Aaron Lapinski

To prove to Industry that using a temperature
controlled mold helps improve cycle
consistency and part dimensions

To determine how a temperature controlled aluminum mold and
non-temperature controlled Ren Shape mold of the same
dimensions will affect shrinkage of a thermoformed ABS part.

To gain experience on the set up and operation of the industrial
scale MAAC thermoformer

To develop a thermoforming lab experiment on the MAAC
thermoformer for student education in Pennsylvania College of
Technology’s BPS program.

To demonstrate to the thermoforming industry that a
temperature controlled mold is essential for maintaining
consistency in the finished product.




MAAC Thermoformer
REN Mold
Aluminum temperature controlled mold
Circulator
 Sterlco VISION 4410-C
 250°F max temp
Hardness Density Density Tensile Compressive Compressive Modulus Flexural Flexural
g/cc lbs/ft.3 Strength Strength
Elasticity (psi)
Strength Modulus
Ren Shape 472
81
0.88
55
psi
psi
7,000
10,900
460,000
psi
psi
9,540
416,000
Glass
Trans.
Temp
(°F)
248
Coefficient
Thermal
Expansion
Color
(in/in/°F)
25.8 x 10-6 Lt. Gray

Spartech ABS
 Amorphous Terpolymer
 .125 x 40 (W) x 22.5 (L) inches
 Premium Grade
 Natural
 Polished Finish

o
Sheet temperature 285-400 f
 340oF

Circulator settings 175-215oF
 200oF

De-molding temperature
 180-190oF

Dry ABS
 180°F
 24 hours

Hang the Mold
 Placement
 Center



Form parts
Collect Dimensions
Perform Mechanical Testing





Turn on Main Power
Turn on Air
Turn on Vacuum
Turn on Fume Hood
Enter MAAC software
PC62
 Log in
Load or Build Program
Choose set up
Turn on Vacuum
Pumps and Oven
 Index Clamps into Oven
on Diagnostics screen







Remove preheated clamps from oven
Open clamps
Place sheet
Start cycle

Ren Shape Mold Production Trial

Aluminum Mold Production Trial

DOE





Timers
Ovens
Encoders
I.R. Eye
MAACFlex


380°F
55 Second Forming Time

Aluminum Mold
 144.447 Btu (IT) foot/hour/square foot/°F

Ren Shape or Polyurethane
 0.011556 Btu (IT) foot/hour/square foot/°F.



Humidity
Room Temperature
Mold Temperatures
 Front
 Back
 Top

Clamp Temperature

Sheet Temperature
 De-molding
 Molding
Jig Dimensions
Y Direction (MD) 15.875
X Direction (TD) 33.500
B
8(Y1)
7(Y2)
6(Y3)
Mold Dimensions
9 (X2)
5 (X2)
10 (X1)
F
4 (X1)
1(Y1)
2(Y2)
3(Y3)
Y Direction (MD) 15.25
X Direction (TD) 31.125
Dimensional Differences Aluminum
Mold: Width
Dimensional Differences of REN
Mold: Width
15.6600
15.6600
15.6400
Mold Dimensions
15.6400
15.6200
Y Direction (MD) 15.25
15.6200
X Direction (TD) 31.125
15.6000
15.5800
2 Minutes
15.5600
24 Hours
Width (in)
Width (in)
15.6000
15.5800
2 minutes
15.5400
15.5400
15.5200
15.5200
15.5000
15.5000
15.4800
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9 10
24 Hours
15.5600
15.4800
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Dimensional Difference of REN
Mold: Length
Dimensional Difference
Aluminum Mold: Length
33.2800
33.2800
Mold Dimensions
33.2300
33.2300
Y Direction (MD) 15.25
X Direction (TD) 31.125
33.1800
2 Minutes
33.1300
24
Length (in)
Length (in)
33.1800
24
33.0800
33.0800
33.0300
33.0300
32.9800
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
2 Minutes
33.1300
32.9800
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Thickness Variation of Ren Shape Mold vs. Aluminum Mold
0.1400
0.1200
Thickness (in)
0.1000
0.0800
Ren Mold
Aluminum Mold
0.0600
0.0400
0.0200
0.0000
Thickness Front Thickness Right
Thickness Back
Thickness Left
Thickness Top
Change in Sheet and Mold Temperature during REN Mold Production Run
220
200
Temperature oF
180
Mold Front
Mold Back
160
Mold Top
Sheet at Demolding
140
120
100
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Change in Sheet and Mold Temperature during Aluminum Mold
Production Run
200
190
180
Temperature (o F)
170
160
Mold Front
Mold Back
150
Mold Top
140
Sheet at Demolding
130
120
110
100
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
High
Low
Cooling Time
100
40
Circulator Temp
205
170
I.R. Eye Temp
400
340
Run
Cooling Time
Circulator Temp
I.R. Eye Temp
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
Break Stress of Temperature
Controlled Parts vs. Non
Temperature Controlled Parts
Yield Stress of Temperature
Controlled Parts vs. Non Temperature
Controlled Parts
4600
3700
4500
4400
3500
3400
Ren shape
3300
Aluminum
Yield Stress (psi)
Break Stress (psi)
3600
4300
4200
Ren shape
4100
Aluminum
4000
3200
3900
3100
3800
3000
sample 1
sample 4
sample 7 sample 10
3700
sample 1
sample 4
sample 7
sample 10


