Charles (& Mike), Jeff Crews at SplatSpace has built a vacuum-forming machine from scratch. I cross-posted this message so that he might see it and respond to you.
On Tue, Dec 20, 2022, 9:56 PM Mike Lisanke via TriEmbed < triembed@triembed.org> wrote: > Charles, > > Hope everything is going great for you and yours. > I recall as a child using this... > https://www.ebay.com/b/Mattel-Vacuform/727/bn_7114054425 > much later in life but still years ago, I've watched DIY Youtube videos on > vacuum forming. > I was interested in the tech and was surprised that a great number of > vacuum draw holes was Not needed. > But still it all depends on the size and requirements of the product. > Your product idea seems to fit in the vacuform size and pin spacing. > as I recall (after very long time) it had a great number of tiny pinholes > in its forming platen. > I held thin plastic sheets in a metal frame which is held against a heater > (opposite of the forming platen) > which is then swung into place for vacuum pump down. > Anyway, I hope the story helps. > I haven't worked on implementing my own (yet) because there's so much > manufacturing tech to look at/choose! > > On Tue, Dec 20, 2022 at 9:31 PM Charles West via TriEmbed < > triembed@triembed.org> wrote: > >> Hello! >> >> I'm kinda all over the place project wise (apologies Paul), but one of >> the things I am working on right now is a Phase 1 STTR grant from NASA for >> a new solar sail material. >> >> As part of that, I'm trying to figure out the barriers to implementing a >> new solar sail design called a "space tow". It's composed of a bunch of >> little solar sails all strung together like sled dogs to pull on something. >> >> As part of that, I am trying to see whether it's possible to form >> corrugations in a thin plastic sheet (1-5 microns thick) so that it has >> some rigidity and won't need reinforcement to stay planar. >> >> As part of that, I would like to try vacuum forming one of the sheets and >> see if that can produce the desired change in shape. >> >> ... as part of that, I need to find, make or buy a vacuum forming machine >> and give it a go. >> >> TL;DR: >> Does anyone know where I could find a vacuum forming machine that I could >> use or about their experience homebrewing one? >> >> Thanks, >> Charlie >> >> Triangle, NC Embedded Interest Group mailing list >> > > -- > Best regards, Mike > > Triangle, NC Embedded Interest Group mailing list >
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