Unit price in thermoforming is dominated by material, cycle time and freight. Here is the full cost structure and the levers that actually move the number.
Everything here can be checked on a real sample before you commit to a production order.
This category covers a family of products rather than a single item. In practice a buyer defines hardware and tool blister packaging 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 reinforced flanges; gauge 0.40 to 0.90 mm; printed insert cards. Materials most often specified are Recycled PET, Polystyrene, Polyvinyl Chloride, Polyethylene Terephthalate, and the choice between them changes stiffness, temperature resistance, chemical behaviour and price.
In the hardware and tools sector the decision is usually driven by puncture resistance and hanging strength, with visibility as a secondary requirement. Typical end uses include drill bit cards, fixing packs, plumbing blisters.
These figures are typical for commercial grades and should be confirmed against the supplier's certificate for your specific lot.
| Material | Density | Tensile strength | Service temperature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recycled PET | 1.35-1.40 g/cm³ | 45-65 MPa | -40°C to 70°C |
| Polystyrene | 1.04-1.06 g/cm³ | 30-50 MPa | -20°C to 70°C |
| Polyvinyl Chloride | 1.38-1.45 g/cm³ | 40-55 MPa | -10°C to 60°C |
Polyethylene Terephthalate is frequently the default selection here: High IV PET resin is the reason a 1.5 L bottle can be light yet hold carbonation pressure.
These are the levers buyers can actually influence when negotiating a thermoformed part.
Ask your supplier to quote two gauges and two cavity layouts; the difference shows which lever is worth optimising for your volume.
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.
Each step below has its own control points, and skipping one of them is where most defects start.
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.
These are the criteria that actually predict whether the part will perform in service.
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.
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.
Colour is controlled with a masterbatch reference approved by the customer, and every production lot is checked against the approved sample under standard lighting before shipment.
Yes. Standard samples are normally free of charge and shipped within three working days; custom samples are charged at cost and credited against the first production order.
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.
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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