Holes
Stuck to mold
cost/hr ($) # of hours Number of sheets cost per sheet
Material Cost
n/a
n/a
75
$40.00
$3,000.00
Mentor
50
20
n/a
n/a
$1,000.00
Consultant
50
10
n/a
n/a
$500.00
Labor
18
100
n/a
n/a
$1,800.00
Thermoformer cost
100
85
n/a
n/a
$8,500.00
Testing Equipment
100
15
n/a
n/a
$1,500.00
REN Mold Cost
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
$3,800.00
Aluminum Mold Cost
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
$7,500.00
Total cost
$27,600.00



More Predictable dimensions
Higher mechanical properties
Shorter cycle times
 Forming time from 100 to 55 seconds
Heating Time (seconds)
Forming Time (seconds)
Ejection Time (seconds)
Remove and load next part
Total (seconds)
Time saving (seconds)/Part
Time saving (seconds) /24 hour day
Extra Parts/day
Extra Parts/ 5 day week
Extra Parts/20 day month
Extra Parts/50 week year
Cost ($) / Sheet
Extra Production / Year ($)
REN Mold Cost
Aluminum Mold Cost
Total Profit
Ren Shape Aluminum
120
120
100
55
2
2
30
30
252
207
45
1080
4.3
21.4
85.7
1071.4
$40.00
$42,857.14
$3,800.00
$7,500.00
$39,157.14







Lack of Knowledge
Measurement Device
Drying
Grids
Mold Position
Circulator
Machine access

To determine how a temperature controlled aluminum mold and
non-temperature controlled Ren Shape mold of the same
dimensions will affect shrinkage of a thermoformed ABS part.

To gain experience on the set up and operation of the industrial
scale MAAC thermoformer

To develop a thermoforming lab experiment on the MAAC
thermoformer for student education in Pennsylvania College of
Technology’s BPS program.

To demonstrate to the thermoforming industry that a
temperature controlled mold is essential for maintaining
consistency in the finished product.












Mr. Roger Kipp
Mr. John Bartolomucci
Mr. Gary McQuay
Mr. Howard Troup
Mr. Todd Kennedy
Mr. Todd Crismer
Mr. Brett Braker
Mr. Chris Denmon
McClarin Plastics Inc.
Spartech Plastics
Tooling Technology
KYDEX LLC.

"Acrylonitrile, Butadiene and Styrene (ABS) - FormTight Plastic Thermoforming."
Custom Packaging - Clamshells, Food Packaging, Blister Packaging - FormTight
Plastic Thermoforming. Web. 27 Oct. 2010.
<http://www.formtightinc.com/materials/ABS/default.html>.

"Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 27 Oct.
2010. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrylonitrile_butadiene_styrene>.

"Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene Copolymer (ABS) (chemical Compound) -Britannica Online Encyclopedia." Encyclopedia - Britannica Online Encyclopedia.
Web. 27 Oct. 2010.
<http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/4259/acrylonitrile-butadienestyrene-copolymer>.

"ASTM D638 - 10 Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Plastics." ASTM
International - Standards Worldwide. Web. 24 Apr. 2011.
<http://www.astm.org/Standards/D638.htm>.