TRINSEO 2024 Avonite Flex Forming and Fabrication User Guide
- July 31, 2024
- TRINSEO
Table of Contents
AVONITE™ Flex
Forming and
Fabrication Guide
2024 Avonite Flex Forming and Fabrication
This fabrication guide has been prepared to assist in the proper methods for
forming, fabricating, and handling AVONITE™ Flex sheet products.
AVONITE™ Flex products are warranted to be free from defects at time of
manufacture. Any materials found defective will be replaced promptly.
Information or references to application, code compliance or specific
standards are provided for convenience only. The accuracy or suitability of
any recommendations in this guide must be verified by the user, Trinseo
disclaims any legal responsibility.
WHO WE ARE
Since 1983, the AVONITE™ Flex brand has been a pioneer in solid surfacing. We
have been known for our unbridled passion and spirited innovations.
We have been with many of you from the beginning.
For more than 30 years, we’ve celebrated the relationship between
extraordinary product, design and craftsmanship. We are inspired by and
committed to designers and fabricators with a passion for bringing forth
original ideas and taking them beyond the ordinary.
HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE
We at Trinseo hope you will find the following Forming & Fabrication Guide to
be a useful tool. It was created to help you discover unlimited design
possibilities, which will lead to wonderful solutions for you and your
customers. Although many applications are
covered in this guide, there will be new applications that may not be covered
in detail. Our Forming & Fabrication Guide is designed to provide you with the
fundamental knowledge of thermoforming and fabricating the AVONITE™ Flex
material. These fundamentals can be adapted for new applications.
If you have specific questions or requests, our friendly and expert technical
staff is eager to help.
Feel free to call your regional representative or contact us at +1
(800)428-6648.
Important updates such as Technical Bulletins published after the printing
date of this manual are also available for download. Certified fabricators
should periodically check for updates and add them to this guide. For
additional copies of this guide or quick references for your clients, please
visit
www.aristechsurfaces.com/avoniteflex
where the complete guide is available for download.
Introduction
1.1 AVONITE™ Flex Introduction
AVONITE™ Flex is an unequaled material developed to provide the perfect
synergy between the functional excellence of specialty sheets with
unparalleled surface characteristics, tactile feel, and subtlety of solid
surface.
AVONITE™ Flex provides surface solutions for everything from bathtubs,
thermoformed integral sinks, formed shower walls, and more, with no change to
vacuum forming equipment. 1.2 Handling
Always carry AVONITE™ Flex sheet vertically when possible. Handle full-size
sheet carefully to avoid breakage or injury. It is recommended that two people
carry full-size sheet. Make sure to support the center of the sheet to
eliminate excessive sag, which could
cause a crack or damage. Be careful when moving AVONITE™ Flex sheet so as not
to strike it against anything that could damage the decorative surface or the
edge.
1.3 Transport and Storage
No special precautions need to be taken for transport and storage. According
to the transport regulations the materials described here are not categorized
as dangerous goods, so no labeling is required. For storage we recommend a
stiff firm base (pallets) which allow the sheets to be laid down flat.
Vertical storage on the longitudinal edge is possible when leaned against a
flat surface (any curvature should be avoided).
Caution: risk of breakage.
Fabrication and Finishing
2.1 Machining and Tooling
The usual rules of good machining practice applyto the machining of the
AVONITE™ Flex material. Anexperienced machinist will have no difficulty
handlingthe materials as its working properties are similar tothose of brass,
copper, and fine woods.
The AVONITE™ Flex material can be easily machinedwith ordinary woodworking
tools, such as routers, saws,planers, lathes, drills, and sanders. All blades
and bitsshould be Carbide tipped.
2.2 Routing and Shaping
Woodworking shapers and overhead, or portable routers are used in edge
finishing operations and for cutting flat thermoformed parts. For edging small
parts, the table router is convenient. (See Figure 1.) A portable router is
useful when the part is too large or awkward to bring to the machine.
These machines should have a minimum no-load spindle speed of 10,000 rpm.
Higher speeds are desirable and should be used if they are available. Two or
three flute cutters, smaller than 1.5” (38 mm) in diameter, running at high
speeds, produce the smoothest cuts. At slower spindle speeds, the cutter
should have more flutes, or may be larger in diameter to produce the necessary
surface speeds. The cutter should be kept sharp and should have a back
clearance of 10° and a positive rake angle up to 15°.
