Custom Thermoforming Services
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At Ashley Industrial Molding, Inc., we provide custom thermoforming of lower volume panels for a range of applications. Five-stage rotary thermoforming equipment provides efficient production of components without the initial capital expenditure required for production molds. Standard material options include ABS, acrylic, and polyethylene, but a wide variety of polymers can be thermoformed, depending on the required application.
Thermoforming is most cost effective at production levels of approximately 300 to 2,000 units per year, depending on size and complexity of the part. If volumes do increase beyond that range, we are very capable of working with customers to ramp up the production process to a more cost effective production method. By offering multiple molding options, we can competitively produce premium quality parts at a range of production volumes.
In offering additional fabrication, technical inspection, and inventory management services, our goal is to provide customers with value added options that are meaningful to their production goals. Each customer has their own unique needs, and to that end, we offer a multitude of options including painting, 3D routing, assembly, and CMM inspection. Additional service options can be considered, as the need arises. The standard turnaround time for production is two weeks, with JIT shipping and Kanban programs available. For more information about
our thermoforming capability, see the table below, or contact us directly.
POPULAR MATERIALS FOR THERMOFORMING APPLICATIONS
ABS:
Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene is a low cost thermoplastic material with great impact resistance, easy to machine to close tolerances and thermoforming characteristics. There are flame retardant grades available and the material comes in a wide variety of colored caps and films and textures. Common applications include Cab Roofs, Cosmetic side panels and Covers, as well as interior components.
HMWPE:
High Molecular Weight High Density Polyethylene is a light weight material that has superior environmental stress crack resistant, with high impact strength and rigidity. It has outstanding chemical resistance and low temperature strength. Common applications include fenders, deflectors, and shields.
TPO:
Thermoplastic Polyolefin is a light weight material that can be thermoformed. This material does not degrade under solar UV, it is easy to recycle and it comes in a variety of colors including a gloss finish, if desired. This material is resistant to permanent deformation and it is corrosion resistant. Material has excellent impact characteristics over a large temperature range especially low temperature impact. Common applications include fenders, shields, skirts, and fairings.
Note about TPO and UV:
This material is available in monolayer UV resistant materials, but bright and light colors can be a challenge. Fading and whitening of bright and light colored TPO material can lead to quality and warranty issues. There are specific cap layers for TPO that can offer the best UV characteristics.
Examples of Our Work
Custom Thermoforming Capabilities
- Molding Process
- Rotary Thermoforming
- Materials
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- ABS
Acrylic
HIPS - Polyethylene
HWMPE
TPO
- ABS
- Engineering & Development Services
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- Program Management
Project Monitoring
Pre-Launch Builds - Complete PPAP
CMM Inspection
Prototyping
- Program Management
- Additional Production Services Provided
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- Painting
Routing & Trimming
Adhesive Bonding - Assembly
Component Sourcing
Waterjet Cutting
- Painting
- Inventory Management Services
- JIT Shipping
Kanban Systems
Blanket Order Releases
- Production Volume
- Low Volume
300-2,000 Annual Usage Typical
- Typical Lead Time
- 2 Weeks
Additional Information
- Industry Focus
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- Agricultural
Construction
Military - Industrial Equipment
Forestry
- Agricultural
- Intended Application
- Body Panels
Interior Panels
- Industry Standards
- ISO 9001:2015
- File Formats
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- IGES (.igs)
PDF - STEP (.stp)
Pro-E/Creo 2 (.prt OR .asm)
- IGES (.igs)