Storm Trooper Food Mould
Thermoforming is the collection of manufacturing methods that heat and form sheets of extruded plastic. It is a relatively simple process that starts with heating a plastic sheet to a pliable state. Once softened, the sheet is forced against a mould with the desired shape using different methods: In vacuum forming, a vacuum is drawn through tiny holes in the mould. In pressure forming, air pressure is applied to the surface.
What is FDM Printing or Fused Deposition Modeling FDM?
Also known by its abbreviated term of FDM, fused deposition modelling is where the 3d part is built by selectively depositing melted material in a pre-determined path layer-by-layer. The materials used are thermoplastic polymers and come in filament form.
FDM technology builds your parts layer-by-layer from the bottom up by heating and extruding thermoplastic filament. The 3D printer heats the thermoplastic to a semi-liquid state and deposits it in ultra-fine beads along the extrusion path. Where support or buffering is needed, the 3D printer deposits a removable material that acts as scaffolding.
Complex geometries and cavities that would otherwise be problematic become practical with FDM 3D printing technology, using the same tried and tested thermoplastics found in traditional manufacturing processes. For applications that demand tight tolerances, toughness and environmental stability, or specialized properties like electrostatic dissipation, translucence, biocompatibility, VO flammability or FST ratings, there’s an FDM thermoplastic that can deliver.