2.3 Drilling
When drilling the AVONITE™ Flex material, best results are obtained when using
standard twist drills which have been modified as follows:
- High speed steel drills should be selected, having slow spirals and wide polished flutes.
- Drills should first be ground to a tip angle of 60° to 90°.
- Modify the standard twist drill by dubbing-off the cutting edge to zero rake angle.
- Grind the back-lip clearance angles to 12° – 15°.
The AVONITE™ Flex material may be drilled using any of the conventional tools:
portable electric drills, flexible shafts, drill presses or lathes. In
general, drills should rotate at high speed and feed should be slow but
steady.
Use the highest available speed with a drill press, usually 5,000 rpm. An
exception to this rule should be made when drilling large holes where the
drill speed should be reduced to 1,000 rpm. The drill should always run true
since wobble will affect the finish of the hole.
When drilling holes which penetrate a second surface, it is desirable to back
up the surface with wood and slow the feed as the drill point breaks through.
For accuracy and safety, the acrylic should be clamped during drilling.
2.4 Cutting
As a general rule, a power saw is the best method ocutting the AVONITE™ Flex
material. It is sometimesadvantageous to cut thin material at an
elevatedtemperature with rule and blanking dies. Cold punchingand/or shearing
should not be used since these methodswill fracture the material.
The type of equipment selected should be based onthe work to be done. Circular
saws are preferred forstraight cutting. Jig saws and saber saws are suggested
for cutting small radii curves and thin materials. Bandsaws are suggested for
large radii curves and for straighcuts in thick acrylic. Routers and wood
working shapers can be used for trimming the edges of formed parts.
Tempered alloy steel saw blades are the least expensiveto buy, give reasonable
service, and are discarded whenworn out. Carbide tipped blades are more
expensive, givelonger service, and can be resharpened. The followingtable can
be used as a guide in selecting the propercircular saw blade:
THICKNESS OF ACRYLIC SHEET Inches (mm)| BLADE THICKNESS Inches (mm}| TEETH PER
INCH (cm)
---|---|---
080 – 100 (2.0 – 25)
100 – 187 (2.5 – 4.7)
187 – 472 (47 – 12.0)| W16 – 332 (9.6 – 2.4)
W32 – 118 (2.4 – 3.2)
M32 – 148 (2.4 – 3.2)| § -14 (3 – 6)
6 – 8 (2 – 3)
5 – 6 (2 – 3)
Circular Saws Should:
-
Be run at 8,000-12,000 RPM.
-
Be hollow ground to aid cooling.
-
Be slotted to prevent heat warping the blade.
-
Have teeth with a uniform rake angle of 0° – 10°.
-
Have a slight set to give clearance of .010” to .015”
(0.254 mm to 0.381 mm) and -
Have teeth of uniform height.
An 8” (20.3 cm) diameter blade is used for light work and a 12” (30.5 cm)
blade for heavy work. A two horsepower motor is suggested for driving these
blades.
Masking tape applied over the area to be cut will reduce the tendency to chip
during cutting. Acetone, toluene, or methylene chloride can be used to clean
blades. Tallow or bar soap applied to the blade, helps to prevent gum buildup
on the blade when cutting heet masked with adhesive backed paper. Traveling
saws cutting at 10 to 25 feet (3 to 7.6 meters) per minute are recommended for
making straight cuts longer than 3 feet (91 cm) and for cutting sheets when it
would be undesirable to slide them across the saw table.
AVONITE™ Flex material, backed with fiberglass reinforced plastics, are best
cut by diamond abrasive wheels. Carbide tipped blades will do a good job but
require frequent resharpening. Small diameter disposable alloy steel blades on
high speed air powered
saws are also effective, especially in portable situations.
Variable speed band saws, which can run at 5,000 feet (1524 m) per minute and
have a 28” to 36” (71 to 91 cm) throat, are best suited for production work.
Metal cutting blades are the best type for cutting the AVONITE™ Flex material.
