PRESSURE

MOLDING &
VACCUM
Presented by
Patel Rutik R.
Roll no:201

MOLDING
1. Compression molding
What is compression molding?
▸ Compression molding is one of several molding processes. It is the
use of compression (force) and heat to shape a raw material.
▸ Compression molding is the process of molding in which a preheated
material is placed into an open, heated mold cavity. The mold is then
closed with a top plug and compressed in order to have the material
contact all areas of the mold.

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MATERIAL

▸ Thermosetting polymers
▸ Fiber reinforced plastic
▸ Thermoplastic

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Process SEQUENCE
▸ Charge is placed in cavity of matched mold in the
open position.
▸ Mold is closed by bring the two halves together.
▸ Pressure is exerted to squeeze the material so that it
fills the mold cavity.
▸ While under pressure the mold is heated which
cures the material.
▸ The component is ejected from the mold and any
excess material formed at edges(flash)
is removed.

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PROCESS SEQUENCE

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Stage in compression molding cycle
▸ The various stages of the compression
molding cycle time can be represented
as a function of the force required to
close the mold at a constant rate.
▸ The first stage is the “plastication” stage
in which the force increases rapidly as
the polymer feed is compressed &
heated.

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▸ In the second stage flow commences, once the yield
stress of the elastomer is exceeded.
▸ Here, tc is the time at which the mold fills &
compression of the melt occurs.
▸ Ideally to aid mold filling the majority of the chemical
reaction should take place after tc .

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TYPES OF COMPRESSION MOLDING
1. Sheet molding compound (SMC)
▹ Sheet Molding Compound (SMC) is a compression molding compound often used for larger parts where
higher mechanical strength is needed.
▹ Thermoset Sheet Molding Compound (SMC) is a mixture of polymer resin, inert fillers, fiber reinforcement,
catalysts, pigments and stabilizers, release agents, and thickeners
▹ Manufacture of sheet molding compounds is a continuous in-line process .
 

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2. Bulk molding compound (BMC)
▹ Bulk Molding Compound (BMC) is a thermoset plastic resin
blend of various inert fillers, fiber reinforcement, catalysts,
stabilizers, and pigments .
▹ In this process the charge, is placed in the bottom half of a
heated matched metal mold. The mold is closed to compress,
spread and finally cure the material.

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advantages

▸ Cost efficient
▸ Suitable for high volume production
▸ Dimensional accuracy
▸ Capable of producing large components
▸ Efficient in material usage – wastage is minimal
▸ Physically quick and efficient with a low number of
process steps
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disadvantage

▸ Curing time large

▸ Uneven parting lines present
▸ Scrap cannot be reprocessed.
▸ High initial investment
▸ Secondary operations (e.g. trimming)

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Application
▸ Dinnerware like plates, bowls are made of melamine
by compression molding process.
▸ Handles of utensils like cookers, pans are made using
CM process.
▸ Television, telephone housings.
▸ Radio housings.
▸ Electrical parts like switches, switch boards, insulators.
▸ Body and interior panels of cars, vans, etc.

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2. Vacuum molding
▸ Vacuum molding, sometimes referred to as vacuum forming.
▸ It is one of the type of the thermoforming process in which
vacuum is used to get the desired shape.
▸ Vacuum forming is a manufacturing method used to shape
plastic materials. During the vacuum forming process, a
sheet of plastic is heated and then pulled around a single
mold using suction.

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▸ Vacuum forming is used for a wide range of manufacturing
applications, ranging from small custom parts produced on
desktop devices to large parts manufactured on automated
industrial machinery.
▸ Vacuum forming is the simplest type of plastic thermoforming,
that uses one mold and vacuum pressure to obtain the desired part
geometry. 
▸ It is ideal for parts that only need to be precisely formed on one
side, such as contoured packaging for food or electronics. 

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 Heat
How does vacuum forming work? source Plastic
sheet

The step-by-step vacuum forming process

works as follows:
▸ Mold is attached to a support plate. The plate
& mold are then lowered.
▸ A sheet of plastic is placed in an open frame
and clamped into place.
▸ The plastic sheet is softened using a heat
source until it reaches the appropriate forming Mold
temperature and becomes pliable

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▸ Once the thermoplastic sheet is softened enough
(reaches a plastic state) then plate is raised to
bringing the mould into contact with the plastic.
▸ Trapped air remaining between the mold and the
heated plastic sheet is then evacuated by a
vacuum pump.
▸ Atmospheric pressure acting over the top surface
completes the forming process by pressing the
plastic sheet onto the mold.

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▸ Once the plastic has been formed around/into the
mold, it needs to cool. For larger pieces, fans
and/or cool mist are sometimes used to speed up
this step in the production cycle.
▸ After the plastic has cooled, it can be removed
from the mold and released from the framework.
▸ The completed part will need to be cut out of the
excess material, and edges may need to be
trimmed, sanded, or smoothed.

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BENEFITS
▸ Particularly for smaller production runs vacuum forming is typically
more affordable than other manufacturing methods, such as plastic
injection molding.
▸ Production time for vacuum forming tooling is typically  half as long as
the amount of time required to produce tooling for injection molding.
▸ Molds can be made out of wood, aluminum, structural foam, or 3D
printed plastics, so they can be changed out and/or modified more
easily compared to other manufacturing processes.

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LIMITATION
▸ Vacuum forming is only viable for parts with relatively thin walls
and simple geometries. 
▸ The finished parts may not have a consistent wall thickness, and
concave parts with a deep draw are difficult to produce using vacuum
forming.
▸ It is often the most cost-effective choice for small to mid-range
production quantities, other plastic manufacturing processes can be
more affordable for very large production runs.

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APPLICATION
▸ In cars, everything from bumpers to floor
mats, and even truck beds, are
manufactured using vacuum forming.
▸ It is used to produce many industrial crates
and contoured containers for machinery.
▸ Razors, toothbrushes, electronics, makeup,
and cleaning products often come in
packaging that was vacuum formed.

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APPLICATION
▸ Fruit containers, plastic egg cartons and cracker trays
are often vacuum formed.
▸ Children’s toys, travel accessories, and home decor, all
are made using vacuum forming.

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Thank you

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