Vacuum Forming Material Specification
To help you select vacuum forming plastics for your needs, the most common vacuum forming materials available & their specs are listed below, all of which we can vacuum form for you. Our vacuum forming material selection guide may also be of help to you.
General vacuum forming material specs - when in sheet form ABS = Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene ABS FR = ABS Fire Retardent HDPE = High Density Polyethylene HIPS = High Impact Polystyrene HDPE Cond. = HDPE Conductive HIPS Cond. = HIPS Conductive PP = Polypropylene PVC = Polyvinyl Chloride CHIPS = HIPS Clear HIPS UVS = HIPS Ultra Violet Stable PETG = Polyethyleneterephthalate Glycol |
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specs | ABS | ABS FR | HDPE | HIPS |
Density (specific gravity) | 1.08 g/cm³ | 1.24 g/cm³ | 0.96 g/cm³ | 1.06 g/cm³ |
Izod notched impact strength @ 23°c | 400 - 420 j/m | 160 - 200 j/m | 16 kj/m² | 15.0 kj/m² |
Izod notched impact strength @ -20°c | 230 - 280 j/m | 60 - 70 j/m | DNS | DNS |
Vicat softening temperature | 97 - 101°c | 88 - 92°c | 125°c | 97°c |
Heat deflection temperature | 80 - 84°c | 76 - 80°c | 90°c | 75 - 78°c |
Tensile strength | 30 - 40 MPa | 40 - 45 MPa | 23 N/mm² | 20 MPa |
Flexural modulus | 2.0 - 2.2 GPa | 2.0 - 2.5 GPa | DNS | 1.7 - 1.8 GPa |
Flammability rating | HB | UL94 V0 | HB | HB |
Forming Temperature | 140 - 190°c | 140 - 190°c | 145 - 160°c | 120 - 140°c |
Melt flow index | 6.0 g/10min | 22.0 g/10min | 0.4 - 1.0 g/10min | 4.5 g/10min |
Mould shrinkage (linear) | 0.4 - 0.7% | 0.5 - 0.7% | 2.0 - 3.5% | 0.4 - 0.7% |
specs | HDPE Cond. | HIPS Cond. | PP | PVC |
Density (specific gravity) | 1.04 g/cm³ | 1.13 g/cm³ | 0.91 g/cm³ | 1.37 g/cm³ |
Izod notched impact strength @ 23°c | 27 kj/m² | 10 kj/m² | 40 kj/m² | DNS |
Izod notched impact strength @ -20°c | 13 kj/m² | 2 kj/m² | DNS | DNS |
Vicat softening temperature | 127°c | 93°c | 70°c | 70 - 76°c |
Heat deflection temperature | 56°c | 81°c | 80°c | 67°c |
Tensile strength | 29 MPa | 20 MPa | 29 - 31 N/mm | 51 - 55 N/mm² |
Flexural modulus | 820 MPa | 2100 MPa | 25-27 N/mm² | DNS |
Flammability rating | HB | HB | HB | Class 1 |
Forming Temperature | DNS | DNS | 155 - 175°c | 110 - 190°c |
Melt flow index | 6 g/10 min-1 | DNS | 0.3 - 1.0 g/10min | DNS |
Mould shrinkage (linear) | 1.4 - 1.6% | DNS | 1.5 - 2.0% | 0.4 - 0.7% |
Volume resistivity | ≤ 10³ | ≤ 10³ | NA | NA |
Surface resistivity | ≤ 104 | ≤ 104 | NA | NA |
Hardness shore A/D | 98 / 65 | 99 / 73 | DNS | DNS |
specs | CHIPS | HIPS UVS | PETG (@3mm) | KEY & NOTES |
Density (specific gravity) | 1.03 g/cm³ | 1.02 g/cm³ | 1.27 g/cm³ | These material specs should be used as a guide. DNS = Data Not Supplied by material supplier |
Izod notched impact strength | 2.3 j/m | 120 j/m | 88 j/m | |
Vicat softening temperature | 90°c | 97°c | 83°c | |
Heat deflection temperature | 71°c | DNS | 74°c | |
Tensile strength | 26.4 MPa | 23 MPa | 26 MPa @break | |
Flexural strength | 63 MPa | 32 MPa | 77 MPa | |
Falling dart impact strength | DNS | 50.5 j | DNS | |
Flammability rating | DNS | DNS | HB (V2>3.2mm) |