The following table can serve as a guide for selection of a blade:
MINIMUM RADIUS TO BE CUT inches (mm)| BLADE WIDTH Inches (mm)| BLADE
THICKNESS Inches (mm)| TEETH PER INCH (cm)
---|---|---|---
1/2 (12.7)
3/4 (19)
1-1/2 (38)
2-1/4 (57)
3 (76)
4-1/2 (114)
8 (203)
12 (305)
20 (508)| 316 (4.7)
1/4 (6.3)
3/8 (9.5)
1/2 (12.7)
5/8 (15.9)
3/4 (19)
1 (25.4)
1-1/4 (31.7)
1-1/2 (38.1)| 0.028 (.71)
0.028 (.71)
0.028 (.71)
0.032 (.81)
0.032 (.81)
0.032 (.81)
0.035 (.89)
0.035 (.89)
0.035 (.89)| 7 (3)
7 (3)
6 (3)
5 (2)
5 (2)
4 (15)
4 (1.5)
3 (1.5)
3 (1.5)
The blade speed should be approximately 4,500 RPM for AVONITE™ Flex sheet thicknesses from 0.125” to 0.375” (3.2 to 9.5 mm) thick. Fine teeth with no set will produce a smooth cut if fed slowly. Sheets should be fed continuously and with even pressure to prevent the blade from binding and breaking. The blade should enter and leave the work slowly to prevent chipping. Should a burr form on the cut edge due to overheating, it can be removed with a scraper or other straight edged tool.
2.5 Finishing
The original surface of the AVONITE™ Flex sheet is manufactured with a high
gloss finish. This surface finish changes once the sheet has been heated and
then thermoformed, bent, or stretched. The resulting finish that is achieved
after forming will vary depending on the depth of draw and the degree of
bending. In general, a satin finish is achieved on the deck (or top portion)
of the formed part. The surface of the inner walls and base of a part formed
in a female mold will result in a matte finish. The AVONITE™ Flex sheet will
show more matting (or dulling) of the surface as the sheet is stretched and
its thickness is decreased.
However, a more consistent matte finish can be achieved with the Enhanced-
Matte version of the AVONITE™ Flex sheet. This product option consists of a
factory finished surface to the sheet resulting in a uniform, matte surface
finish throughout the formed part. The surface finish will also remain uniform
when comparing a flat sheet to a formed part.
2.6 Sanding
Similar to other solid surface products, AVONITE™ Flex material can be sanded
to achieve different surface finishes. Using a 6” (152 mm) or 8” (203 mm)
random orbital sander will reduce your sanding time by HALF over conventional
vibrating sanders and will achieve a more uniform finish. Whenever possible,
use a sander with a vacuum attached (especially if the tops are polished) to
minimize grinding dust back into the top.
The Enhanced-Matte finish can be achieved by sanding the top surface of the
AVONITE™ Flex sheet prior to heating and forming. Best practices include
sanding the flat sheet using a random orbital sander (as described above) with
320 grit (or 40 micron) paper and following the sanding process described
below.
Sanding Process:
- Move the sander in a back and forth direction.
- Overlap each pass by 50%.
- Sand at a slow and even pace, approximately 1 to 2 inches (25.4 to 50.8 mm) per second.
- Sand the surface until the high gloss finish is not visible.
- Keep micron paper clean from sanding dust.
This is easily done by putting the sanding pad on a piece of carpet while running and hold it down for a few seconds (check paper frequently).
*Each sheet of micron paper will sand 10 sq. ft (about 1 sq. M) of Aristech Surfaces AVONITE™ Flex material. Matte Finish
Using 40 micron paper, place a Scotch-Brite® pad, (#7447 Red) under the
sanding pad to even out the finish. The matte finish is easily maintained and
is usually the most suitable for lighter colors.
Satin Finish
Sand with 40 micron paper, repeat sanding process with 30 micron paper. Place
Scotch-Brite® pad (#7448 light gray) under sanding pad. Sand with Scotch-
Brite® #7448 and soapy water. Homeowners may maintain this finish using a
white Scotch-rite®and Soft-Scrub®.
Polished Finished
After sanding with 40 micron paper, repeat the sanding process with 30 micron
paper. Use a 3M Super Buff adapter to prevent the arbor of the polisher from
damaging the acrylic surface.
