If you specify Polylactic Acid (PLA) for thermoformed deli and food containers, a handful of properties decide whether the part survives forming and service. These are the values worth checking on every data sheet.
Use it as a working checklist when you write your next enquiry.
This category covers a family of products rather than a single item. In practice a buyer defines thermoformed deli and food containers by three things: the base resin, the format or dimension, and the performance or certification level it has to meet. Typical options in this category include in mould labelling options; volume 120 ml to 3 L; microwave safe PP grades. Materials most often specified are Polylactic Acid, Polystyrene, Polyethylene Terephthalate, Polypropylene, and the choice between them changes stiffness, temperature resistance, chemical behaviour and price.
In the logistics and warehousing sector the decision is usually driven by stackability and returnability, with traceability as a secondary requirement. Typical end uses include dunnage trays, returnable trays, parts supermarket trays.
The table below summarises the values that usually decide the material choice.
| Material | Density | Tensile strength | Service temperature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polypropylene | 0.90-0.91 g/cm³ | 25-40 MPa | -10°C to 100°C |
| Polylactic Acid | 1.24 g/cm³ | 50-60 MPa | up to 55°C (HDT) |
| Polyethylene Terephthalate | 1.35-1.40 g/cm³ | 50-70 MPa | -40°C to 70°C |
Polylactic Acid is frequently the default selection here: PLA is compostable in industrial facilities, not in a backyard heap, so label it carefully.
The table below summarises the values that usually decide the material choice.
Density 1.24 g/cm³, tensile strength 50-60 MPa, continuous service temperature up to 55°C (HDT) and melt range 150-170°C are the four values to circle on the data sheet. Everything else is secondary for most logistics and warehousing projects.
Beyond the base resin, most suppliers offer UV stabilised, food contact, flame retardant, anti-static and recycled content versions of the same product. Ask which additive package is included, because it is often the difference between a part that lasts three years and one that lasts ten.
Processing method drives both cost and performance, so it should be fixed early in the design.
Secondary operations such as printing, welding, machining and assembly are often cheaper to do in the same factory, and they reduce the risk of mismatch between components.
Use this checklist when comparing two or three supplier quotations.
Send this list to your supplier with the drawing and you will receive comparable quotations from every factory you contact.
We can provide ISO 9001 quality system documentation, material certificates, RoHS and REACH statements, and where applicable food contact, flame retardancy or drinking water approvals. Tell us your target market and we will match the document set.
A new tool typically takes 25 to 45 days depending on cavity count and complexity, followed by T1 samples within one week. Existing tools can usually start production within 10 to 15 days of order confirmation.
For standard sizes and colours the minimum is usually one pallet or one production run; for custom tooling the economic minimum depends on the tooling cost amortised over the expected volume. Send us your annual volume and we will calculate the break even point.
Standard production tolerance follows the relevant ISO or DIN tolerance class for the process; tighter tolerances are possible after machining or grinding, but they add cost. Define the tolerance only on the functional dimensions.
Yes. {mat1} is one of our regular materials for this item, and we can supply virgin, modified and certified grades with full traceability. Material certificates and test reports are issued per batch.
Share your specification and quantity with us and we will recommend the most cost effective material, tooling route and packing method for your market.
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