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Design Guide for PC Thermoformed Sanitary Ware and Acrylic Trays in industrial equipment: Draft, Radii and Draw Ratio

2026-10-02 Plastic News 0 views

Thermoforming rewards designs that respect how a heated sheet stretches. These rules prevent most tooling rework and most thickness complaints.

The notes below come from day to day production and export work with overseas buyers.

Product Overview

This category covers a family of products rather than a single item. In practice a buyer defines thermoformed sanitary ware and acrylic 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 custom shapes and drain positions; bathtub and shower tray sizes; reinforced with fibreglass backing. Materials most often specified are Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene, High Density Polyethylene, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Polycarbonate, and the choice between them changes stiffness, temperature resistance, chemical behaviour and price.

In the industrial equipment sector the decision is usually driven by thick gauge capability and flare and fire rating, with paintability as a secondary requirement. Typical end uses include kiosk shells, equipment covers, machine housings.

Key Material Properties

The table below summarises the values that usually decide the material choice.

MaterialDensityTensile strengthService temperature
Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene1.04-1.06 g/cm³30-50 MPa-20°C to 80°C
Polymethyl Methacrylate1.18 g/cm³50-75 MPa-40°C to 80°C
High Density Polyethylene0.94-0.97 g/cm³20-32 MPa-50°C to 80°C

Polycarbonate is frequently the default selection here: PC replaces glass where impact safety matters, but it needs a hard coat for abrasion resistance.

Design Rules for Thermoformed Parts

Apply these points before the tool is cut; after that every change costs tooling and time.

  • Design uniform wall thickness by avoiding abrupt depth changes in the same cavity.
  • Confirm the trim method early: steel rule die, CNC router or press tool each have different tolerances.
  • Add ribs, steps or kiss-offs instead of increasing overall gauge to gain stiffness.
  • Make corner radii at least equal to the sheet thickness; sharp corners are where holes start.
  • Avoid undercuts unless the tool has moving sections, which adds cost to every cycle.
  • Leave a flat sealing flange of at least 6 mm when the pack has to be heat sealed or lidded.

Send these rules to your designer together with the sheet gauge and the target cycle time; most tooling modifications come from ignoring draft and corner radii.

Common Grades and Variants

  • High Density Polyethylene based: high impact strength even at low temperature
  • Polycarbonate based: outstanding impact strength (250x glass)
  • Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene based: high impact toughness
  • Polymethyl Methacrylate based: up to 92% light transmission

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 and Finishing Options

The route below is the one most factories use for this type of part.

  • Vacuum forming
  • Polishing
  • Thick gauge forming
  • Cnc trimming

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.

How to Specify Thermoformed sanitary ware and acrylic trays Correctly

Work through these points in order and most specification mistakes disappear.

  1. confirm the reinforcement method and thickness
  2. check crazing resistance with a stress test
  3. confirm the Standard for baths or shower trays in your market
  4. specify surface protection film
  5. validate the drain area with a load test

Send this list to your supplier with the drawing and you will receive comparable quotations from every factory you contact.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you offer samples?

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.

Which certifications can you provide?

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.

What packing and shipping options are available?

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.

Can you produce thermoformed sanitary ware and acrylic trays in Polycarbonate?

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.

How do you control colour consistency?

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.

Conclusion

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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