Abrasive Grade Comparison
Micron Grade| Industrial U.S. Mesh| FEPA or P-Grade|
Japanese J15 Grade| Emery
---|---|---|---|---
100u| #150| | |
80| 180| | |
60| 220| P240| #240|
| 240| | 280|
40| 280| | 320|
| 320| P360| 360|
| 360| P500| 400| 1/0
30| 400| | 500| 2/0
| 500| P1000| 600| 3/0
15| 600| | 1000|
| 800| | 1200|
12| | P1200| |
9| 1200| | 2000| 4/0
5| | | 2500|
3| | | 4000|
2| | | 6000|
1| | | 8000|
0.3| | | |
2.7 Bonding and Seaming
Strong joints and seams can be obtained in bonding actions of AVONITE™ Flex
sheet together, and with other materials, by giving careful attention to
preparation of the mating surfaces, proper choice of adhesives/cements and
following correct bonding techniques.
The surface of the AVONITE™ Flex material is also capable of bonding to with
FRP rigidizing systems.
Surface preparation of the AVONITE™ Flex material prior to spray application
of FRP resins is similar to that of AVONITE™ Flex sheet.
Prevention of Internal Stresses
AVONITE™ Flex sheets need to be acclimated to ambient room temperatures prior
processing. The AVONITE™ Flex sheet is not sensitive to humidity and moisture.
Heat generated by machining operations, and/or thermoforming at reduced
temperatures, will
often induce internal stresses which make the material susceptible to crazing
after contact with solvents and certain adhesives/cements. Such stresses can
be avoided by the proper choice of thermoforming or machining conditions or
can be relieved by heat treating. Refer to the Annealing Section in Technical
Bulletin 135 for proper heat treating conditions.
Joint Preparation
Surfaces to be jointed should be clean and fit together with uniform
contact throughout the joint. In order to obtain close fitting edges, which is
especially important, it may be desirable to accurately machine the mating
surfaces.
Edge buildups such as stacked edges and exposed layered edges should not be
used with Avonite Flex.
Prior to applying the joint adhesive, using a 100 grit sandpaper on hardwood
block, lightly score the edges/ surfaces to be seamed together. This step aids
in the adhesion between the two surfaces. Make one or two passes only. Be
careful not to sand the top edge
of the sheet, or the outer edges of the formed part. After the dry fit is
complete, clean edges/surfaces with isopropyl alcohol.
Joining
AVONITE™ Adhesive
Our adhesive is a pre-tinted two-part adhesive and cures in approximately 40
minutes and is available in 250 ml cartridges. The adhesive is available in
several colors and clear for excellent color matches. It is specially
formulated to offer superior bond strength for all AVONITE™ products.
Cartridges Each cartridge contains 250 ml (10 oz.) of adhesive andwill
adhere 35 to 45 feet (12.1 M) of 1/2” (12.7 mm) seam.The adhesive flows
through a static mixer tube and isready for use.
Two mixer tubes are included with each cartridge.To assure positive flow of
activator, dispense a smallquantity of adhesive before installing mixer
tube.50 ml sizes are also available.
FABRICATION TIP
From time to time the bead of adhesive dispensed with the AVONITE™ Solid
Surface Adhesive cartridge will not contain the prescribed amount of hardener.
This may arise for a variety of reasons, but the end result is that small
sections of the seam may not set up as rapidly as others. There are techniques
that will reduce the variation in setup time. Once the bead of adhesive has
been dispensed, a popsicle stick applicator may be used to spread the adhesive
over the bonding surface. This serves to blend the adhesive more uniformly
with the hardener and prevents variation in the curing time of the adhesive.
Another helpful technique used frequently is to dispense two thin beads as
opposed to one thick bead. This method overlaps any possible gap in the
hardener and prevents uneven hardening. When a small amount is needed there is
no reason to waste a mixing tube. Simply remove the end plug and squeeze the
adhesive into a paper cup and stir for one minute.
Other Types of Adhesives
AVONITE™ Flex material can also be joined together with the monomer-polymer
solvent type or the monomerpolymer-catalyst type of adhesives.
