Can you do more than just thermoform?
Yes, our production facility also sub-assembles all manner of components and materials including brackets, insulation, fabrics, and electronics. We are experienced in sourcing sub-components from all over the world, and we can assist you to design and source these components from the outset. Our goal is to deliver ready-to-install or ‘plug-and-play’ products. Examples of other complementary products we have produced though our sub-contractors include rotationally moulded ducts and components, injection moulded components, cast polyurethane components, aluminium castings, machined components, and more.
Can you assist with our product design?
Yes, we have a highly skilled in-house crew consisting of engineers, industrial designers, and tradespeople, all with the experience, resources and technology to produce innovative thermoformed products to the highest quality.
Can you thermoform without tooling?
Unfortunately no, a tool is always required, though some tooling can be quite simple. Clear polycarbonate can be moulded by pressure similar to the way a balloon is inflated, however even this technique requires a basic tool to control the mounting and opening of the ‘balloon’.
Can you mould sub-components into your plastics?
In some cases yes. For example, we produce a plastic panel with a stainless steel metal ring embedded into the plastic moulding. The tooling has been designed to accept the ring prior to moulding, so when the plastic is drawn onto the tool, the ring is encapsulated. A similar technique can be used to achieve other types of inserts.
Do you have minimum order quantities?
As a rule of thumb yes, because we are required to meet a minimum order quantity of raw material. Also, because there is a set-up time involved to install our tooling into our machinery, it is always more economical to manufacture in batch quantities, and it is really only above 20 machine cycles that the true value of this manufacture process begins to make sense. However it always depends on your product, so contact us to discuss your specific product or project requirement.
What is your typical tooling lead-time?
It can vary depending on the complexity of the tooling, our workload, and whether we need to involve sub-contractors. A guide would be 4-12 weeks.
What is your typical raw material lead-time?
If we can source from within Australia, a guide is 4-6 weeks. Where we source from overseas, it might be Europe, America or Asia, we would allow 12-16 weeks where shipped by sea, or 2-4 weeks using air-freight. If we can use a sheet material we carry as a stock line, the lead-time can be eliminated. There are a number of factors which can influence this lead-time, contact us to discuss your specific requirements.
What does your raw material look like?
Our thermoforming process begins with a sheet of plastic, which has been extruded from a resin into sheet form by one of our raw material suppliers. We actually buy pallets of extruded plastic sheet, more often than not it has been manufactured by our raw material supplier to your product or project specification, and therefore it’s unique to your product. This can be resin type, colour, surface texture, and thickness.
How do you trim your products?
We subscribe to computer-aided manufacturing, so in keeping with this all products (except for some prototyping) are trimmed, profile-cut or otherwise using high-speed, high-accuracy 5-axis machining centres. These guarantee accuracy, intricacy, repeatability, speed, and workplace safety. They also facilitate ease and traceability of engineering change.
Do you design and manufacture your own tooling?
Yes, we design and manufacture non-ferrous prototype and production tooling in-house, including thermoforming tools, 5-axis CNC trimming and checking fixtures, and assembly fixtures. This enables us to maintain control over the products we manufacture, and ensure we meet lead-time and quality expectations.