Thermoforming | plastic thermoforming mold – POM


Workpiece:Thermoforming mold for egg carton
MaterialPOM plastic
Traversing path
Type of application:3D milling
Used machine & accessories:High-Z S400, 3D cutter
Applied software:ConstruCAM 3D

A deep drawing mold for egg cartons


Milling of a 3D mold of POM

Milling a deep-drawing mold on the milling machine

Milling a deep-drawing mold on the milling machine

Thanks to our reseller from Latvia. With his CNC router of the type High-Z S-1000/T, he manufactures deep-drawing molds in series. The most preferred material is POM. A high-strength and extremely wear-resistant plastic.

Autodesk INVENTOR for CAD development

For CAD development for such parts, Autodesk Inventor is used . Here the complete design can be handled within the software, undercutting or other important prerequisites for the later milling processing can be considered.

ConstruCAM-3D for CAM data generation

At the end of the chain is the CAM module, to finally generate the milling paths from the drawing data. Here, our 3D CAM software ConstruCAM-3D is always the right choice for you. Of course, other CAM modules can also be used if the correct postprocessor is available in the software.

Thermoforming mold back

Thermoforming mold back

The egg box – thermoforming mold

Special radius milling cutters with a diameter of 6mm and 8mm were used for milling the deep-drawing mold. The total processing time for the large complete mold for 10 eggs was about 12-13 hours. The feed averaged about 30-40mm per second.

Through the downward open frame of the High-Z, parts with unlimited height can be processed. This is one of the great advantages compared to CNC machines in which the ball screw is guided centrally under the machine!

Thermoforming – general information


The origin of thermoforming

The deep drawing was originally from the field of sheet metal forming. Here, extremely heavy presses are necessary to form thin sheets between two 3D shapes (a positive mold and a negative mold). This process technology is used to this day especially in the body construction for fenders and most other parts of motor vehicles.

Vacuum – thermoforming: the materials

Tiefziehen Eierschachtel

Tiefziehen Eierschachtel

Today also hardly indispensable for the packaging industry, etc. is the vacuum forming of thermoplastic materials (thermoplastics) thermoplastics include: acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polylactate (PLA), polyamides (PA), polycarbonate (PC), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyetheretherketone (PEEK).

The longest known is probably celluloid. Most commonly used today are polyolefins: for example, polyethylene or polypropylene.