Monomer-Polymer-Solvent Type Cements
These types of cements usually consist of methyl methacrylate monomer, methyl
methacrylate polymer and assorted solvents. M-P-S type cements available are
Weld-On 16 and Weld-On 1802. M-P-S cements do not allow rapid assemblies.
Usually 15 to 30 minutes after cement is applied, part can be handled very
carefully.High to medium strength joints are obtained which have good to fair
weathering resistance.
Monomer-Polymer-Catalyst Type Cements
These type cements consist of methyl methacrylate monomer, Methyl Methacrylate
Polymer (Part A) and a catalyst (Part B). M-P-C cements available are Weld-On
10, Weld-On 28, and Weld-On 40. These type cements yield excellent bond
strengths, and weathering resistance. Assembly times are slow.
2.8 Annealing
When plastics parts are molded, fabricated, or formed in any fashion these
processes inherently induce stress into the part. Just like glass, ceramic and
metals, this stress can be relieved by a process called annealing. In
annealing we heat the part heating to near the glass transition temperature,
maintaining this temperature for a set period of time, and then slowly cooling
it to room temperature.
A part undergoing annealing should be completely supported. If it is simply a
sheet it can be laid flat in the oven. More complicated parts can require jigs
to ensure that the part is not distorted during the annealing process.
For AVONITE™ Flex, the typical temperature that it is heated to is 80°C and
then cooled slowly. Generally, you heat the sheet one hour for each millimeter
of thickness.
It is critical that the sheet be cooled at a controlled rate.
If you took the part out of the oven after it achieved 80 °C and cooled it
under running water, you would build more stress into it rather than relieve
it. Specially configured annealing ovens can program the annealing schedule.
Most ovens will require that you reset the temperature at intervals. The part
does not have to be cooled all the way to room temperature before removing it
from the oven. It can be removed once the temperature goes below 60 °C.
If the part has been cemented/glued it must be allowed to cure at least five
hours before annealing. Rapid solvent evaporation can cause bubble formation.
Thickness| Heating Time(hours)| Cooling Time (hours)|
Heating Rate (degrees Celsius per hour)
---|---|---|---
2.0| 2| 2| 15
2.5| 2.5| 2| 15
3.0| 3| 2| IS
3.2| 3.2| 2| 15
4.5| 5.| 2| 15
6.0| 6| 2| 15
9.5| 9.5| 2.5| 12
12| 12| 3.5| 11
Thermoforming
These Thermoforming Parameters are basic guidelines for fabricators to
thermoform AVONITE™ Flex material.
The parameters listed below are recommendations, which are a direct result of
actual forming of AVONITE™ Flex material. This testing was conducted by the
AVONITE™ Flex Technical Service Department, but values are approximate. We
suggest re-testing
for varying conditions.
Material Preparation
When preparing material to be formed, it is recommended that material be cut
to size. Then, remove all chips or gouges on the edge of the material. Any
chip or gouge left on an edge may cause the material to tear during forming.
Thermoforming temperatures given here are approximate and represent a starting
point to establish the conditions you need for your project. If material is
too cool or too hot it may crack or tear while bending.
Oven Options
Below are thermoforming guidelines for conventional and platen style ovens.
Every oven is unique and calibrations may be necessary. Be sure the oven used
is large enough for the entire piece to be formed. Mold Design
Thermoforming can be done on a male or female mold, depending on the geometry
of the part being formed. The mold needs the edges designed to seal when the
clamp frame engages with the mold. Molds can be made from a variety of
materials and can be heated if made from aluminum. Vacuum should be supplied
in sufficient quantity to achieve molding in 10 to 12 seconds. Undercuts
cannot be done in thermoforming directly. They must be accommodated with
inserts.
Fabrication: Finishing/Seaming
Finishing formed sheet stock is no different from standard finishing. However,
it is important that any seaming/joining be done after forming. The heat to
which the material is subjected will weaken the seamed areas of the pieces,
which may result in seam failures.
3.1Thermoforming Temperatures and Cycles
The following curves (Figures 15 & 16) were derived from tests performed at
Aristech Surfaces. Due to the large variety of heating equipment available,
heating times may vary. The following heating cycles should be used as a
starting point only in obtaining optimum forming temperature times and cycles.
The temperature and cycle times depend upon the thickness of the AVONITE™ Flex
sheet as well as the type of heating and forming equipment used.
