Correct handling and storage protect the performance of returnable and reusable thermoformed trays from the factory to the packing line. This guide covers stacking, climate, static and inspection.
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 returnable and reusable thermoformed trays 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 standard footprints 400 x 600 mm; RFID and barcode options; washable designs. Materials most often specified are Polyethylene Terephthalate, High Density Polyethylene, Polypropylene, Polycarbonate, and the choice between them changes stiffness, temperature resistance, chemical behaviour and price.
In the automotive and mobility sector the decision is usually driven by dimensional stability and heat resistance, with impact strength as a secondary requirement. Typical end uses include under body shields, interior panels, line side trays.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene | 1.04-1.06 g/cm³ | 30-50 MPa | -20°C to 80°C |
| Polycarbonate | 1.20 g/cm³ | 55-70 MPa | -40°C to 120°C |
| Polyethylene Terephthalate | 1.35-1.40 g/cm³ | 50-70 MPa | -40°C to 70°C |
Polycarbonate is frequently the default selection here: PC replaces glass where impact safety matters, but it needs a hard coat for abrasion resistance.
A few simple habits extend service life significantly.
Outdoor service life depends mainly on the UV stabiliser package and the colour.
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.
Work through these points in order and most specification mistakes disappear.
Send this list to your supplier with the drawing and you will receive comparable quotations from every factory you contact.
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.
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.
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.
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.
If you are planning a new automotive and mobility 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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