Vacuum Formable ABS

ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) is an economical engineering thermoplastic that is easy to machine and fabricate. ABS offers very high impact strength and stiffness, as well as high and low-temperature performance and formability. ABS is an ideal material for structural applications when impact resistance, strength, and stiffness are required. It is most commonly used for machining pre-production prototypes due to its excellent dimensional stability and is highly versatile to paint and glue.

ABS offers great chemical and stress resistance, a combination of toughness with rigidity as well as creep resistance. This makes ABS ideal for turning, drilling and milling. It also offers good chemical and stress cracking resistance to inorganic salt solutions, alkalis, acids, and some oils. Combining all of these great features makes ABS a very cost effective.

What is vacuum forming?

Vacuum forming involves heating a plastic sheet to a forming temperature until soft, draping it over a mold and while using a vacuum, the material is forced against the mold. The sheet is then ejected from the mold and is ready to use. This process can be used to form plastic into permanent objects such as turnpike signs and protective covers.

 Key Features Include:

• Very high impact strength
• Excellent formability
• Lends itself to dielectric welding
• Resists thermal distortion as well as many chemicals and plasticizers
• Offered in a wide range of colors and various textures ranging from smooth to deep-textured

What is thermoplastic material?

A thermoplastic, or thermosoftening plastic, is a plastic material, a polymer, that becomes pliable or moldable above a specific temperature and solidifies upon cooling. Thermoplastic polymers form when repeating units called monomers link into chains or branches. Because they soften when heated, thermoplastic polymers are easy to mold into a variety of shapes and also lend themselves to recycling. Common uses for thermoplastic polymers include the fabrication of pipes, ropes, belts, insulators, and adhesives.

Brand Names

• Royalite® R20

Emco Industrial Plastics doesn’t claim to represent all of the manufacturers or trade name products listed. This list is intended as a guide of typical materials available for purchase from Emco Industrial Plastics, Inc. For additional information, contact an Emco Industrial Plastics representative at [email protected].