Surface temperatures should not exceed 380 °F (194°C).
It is common practice, especially in high production operations, to allow
surface temperatures to exceed 380 °F (194 °C). Higher temperatures can be
tolerated up to 30 seconds depending on sheet thickness in most cases. But due
to blistering potential, it is not recommended to exceed 380 °F (194 °C).
Figure 16 outlines the heating cycles when using electric infra-red radiant
heaters on one or two sides. Again, heating times can vary depending on the
type of heating equipment used, percentage times, distance between sheet and
heaters, and heat loss factors. Several other methods can be used to determine
if a sheet has been sufficiently heated. The most common is the ripple method
by which the operator shakes the heated sheet with a non-combustible object
(See note). When the sheet ripples uniformly across the surface, it is ready
for forming. Another commonly used technique is the “sag method”. By trial and
error, the amount of sag in a hot sheet can be correlated with the optimum
time to be thermoformed.
The best procedure for determining when the sheet is ready for forming is to
accurately control the temperature using heat sensors and/or temperature
indicating stickers. The actual cycle, temperature settings and techniques
most suitable for a particular forming job are best determined on one’s own
equipment.
Note: Care must be taken to make sure the operator does not endanger
him/herself due to exposure to electricity, hot oven components, or hot sheet.
When measuring the de-mold temperature, you should be looking at the areas
where the material remains thickest. This would be the deck areas of tubs or
shower bases.
If you have sticking problems with your molds you should find that use of
talc or baby powder in the areas of sticking will most often help. The
sticking can occur around the corners of the deck area, or near the drain end
of the baths. That is when you may need the assistance of “air eject” to help
relieve the vacuum effect of the part fitting tightly in the mold.
Should you encounter any problems with handling or processing of this new and
exciting material, please don’t hesitate to contact the Aristech Technical
Service department for assistance and advice.
Product group | Conventional oven | Platen oven |
---|---|---|
Temperature | Time | Minimum Radius |
Time | Minimum Radius | |
AVONITE™ Flex 3.2 mm (1/8″) | 370 °F/187 °C | 4-6 |
AVONITE™ Flex 6 mm (1/4″) | 370 °F/187 °C | 5-10 |
AVONITE™ Flex 10 mm (2/5″) | 370 °F/187 °C | 15-20 |
3.3 Heating Equipment
Forced Air Circulating Ovens
Forced air circulating ovens generally provide uniform heating at a constant
temperature with the least danger of overheating the AVONITE™ Flex sheet.
Electric fans should be used to circulate the hot air across the sheeting at
velocities of approximately 150 ft / minute (46 m / minute).
Suitable baffles should be used to distribute the heat evenly throughout the
oven. Heating may be done with gas or electricity. Gas ovens require heat
exchangers to prevent the accumulation of soot from the flue gas.
Electric ovens can be heated with a series of 1000watt strip heating elements.
An oven with a capacity of 360 ft³ (10 m³ ), for example, will require
approximately 25,000 watts of input.
About one-half of this input is required to overcome heating losses through
the insulation, leaks, and door usage. An oven insulation at least two inches
thick is suggested. Oven doors should be narrow to minimize heat loss, but at
least one door should be large enough to permit reheating of formed parts
which may require reforming. The oven should have automatic controls so that
any desired temperature in the range of 250 to 450 °F (121 to 232 °C) can be
closely maintained. In addition, temperature recording devices are desirable,
but not essential. Uniform heating is best provided when the sheet is hung
vertically.
This can be accomplished by hanging the sheets on overhead racks designed to
roll along a monorail mounted in the oven roof or in a portable unit.
Precautions should be taken so that the sheet cannot fold or come in contact
with another. A series of spring clips or a spring channel can be used for
securely grasping the sheet along its entire length.
Infra-Red Heating
Infra-red radiation can heat AVONITE™ Flex sheetthree to ten times faster than
forced-air heating. Thistype of heating is often used with automatic
formingmachines where a minimum cycle time is important.Temperature control,
however, is much more criticaland uniform heating is more difficult to obtain
by thismethod. AVONITE™ Flex absorbs most of the infra-redenergy on the
exposed surface, which can rapidly attaintemperatures of over 360 °F (182 °C).
