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Colors of Modified Acrylic Solid Surface |
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Thermoforming / Heating and Bending :
Using thermoforming technology to form any shape you desire.
Thermoforming is a manufacturing process where a Solid Surface sheet is heated to a pliable forming temperature, formed to a specific shape in a mold, and trimmed to create a usable product. The sheet, when referring to thinner gauges and certain material types, is heated in an oven to a high-enough temperature that it can be stretched into or onto a mold and cooled to a finished shape.
In its simplest form, a small tabletop or lab size machine can be used to heat small cut sections of plastic sheet and stretch it over a mold using vacuum. This method is often used for sample and prototype parts. In complex and high-volume applications, very large production machines are utilized to heat and form the Solid Surface sheet and trim the formed parts from the sheet in a continuous high-speed process, and can produce many hundreds of finished parts per hour depending on the machine and mold size and the size of the parts being formed.

Many different methods are used to heat and bend solid surface and all colours and brands behave slightly differently under heat and pressure. The basic rule is to heat the material evenly so that when bent it does not split, blush or burn.
- Template to the shape required using plywood.
- Since materials other than plywood have inappropriate cooling times, it is recommended that only plywood be used.
- Hanex can be formed to tight radius by means of heating.
The oven must heat the entire sheet for successful thermoforming operations.
- The sheets need to be heated to a temperature of 160-180℃, but should never exceed 200℃.
- Remove the protective film prior to heating.
- The sheets should normally be heated for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on batch (manufacture date), heating temperature and pre-heated oven. Rebating the reverse side in the area to be formed can result in shorter heating times and smaller radius.
- Once heated to the required temperature remove workpiece with heat resistance gloves from the oven and place directly into a mould. Male and female mould are required. Allow heated material to shrink in the mould.
- Leave the sheet in the mould until the sheet has cooled down, ca. 60℃ at least, (typically 20-40 minutes, depending on the material of the mold). Always wear heat-protection gloves for this operation.
- Never attempt any shock cooling as this can cause stress to the material.
- Attempting to bend Hanex at lower temperatures or shortening the heating cycles will often result in "whitening" or cracking of the edge.
Normal sanding and finishing of the formed edge can be carried out once the sheet is fully rigid.
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