Developments in Thermoforming Characterized by Automation of the Machinery and Improvement in Auxiliary Equipment.

As compared to other plastics processing techniques such as injection molding, extrusion and injection blow molding and stretch blow molding as well as the fabrication of semifinished products, thermoforming of plastics film and sheet offers the great advantage that relatively thin-walled articles meeting end-use requirements can be manufactured. Basically, the various thermoforming techniques and their results have not changed in the recent past. However, substantial improvements have been achieved through increasing automation of the thermoforming machines and their up and downstream units.