Specification sheets for thermoformed drink cups are full of abbreviations. This guide translates sheet gauge, cavity layout and trim tolerance into decisions you can make.
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 thermoformed drink cups 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 cold and hot fill grades; volume 100 ml to 700 ml; rim curl and rolled edge options. Materials most often specified are Polylactic Acid, Polypropylene, Polyethylene Terephthalate, Polystyrene, and the choice between them changes stiffness, temperature resistance, chemical behaviour and price.
In the food and beverage sector the decision is usually driven by food contact compliance and migration limits, with seal integrity as a secondary requirement. Typical end uses include dairy tubs, bakery inserts, ready meal trays.
Typical values for a general purpose grade are listed below; filled, stabilised and speciality compounds will differ.
| Material | Density | Tensile strength | Service temperature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polylactic Acid | 1.24 g/cm³ | 50-60 MPa | up to 55°C (HDT) |
| Polypropylene | 0.90-0.91 g/cm³ | 25-40 MPa | -10°C to 100°C |
| Polystyrene | 1.04-1.06 g/cm³ | 30-50 MPa | -20°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.
Typical values for a general purpose grade are listed below; filled, stabilised and speciality compounds will differ.
When you read a supplier quotation, check that the dimension, the resin grade, the colour reference and the tolerance class are all stated. A quotation that only gives a price per piece is not comparable between suppliers.
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.
Standard packing is export cartons on fumigation-free pallets, with custom labelling, barcode and retail packing available. We also handle consolidated containers and door to door delivery.
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. 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.
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.
If you are planning a new food and beverage project, send us your drawing, annual volume and target properties, and we will come back with a material proposal, a tooling plan and a budget quotation.
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