Norjon Precision Engineering has been at the forefront of thermoforming mould and die manufacture for over 30 years. With skilled engineers and decades of experience, there’s no part we can’t make.
We specialise in producing parts requiring high precision and complex geometries, such as deep cavity and thin wall products.
Contact us today to scope your thermoforming mould making job.
What is thermoforming?
Thermoforming is a method used to transform a sheet of plastic into a 3-dimensional shape, using heat, vacuum, and pressure.
The plastic sheet is heated until pliable, formed into the desired shape using a specially designed mould, and trimmed. It is an effective way to produce high volumes of identical plastic components.
Thermoforming can be classified as thin-gauge or thick-gauge, depending on the thickness of the plastic sheet. Thin-gauge thermoforming is a primary manufacturing method for a range of products in the food and beverages industry and medical sector including disposable cups, lids, trays and blister-packs. Thick-gauge thermoforming is often used in the automotive industry for the production of parts such as vehicle door and dash panels.
The mould
The quality of the thermoforming mould is key to the success of the forming process. The material, complexity and precision of the mould will impact the final product.
For high-volume work, it’s crucial that the mould is durable and will not lose definition over the production of hundreds of thousands of identical parts. Solid steel moulds are the most common choice for demanding mass-production thermoforming work, though it is also possible to work in other materials such as aluminium for shorter batch jobs.
The more complex the geometries required for the mould, the more important it is that it is produced with precision and accuracy. A well-produced mould can significantly speed up the process of manufacture and ensure the highest quality.
The die
The thermoforming die is used to cut the moulded parts to the required size. For the best quality finish and the cleanest cuts, the die needs to be hard-wearing, sharp and perfectly machined.
Pre-hardened steel thermoforming dies are recommended for the most-precise cuts and the highest quality. Dies made in this material can also handle high-volume production better than standard steel or other materials before needing to be replaced or repaired.
Precision is key
Here at Norjon, we are dedicated to producing thermoforming moulds and dies efficiently and cost-effectively, without compromising on the finish. By using our suite of high-end CNC multi-axis machinery, we can ensure that even the most complex mould geometries are handled accurately, precisely, and that each part is completely identical.
Our Hampshire workshop is stocked with cutting edge plant, including 4-axis, 5-axis, all the way up to 9-axis milling and turning equipment, and we can employ specific processes such as water-jet and wire EDM as required by your mould and die geometries.
Hermle C400 Flex
Our Hermle C400 Flex is just one of the tools we use to make sure our mould and die production is the very best it can be.
One of many capable machines in our multi-axis milling section, our C400 is equipped with the HS Flex robot pallet loader. This means we can automate production for quicker turnaround and cost savings, even on the most complex mould and die production jobs.
Index G200
Our Index G200 is a flexible machine that sees use in all kinds of production work, including the production of thermoforming mould and die tools
One of our newest acquisitions, the Index G200 is an incredibly flexible mill-turn machine, which we use for all kinds of production work.
Set up with an automatic bar feeder and robot arm loader, it allows for continuous production of quality precision parts from bar stock.
Contact us about producing your thermoforming parts.
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