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Category: Large Part Thermoforming

The world of thermoforming is undergoing a significant transformation, influenced by technological advances, evolving industry needs, and a growing emphasis on sustainability. As thermoforming continues to evolve, it’s important to stay informed about the trends and innovations shaping its future. Let’s delve into these developments, offering insights into what they mean for businesses and industries reliant on thermoforming – and how Ray Products is actively leading and adapting to these changes.

Advancements in Thermoforming Techniques

Advancements in thermoforming techniques are driving significant change in the manufacturing sector, shaping a future where precision and efficiency are not just desired but expected. At the heart of this transformation is the meticulous balance between custom solutions – qualities that Ray Products has made central to its operations. By harnessing both vacuum forming for straightforward parts and pressure forming for complex, detailed parts, we’re responding to the growing need for custom parts that blend form and function seamlessly. Pressure forming, with its ability to apply between 80-100 psi, pushes plastic sheet into the mold with greater force, resulting in sharper definition and finer detail reminiscent of injection molding but with the tooling cost-effectiveness and speed to market vs. other plastic processes. This approach meets the rising demand for complex designs and streamlines production by minimizing lead times and reducing the need for secondary processes.

Efficiency Gains and Robotic Automation

The world of heavy-gauge thermoforming is witnessing a surge in efficiency and precision, driven by innovative practices at companies like Ray Products. By incorporating color matched material, our molded-in color solutions eliminate the need for post-molding finishes such as sanding, masking, and painting, thereby accelerating production and enhancing aesthetic options. Complementing this with advanced 6-axis robotic trimming and precise scanning technologies allows us to exceed the stringent demands of today’s fast-paced markets. These technologies enable the execution of complex, multi-dimensional trimming and routing with accuracy, ensuring high-quality finishes and rapid turnarounds – meaning rapid production does not have to sacrifice detail or design.

Material Innovation

The recent shift toward new materials is revolutionizing how products are made in heavy-gauge thermoforming. At the heart of this change is Ray Products’ commitment to innovative thermoplastics that not only look good but allow for recycled content to be added back into the raw material. These materials comply with rigorous standards and allow us to create parts with standout finishes – high gloss, metallic, you name the finish requirement, and we are pretty confident we can achieve it – all without extra finishing steps. Materials are also flame-resistant and can stand up to sunlight, making them tough enough for almost any application. Plus, they can be recycled, which means less waste. By focusing on these smarter materials, Ray Products is ensuring that thermoforming is about making things that last in a way that’s good for our planet.

New Applications and the Future of Thermoforming

Thermoforming is paving the way for a revolution in sectors that demand high precision and innovation, such as the medical, high-tech, point-of-sale, and electric vehicle (EV) industries. Pressure Forming is producing custom plastic parts with unparalleled complexity and precision, offering solutions that meld function, aesthetics, and durability into seamless designs. The advancements in pressure forming have catapulted thermoforming to the forefront, allowing the creation of intricate designs once thought exclusive to injection molding, sheet metal and RIM. This transformative method is now providing robust parts that integrate flawlessly with modern, sleek EV designs and are resilient enough to endure extreme environments. The scope of thermoforming has broadened, not only enhancing the intricacy and ease of assembly of the parts but also supporting the growth of industries as they navigate the frontiers of technology. With a keen eye on the future, Ray Products is steering the thermoforming industry towards a landscape where superior quality, speed of production, and ecological considerations are harmoniously balanced, showcasing a commitment to innovation that’s cleaner and smarter for a changing global market.

Takeaways

The transformative power of thermoforming is propelling industries forward, combining functionality with aesthetic beauty and sustainability. Ray Products remains at the forefront of this evolution, responding to advanced sectors with precision and innovation, ensuring that every part produced stands up to the highest standards. With a focus on technology, materials and processes, manufacturers like Ray Products are forming a future that combines both the technological demands of our time and the health of our planet. The advancements we’ve embraced in thermoforming are not just shaping products; they’re shaping the very fabric of manufacturing for a smarter, more efficient tomorrow.

If you’re looking to integrate this cutting-edge process into your products, contact Ray Products for a quote today and join the manufacturing revolution.

Category: Large Part Thermoforming

For more than 70 years, Ray Products has built a reputation as a premier provider of pressure formed plastic parts. With a commitment to constantly upgrade our facilities with the highest quality equipment and latest technology, today we can manufacture custom plastic parts using our advanced, heavy-gauge pressure forming process, delivering the highest quality in the business while reducing tooling costs and turnaround times. With our experience, Ray Products will help guide what pressure forming is, the advantages of pressure forming, and what makes Ray Products a complete partner for your next project.

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Category: Large Part Thermoforming

With the ability to combine multiple custom components into a single, seamless product, along with incredible cost-effective processing and the ability to replace fiberglass and steel, large part thermoforming opens up new vistas for manufacturing in volumes ranging from hundreds to thousands. No matter what the industry—transportation and mass transit, farming and agriculture, green energy, waste and water management, medical devices, or more—large part thermoforming can redefine what is possible for your business.

#1 – Large Part Thermoforming is Significantly More Cost-effective than Steel or Fiberglass Fabrication

The technology behind large part thermoforming has grown so efficient in recent years that many materials that once necessitated either fiberglass, steel, or a combination of multiple parts can now be streamlined into one cost-effective thermoformed plastic part. Let us pass on this savings to you. Large part thermoforming allows for tremendous efficiency as it transforms many high-dollar parts into one large, single, rigid and lightweight thermoformed plastic part.