The center of the sheet is heated by a slower conduction of heat from thehot
surface. This usually causes temperature gradientsacross the thickness. The
gradient is more severe withinfra-red heating from one side only. Infra-red
radiantheat is usually supplied with reflector backed tubularmetal elements,
resistance wire coils or a bank of infrared lamps.
More uniform heat distribution can sometimes beaccomplished by mounting a fine
wire-mesh screenbetween the sheet and the heat source. A temperature
Controlled technology, such as a solid state PLC orpercentage timer on older
apparatus should alwaysbe used for consistent results. Top infra-red
heatersshould be approximately 12” (30 cm) from the sheet.Bottom heaters can
be 18 to 20” (45 to 50 cm) away.
Types of Infra-Red Heating
A. Gas: Can be open flame (less common) or gas catalytic. Economical to run
but poor control of the heat, impossible to control the heat profile.
B. Calrod: Electrical resistance elements such as the type used in domestic
ovens. It is a nichrome wire surrounded by a silicon or mica insulator.
C. Nichrome Wire: An exposed nichrome wire without insulation usually set into
channels in a ceramic or other insulative panel.
D. Ceramic Heating Elements: A nichrome wire embedded in an insulator and then
sheathed in a ceramic tube.
E. Infrared Panel Heaters: Tungsten wire elements mounted in channels within
an insulator panel.
F. Quartz Heating Element: The most common type of heating. You can better
control the heat profile either by screening off sections or if the system has
it, automated control of each heating zone. They use a tungsten wire element
encased in a quartz tube.
G. Halogen: Like the quartz heating element, this heat source is a tungsten
wire encased in a quartz tube, but the tube is sealed and filled with an inert
halogen gas preventing oxidation of the element. This allows the element to go
to much higher temperatures without burning out. The very best control of heat
profile and heat flow. Halogen not as common because these systems are
comparatively more expensive.
3.4 Three-Dimensional Forming
Techniques for three-dimensional forming of plastic generally require vacuum,
air pressure, mechanical assists, or combinations of all three to manipulate
the heated sheet into the desired shape. The basic forming techniques used for
AVONITE™ Flex sheet are illustrated in the following drawings and described
below.
-
Vacuum Forming A. Heated sheet in clamp frame.
B. Mold is mechanically positioned to heated sheet, forming a seal. Vacuum is then applied to form part. -
Orape/Vacuum Forming A. Heated sheet in clamp frame.
B. The mold is forced mto the sheet to a depth that forms a seal around the penphery. Vacuum is then apphed to form the part. -
Vacuum/Snap-Back Forming A. Heated sheet in clamp frame.
B. Position vacuum chamber to heated sheet fo form seal. Appfy vacuum to form bubble to predefermimed height.
C. Insert mold into heated/prestretched sheet to form seal. An control relieves vacuum in preform vacuum chamber.
Apply vacuum to mold fo form part. -
Prassure Bubble/Snap-Back Forming A. Heated sheet in clamping frame.
B. Position pressure chamber into heated sheet to form seal. Apply pressure fo prestretched sheet to controlled height.
C. insert mold into prestretched bubble at a controlled rate. Insert to depth required to form a seal. -
Plug Assist— Vacuum Forming A. Heated sheet in clamping frame.
B. Position mold mto heated sheet to form seal. Insert heated plug at controlled rate to the depth requried for preforming.
C. Apply vacuum to form part. -
Pressure Bubble/Plug Assist/Vacuum Farming fey (D) A. Heated sheet in clamping frame.
B. Position mold into heated sheet to form pressure seal. Apply pressure to prestretch sheet to controlled height.
C. Insert heated plug into bubble at a controlled rate to the depth required for preforming.
D. Apply vacuum to form part.
3.5 Molds
Wood
Wooden molds are easily fabricated, inexpensive and can be altered readily.
Wood molds are ideal for short production runs where mold markoff is not
important and for prototyping.
Epoxy
Epoxy molds yield the least amount of mold mark off of any of the mold
materials used. Epoxy molds can be used for medium production runs and have
good durability provided they are properly fabricated.
Aluminum
Aluminum molds are used in high production operations.
Aluminum moIds will last indefinitely with little maintenance required.
