Thermoforming machine system solution

Higher precision, higher efficiency, and user-friendly design

Thermoformed products are made by heating and softening flat plastic sheets, then vacuum-forming them onto the surface of a mold and cooling them to shape. Thermoforming machines can be used in industries such as plastic packaging, food packaging, pharmaceuticals, and industrial cooling tower water distribution plates.

Industry background

Thermoformed products are made by heating and softening flat plastic sheets, then vacuum-forming them onto the surface of a mold and cooling them to shape. Thermoforming machines, also known as thermoplastic molding machines, use vacuum suction generated by vacuum pumps to extract thermoplastic sheet materials such as PVC, PET, PETG, APTT, PP, PE, PS, etc. The heated and softened sheets are then formed into various shapes, such as vacuum lids, or attached to the surfaces of products in various shapes. Thermoforming is divided into thin sheet thermoforming and thick sheet thermoforming based on the thickness of the sheet material.

Thermoforming machines can be used in industries such as plastic packaging, food packaging, pharmaceuticals, and industrial cooling tower water distribution plates. The annual output value of thermoforming machines has been increasing for several consecutive years. As the domestic economy enters a period of stable and sustained development, the industrial scale of thermoforming machinery is also expanding. With the entry of foreign thermoforming machine manufacturers, they have injected development vitality into the Chinese thermoforming machine industry, but also brought opportunities and challenges.

System principle

The main structure of a thermoforming machine consists of areas such as the feeding area, heating area, forming area, cutting area, stacking area, and waste material recycling area. It can be divided into three parts:

1. Heating and forming section: The electric furnace heats up, and there is a delay in the action of the furnace. After the heating is completed, the sheet is pulled by the servo motor. When the sheet reaches the specified position, the upper mold and lower mold servo motors start the forming action. After forming, the demolding cylinders, such as vacuum, water spray, and cold air, are used to demold the product. After demolding, the upper and lower molds return to the safe position according to the set delay time.

2. Cutting section: The sheet is pressed, and the dual servo motors reach the fixed position. Pressure is applied using the pressure cylinder, and then the cutting tool is activated. After the cutting action is completed, the cut sheets are sorted.

3. Feeding and unloading section with a robotic arm: The robotic arm is used for various positions such as standby, retreat, and material picking. It collects the cut sheets, stacks them, and then the conveyor belt transports them away.

Control plan

Thermoforming machine systems can be divided into two control schemes: bus control scheme and pulse control scheme.

The bus control scheme offers high accuracy, absolute value servo power-off position holding, simple wiring, strong anti-interference capability, as well as features such as alarm warning and torque monitoring.

The pulse control scheme has high compatibility and affordability, making it compatible with other mainstream servo products in the market.

Advantages of the plan

Higher security

The use of high-power absolute value servo enhances safety. Safety zone protection and soft limit protection have been developed. Additionally, internal torque is calibrated to avoid machine damage and unnecessary losses caused by human operational errors.

Smoother movements and faster speeds

The upper and lower mold movements in the forming area are optimized in multiple stages to avoid jerks caused by two-stage positioning. In the two-speed sections, multiple partial speed plans are implemented. When there is an external setting error by the user, the system automatically optimizes the related speeds to avoid jerks, unsmooth movements, and collision caused by operational errors.

Better temperature adaptability

The PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) is used for communication with temperature control devices. It can support up to 400 temperature control channels for temperature modification and display. The system also supports temperature adjustment and self-tuning functions. It can diagnose and calibrate temperature control issues for each station number, identify stations with problems, and generate relevant alarm codes.

The function switching of the all-in-one robotic arm is more convenient

The robotic arm features three main functional areas: internal membrane, direct stacking, and external membrane. Each function has an independent interface and is equipped with a corresponding safety switch. When selecting a specific function, the system can switch to the corresponding interface and provide safety protection to prevent potential safety hazards caused by incorrect parameter settings. Additionally, the robotic arm interface includes one-touch positioning, automatic operation position setting, and safety protection, allowing customers to use it with greater peace of mind.

Higher efficiency

The overall efficiency of the all-in-one machine runs at 53 modes per minute, and the fastest tested speed is 30 modes per minute. At the same time, the high-speed servo machine, two-stage speed and other related designs are industry-leading in speed.

Humanity design

1. Random Password Lock: Convenient locking mechanism with multiple unlocking methods and complex, diverse passwords. 2. Function Selection: Multi-functional options with one-touch on/off for easy operation. 3. Batch Temperature Control: The temperature control interface supports batch on/off and batch temperature settings, enhancing the user experience. 4. Timing Hold: Supports action operation display, providing an intuitive understanding of action sequences and workstation status. 5. Supports speed and torque monitoring, making the operation status of each servo clear at a glance. 6. Absolute Position Setting: Open system interface for easier adjustment of relevant heights and safety protection ranges.