#2 – You Have the Same Freedom of Material Choice with Large Part Thermoforming

Just as you might do with other smaller-scale thermoformed parts, large part thermoforming likewise allows you to choose the material type (any thermoplastic) color, thickness, and finish of your plastic material. Your project is only limited by your imagination, and a 10’ x 18’ forming area! The possibilities are essentially endless as you explore the same freedom of choice in large part thermoforming, particularly as the needs of your custom plastic project grow and become more complex. As your business grows, part-to-part repeatability will become more and more important, as well.

#3 – Large Part Thermoforming Yields Superior Molded Detail and Offers Seamless Part Repeatability

Large part thermoforming is synonymous with repeatability and superior molded detail, which is what your industry demands. You care about aesthetics, reliability and repeatability, which is why large part thermoforming could be ideal for your next project. When upgrading to large part thermoforming from fiberglass or steel, better aesthetics are often the natural result, largely because the material colors and finishes deliver a large seamless part.

 

We haven’t even mentioned the significance of light-weight options that large part thermoforming offers your business. Whether you need to thermoform 10-feet by 18-feet or smaller, large part thermoforming can transform the possibilities for custom parts manufacturing.

Category: Large Part Thermoforming

For people in the citrus industry, it’s common knowledge that Sunkist’s SunSort line of citrus sorters are the top of the line. So when the company was ready to upgrade the enclosure on its latest model from in-house sheet metal to a modular thermoformed design, we were thrilled to help.

The new thermoformed designs were able to help Sunkist improve durability, cut manufacturing costs and time, and help the new units stand out from the competition. Read our full case study on these vacuum-formed enclosures or head over to Plastics News, where you can read the whole story.

Category: Large Part Thermoforming

Medical Design & Outsourcing is running an article by our CEO Brian Ray that brings together ancient Egyptian spoons, thermoforming and 3D printing.

No, seriously.

Turns out that ancient Egyptians were some of the first thermoformers. Today, the modern version of a 5,000-year-old technique is helping to power everything from electric vehicles to cutting-edge medical devices. All at a cost that makes it easy to make the jump from prototyping to production.

Hopefully when The Mummy reboots in 2017, it’ll feature Tom Cruise discovering some thermoformed ancient Egyptian artifacts, shortly before he’s attacked by the undead. Fingers crossed.

Category: Large Part Thermoforming

This article originally appeared in the May 2015 issue of Design2Part magazine. You can download a PDF of the original here.

By Rebecca Carnes

Supplying heavy-gauge, large-part pressure forming at lower quantities has insulated Ray Products from having to face much overseas competition. The simple reason, according to Jason Middleton, the company’s vice president of sales and development, is that heavy-gauge, large-part pressure forming doesn’t outsource well. (more…)

Category: Large Part Thermoforming

This article originally appeared in the April, 2015 issue of Design2Part Magazine. You can download a PDF of the original here.

By Rebecca Carnes

Specializing in thermoformed plastic parts, Ray Products Co., Inc. understands the unique qualities needed for medical device enclosures, such as durability, aesthetics, and built-in, antimicrobial resistance. The Ontario, Calif.-based company has been manufacturing enclosures for more than 60 years, and focuses on translating that experience into high-quality medical devices. These devices include medical electronics housings; imaging (X-Ray, CT Scan, MRI) enclosures; sterile packaging; bins and trays; hospital room panels; hospital bed components; and stands and support equipment.

Medical device enclosures make up the bulk of Ray Products’ medical business, and pressure-formed and vacuum-formed enclosures can be found on surgical and diagnostic equipment in healthcare facilities across the country. (more…)

Category: Large Part Thermoforming

When it comes to manufacturing medical device enclosures, there are several processes to choose from. We know we’re a bit biased, but more often than not, pressure formed plastic really is the best option for medical device enclosures.

Here are 9 reasons why.

#1: Cost at Quantity

When you factor in both tooling and production costs, pressure forming quite often has the lowest total cost of any other process in volumes of the high-hundreds to mid-thousands. These are very common quantities in medical device enclosure manufacturing.

#2: Large Part Capability

Our pressure forming machines can create single pieces up to a full 10’x6’, with up to 40” of depth. That’s the type of size you need when you’re creating enclosures for things like MRI, CT and X-Ray machines, or ancillary equipment like beds and chairs.

#3: Huge Material Selection

When you’re pressure forming, you can choose from literally hundreds of materials. These materials can come with properties like excellent impact protection, V-0 flammability ratings and even built-in antimicrobial resistance. The same thermoplastic materials that are used for injection molding are commonly used in pressure forming. (more…)

Category: Large Part Thermoforming

3D printing is big news, and it’s no wonder. Just a few years ago, the idea of printing directly from a CAD file to a 3D physical object in a matter of minutes was preposterous. Today, it’s entirely possible.

With so much coverage in the press and popularity online, we’re sometimes asked, “Is 3D printing cutting into your business?” The very truthful answer is, not at all. In fact, it can be quite helpful.

You see, 3D printing is excellent at what it does, but what 3D printing does is quite different from what thermoforming does.

Thermoforming is a very cost-effective process once you’re planning to produce quantities of a few hundred parts up into the mid-thousands. When potential customers ask us to produce a single prototype, we usually refer them to 3D printing or other prototyping processes to help ensure manufacturability in thermoforming. This way, when they’re ready for that production run, there’s going to be no question which method is right for them. (more…)

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