage, Medical Applications and Toys.

Easy to obtain in 0.75-6mm thicknesses, black/natural only.
Filled & additive grades available.

Cannot be spray painted.
Polystyrene - High Impact

HIPS, 1.06 g/cm³		 Wide range of options, high impact strength, low cost.

Displays, disposable items, models, packaging, presentation & toys.		 Easy to obtain in 0.25-6mm thicknesses, various colours, textures, flocked, conductive & UV stable grades. Screen ink sprayable, cellulose paint needs etching primer
Polyvinyl Chloride

PVC, 1.37 g/cm³		 Med-high strength, good transparency in thinner gauges, good fire retardant & chemical properties-highly resistant to solvents, low cost.

Car Trims, Machine Guards & Packaging		 Easy to obtain 0.25-0.75mm thicknesses, clear, black/white.

Thicker grades with good rigidity & impact strength available - most suited for outdoor industrial use
Needs specialist inks, can't paint.

For more help with vacuum forming - use the links below or view our vacuum forming material specifications or process guides.