Acrylic is a common material that has established applications in many industries. Some manufacturers use the sheets to make windows, lighting fixtures, window well, and canopies. You can also find this material in mirrors and windshields. A notable feature of acrylic is that it is flexible. This allows you to form the sheet and shape it according to your needs. Thermoforming makes this possible. This process heats the sheet, making it soft. It stretches and then cools into the shape the person wants. When it comes to making acrylic sheets in Ontario, there are a few ways to accomplish it. 

Heating in Vertical Oven

Heating the sheets at a consistent temperature is an effective thermoforming tactic. This occurs in a circulating-air oven with an outer and inner shell. A piece of fibre or insulation separates the shell. To distribute heat evenly, the ovens have electric fans. You will not want to hang the sheets from a single edge. Instead, producers of acrylic sheets in Canada use a clamping frame. The heat should be between 340 degrees and 350 degrees. The clamping frame puts consistent pressure on each side of the sheet. This causes it to become soft. 

Horizontal Heaters

If you are looking for a faster solution to heating acrylic or Plexiglass sheets in Canada, use horizontal ovens. This method is more flexible, as you can move the heater or the tooling. Moving the heaters can also improve the working clearances. Another advantage is that you can set up independently controlled zones. This helps you have better control and more flexibility. 

Thermoforming Machines for Acrylic Sheets in Ontario

Machines specifically for thermoforming are commercially available as well. This option makes the most sense if you have a large volume of sheets to produce. Be aware that a drawback is that costs can be high when it comes to tooling. You will like that you can form multiple shapes simultaneously from one sheet. You will need to separate and finish the parts manually. 

Free Blowing and Vacuum Moulding

Another choice for making acrylic sheets in Canada is to use free blowing or vacuum moulding. You can free blow by using a clamping ring or you can vacuum-draw with a mould box. The surface of the sheets never touches the mould walls. An advantage of this is that there is no need for mark-off or local cooling. As for the vacuum method, you can control it manually with optical light sensors. 

Use One of These Methods for Your Acrylic Sheet Production

If you need to manufacture quality acrylic or Plexiglass sheets in Canada, there are some effective options. Using ovens, specialized machines, blowing, or vacuums can help you achieve your goals. Call the team of a plastics manufacturer today to get started.