Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) and Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) are the two most quoted sheet materials for trapped blister carded packaging in hardware and tools projects. Both run well on standard thermoforming equipment, but they differ in clarity, toughness and sealing.
This guide is written for engineers, purchasers and project managers who need a practical answer, not a resin data sheet.
This category covers a family of products rather than a single item. In practice a buyer defines trapped blister carded 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 gauge 0.25 to 0.50 mm; card sizes to 250 x 400 mm; anti-static grades for electronics. Materials most often specified are Recycled PET, Polyethylene Terephthalate, Polyvinyl Chloride, Polystyrene, 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 garden tool packs, plumbing blisters, hand tool clamshells.
Typical values for a general purpose grade are listed below; filled, stabilised and speciality compounds will differ.
| Material | Density | Tensile strength | Service temperature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polyvinyl Chloride | 1.38-1.45 g/cm³ | 40-55 MPa | -10°C to 60°C |
| 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 is frequently the default selection here: PVC can be formulated from rigid pipe compound to soft medical grade by changing plasticiser content.
Polyvinyl Chloride grades offer inherently flame retardant, while Polyethylene Terephthalate brings excellent barrier to CO2 and moisture. For hardware and tools service the difference shows up in chemical resistance and in the long term behaviour under load.
The practical decision usually comes down to the service environment: temperature, chemical exposure and expected lifetime.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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