Problem | Probable Cause | Corrective Action |
---|---|---|
Bllstering. | Sheet too hot. | Reduce time heaters or reduce voltage. |
Move heater farther away use screening It localized.
Poor definition of detail.
Incomplete forming| Sheet too cold.
Low vacuum.
Sheet too thick.
Low air pressure.| Increase heat input to sheet.
Check for leaks in vacuum system. increase number and/or size of vacuum holes.
Add
vacuum capacity
Use thinner caliper sheet.
Increase volume and/or pressure.
Excessive thinning at bottom of
draw or comers| Poor technique.
Sneet 100 thin.
Drawdown too fast.| Change forming cycle to include billowing or plug assist.
Use screening to control temperature profile.
Use thicker sheet.
Decrease rate of drawdown.
Extreme wall thickness variations.| Uneven sheet neating.
Mold too cold.
Sheet Slipping.
Stray air currents.| Check temperature profile.
Change heaters to provide hagher uniform mold surface temperature. Check
cooling System for scale of plugs.
Adjust clamping frame to provide uniform
pressures.
Provide protection to elimmate drafts.
Excesswe Sag| sheet too hot.| Reduce time or temperature.
Pits or pimples.| Vacuum holes too large.
Vacuum rate too high.
Dirt on mold or sheet.| Use smaller holes.
Decrease vacuum rate or level.
Clean mold and/or sheet.
Part sticking to mold.| Rough mold surface.
Undercuts too deep.
Not enougn draft| Potish moid.
Reduce undercuts.
Change to split mold.increase draft of mold.
Mark-off| Dirt on sheet
Dirt on mold.
Dirt m atmosphere.
Sneel too nat.| Clean sheet.
Clean mold
Clean vacuum forming area. Isolate area if necessary and supply filtered air.
Reduce heat and heat more siowty.
Distortion in finished part.| Part removed too hot
Uneven heating.| Increase cooling time before removing part.
Check cooling system.
Check temperature profile.
Correct mold design — stiffen to eliminate.
Repair and Renew
These two repair methods are done by hand and will eliminate most scratches
and mars to the finish. Wet sanding achieves the most favorable results;
however, lighter colors usually do not require that. When using multiple grits
to achieve a final finish, it is very important to thoroughly clean and wipe
the area between each grit.
4.1 Repair Instructions for Light Colors
Lighter colors such as Pure Alabaster 8701, AlabasterWave 8705 and European
White 8704 can be repairedwith the instructions below
Care And Maintenance
Each customer must receive AVONITE™ Flex Care & Maintenance information to
ensure they understand the proper care and maintenance for the AVONITE™ Flex
installation and to register for the 15-Year Limited Warranty, or the new
Installed Warranty as appropriate. The AVONITE™ Flex Care & Maintenance
information, as well as all warranty information is available online at
www.aristechsurfaces.com
Cleaning
Soap and water will clean most stains. For more stubborn stains use a green
Scotch-Brite® pad and an abrasive cleanser.
Scratches
To remove scratches, start sanding with 320 grit paper and then clean with an
abrasive cleanser and a green Scotch-Brite® pad. Remember to periodically go
over the entire matte surface with a dry, green Scotch-Brite® pad to return
the original finish.
4.2 Repair Instructions for Dark Colors
Darker Colors such as Pure Ebony 8702 can be repaired with the instructions
below.
- With a random orbital sander, sand with 60 micron (220 grit) paper, micron paper overlapping each pass by 50%. Covering 4 passes.
- Repeat sanding process with 30 micron (380 grit) paper, overlapping each pass by 50%. Covering 4 passes.
- Place a Scotch-Brite (#7448 light gray) under the sanding pad. Sand with Scotch-Brite and soapy water, overlapping each pass by 50%. Covering 4 passes.
- Final Finish
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GENERAL NOTICE
Any photographs of end-use applications in this document represent potential
end-use applications but do not necessarily represent current commercial
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For additional information not covered by the content of this document or to
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Questions pertaining to any procedure detailed herein should be addressed to
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References
- Aristech Surfaces | Now Part of Trinseo
- Trinseo Homepage
- Aristech Surfaces | Now Part of Trinseo
- Trinseo Homepage