Most days, it’s work as usual here at Associated Thermoforming. However, every now and then we get excited about something and want to share. Additionally, we like to offer thermoforming tips, or even just interesting bits of information about our industry. We hope you will find some of our posts of interest! And should you have questions, please check out our FAQ’s page, or contact us for further information!!
Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) Used in Custom Thermoforming Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) plays an important role in the custom thermoforming world. Plastics Technology (PT Online) recently interviewed ATI regarding the importance of CAM to our organization. Jim Callari, PT Online‘s Editorial Director, interviewed ATI tooling department supervisor, Aaron Frison regarding the use of CAM in plastic […]
Read More
40 Years Thermoforming and Still Growing… SO…we are now halfway into our 40th year in the thermoforming business, and are going strong! As we look back over those 40 years, we are amazed to see just how much we have accomplished. First and foremost, we enjoy an excellent […]
Read More
Sag Eye Laser Indexing Indispensable in Thermoforming – We in the thermoforming industry have used sag eye laser indexing for years to cycle or index our machines. A sag eye is a laser beam that is directed thru an oven. To begin, we insert the plastic sheet into the oven and and begin the heating process. The […]
Read More
ATI Adds Aerospace Thermoforming to Portfolio~ We have recently introduced Aerospace Thermoforming into our diverse base of industries served. This came with the addition of a significant couple of new customers. We are excited to bring our highly specialized thermoforming capabilities to Aerospace products. Here at ATI, we strive to be as diverse as possible to protect from the inevitable downturn […]
Read More
Vacuum Molding 1st Place in Heavy Gauge Category~ Vacuum molding is what we’re great at. We were excited to bring home 2 more gold awards at the 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers thermoforming competition. The Touch Tower soft drink dispensing system, made for Lancer, won 1st Place in the Heavy Gauge Category. This product employs LED touch technology […]
Read More
PLASTIC THERMOFORMING MORE EFFICIENT WITH NEW 5-AXIS 5′ X 10′ TWIN TABLE ROUTER- ATI makes an ongoing effort to make our plastic thermoforming process more efficient. Therefore, we are excited about our new DMS 5-axis router, with 5′ X 10′ twin table and tool changer. This machine is the latest in technology and encompasses, among other things, a […]
Read More
IMPORTANCE OF TOOL DESIGN FOR PRECISION FABRICATION Twin-sheet thermoforming can yield many interesting geometries in the “parting-line”, the area where the two sheets knit or weld together. But, the weld is critical for the functioning of the part. The key concept in twin-sheet thermoforming is to compress the two starting sheets to about 50% of […]
Read More
ASSISTANCE WITH DESIGN CAN BE COST SAVING Often times with Precision Pressure-forming©, ATI can replace fabricated parts with “formed features”. For example, the feature shown here used to be a machined and fabricated Latch. The latch was then assembled to the base part, resulting in considerable cost. Through a redesign of the part and mold, […]
Read More
MAKE YOUR PROJECT UNIQUE Because of availability of textured, thermoformable plastics today, we are able to offer a wealth of inspiration to our customer. This availability allows us to add a whole new dimension to making your project one-of-a-kind. Consequently, ATI can impart almost any appearance to your plastic thermoformed product. This is especially relevant to customers who are […]
Read More
INSERT MOLDING (OR OVER MOLDING) ATI employs this technique, especially in, but not limited to, twin-sheet molding, where exceptional stiffness is required. In this case, we mount metal reinforcement structures in the mold prior to forming. Next, we form the part so the material “wraps around” the reinforcement in selected areas, entrapping it inside the part. […]
Read More