Pressure Forming Process Used for Shroud Headrest
This part is made from a Radel® resin which is a polyphenylsulfone material. Radel’s properties include very high impact and chemical resistance in addition to the toxicity properties stated above. Because of the physical properties of the sheet, the processing temperatures are very high, requiring the sheet to be heated to 500-550º. Moreover, the material doesn’t flow well, and tight radii and undercuts are not recommended by the resin manufacturer. However, this part requires just those features, shown in the picture, and this demands significant process capability from our equipment and techniques for us to accomplish this. Very few thermoformers possess this capability.
All of the many parts we make for this industry and customer, UTC Aerospace Systems, have several things in common:
- The quality specifications are rigorous
- Part cleanliness and labeling are very strict
- Materials are all engineered resins that are low smoke and very fire-retardant, and have a high strength-to-weight ratio which allows us to make them from very thin plastic
- All of these resins need to go through a drying process prior to use
- Mold temperatures are very high, oftentimes 350º
- Logistical support systems to accommodate just-in-time delivery of many different part numbers
