Chicago’s City Colleges have one of the finest culinary academy’s of any American city, known as the French Pastry School (FPS). Headed by co-founders, Chefs Jacquy Pfeiffer and Sébastien Canonne, M.O.F., FPS specializes in pastry arts education. Formech is also a proud sponsor of FPS and took the opportunity recently to host a workshop for their latest graduating class (72 students) on, “Forming Unique Chocolate Molds”.
Since Formech specializes in a machine designed specifically with the chocolate/confectioner industry in mind, it is a natural fit to partner with an institution such as FPS. Our 300XQ Chocolatier vacuum forming machine has many features that make forming molds, trays and even bespoke packaging a breeze.
Nic Neath, General Manager of Formech Inc, joined the FPS graduates to elaborate on the many uses of vacuum forming in their industry. He used their existing machine to demonstrate that a way to set one’s self apart from the crowd, is with unique molds.
While there are several options for tooling designs, Nic demonstrated four simple techniques the students could put into practice with ease as well as discussed the advantages and disadvantages of each method:
Forming over an existing object.
Cast an existing object and make copies.
Sculpt a new creation and form over.
CNC Mill.
He explained the use of a mold resin material like Smooth-On and its usefulness in casting. Further, he talked about the most commonly utilized materials in making chocolate molds and packaging, emphasizing the need for food grade materials approved by the FDA. Finally he provided an overview of the most helpful tips and tricks for creating perfectly formed objects with their Formech machine. See the gallery below for a look into Formech’s visit to FPS.
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For more information on Formech Vacuum Forming machines, their use in the confectionery industry and more, contact us today for a consultation: 312-396-4072; sales@formechinc.com.
Vacuum forming’s popularity in manufacturing across several sectors begins naturally at the educational level. From introductory models used on safety tablesfor primary education to sophisticated tools like fully programmable PLC’s for graduate level learning, Formech makes machines with education at heart.
Case in point, students from New York’s Middleburgh High School’s manufacturing class used their Formech 508 DT to design, create and produce a product which mimics the manufacturing process of any modern day company. Read on to see the product these teens conceptualized, crafted and sold to consumers, made using a Formech vacuum former in conjunction with CAD and CNC routers.
Mackenzie Ryan, Director of Marketing for The Seventh Inc. – “Makers of the Fishing Friendzy” outlined their manufacturing process.
o We first developed the name of our company, created a logo and appointed a board of directors and employees for each team.
o We then discussed toy ideas, and we were very interested in designing this game with wooden pieces for a Christmas present.
o We then created a market research survey and began creating a prototype of our product.
o We created and sold 1000 shares of stock in our company and generated over $1000 to purchase consumables for our prototype.
o We researched different wood choices, and different ways to manufacture the kit and the plastic packaging.
o Ten of our students designed deep sea creatures in Auto CAD to be machined on our CNC machine, and 2 fishing poles that are hand made.
o The Director of Research and Design came up with the placement of the fish and a design for the mold for the bottom tray of our product that we made out of medium density fiber board (MDF).
o After molding the blue plastic, and having everything set, we focused on the top cover piece, with a decorative logo, and fun facts about each fish in the kit.
Ryan states that the group is now in the process of manufacturing 100 kits, with a price of $20 per kit. The expected profit for their shareholders will be between 40% and 60% per share. He added, “This class has been a very educational and rewarding experience for all of us. It was something we could not have done without the use of our new Formech Thermoforming Machine.”
See the pics below for a peek into their process and unique product.
It makes us incredibly proud to feature case studies and projects like this one from our customers. If you feel you have a blog-worthy story, fill out the form below and send Formech your info. We’ll showcase all qualifying projects here on our blog! Thanks and good luck!
Formech’s partnership with the Idea Shop at the Illinois Institute of Technology is helping shape tomorrow’s designers and architects today. In the Mies van der Rohe designed Crown Hall (one of 20 buildings designed by Rohe on the IIT campus) the significance was not lost on Formech as we embarked on a day of sharing vacuum forming techniques with students at the IIT College of Architecture.
Crown Hall Landmark Placard
Nic Neath, head of North American Sales for Formech, was honored to be invited by IIT Professor Alphonso Peluso to guest lecture on, “Vacuum Forming in Architectural Applications”. He was in the company of four other lecturers, including Joe Luciani of The Segal Design Institute.
Neath began by mentioning some of Formech’s esteemed architectural and design clients such as: Kohn Pederson Fox, IDEO, the d.school at Stanford, Pratt Institute, Art Center, Rhode Island School of Design, Hopkins Architects and Ken Houghton Designto name a few.
He also lectured on methods for vacuum forming architectural laminates as our client École Polytechnique Fédérale De Lausanne (Switzerland) have done for their “Constructo Cube” architectural project.
Furthermore, Neath was able to show how to create the best tooling for the application use, describe the how, what and why of plastics sourcing and give an overview of the best practiced vacuum forming techniques.
Neath also reviewed the student’s architectural design project presentations which were given in groups of two to three students.
Professor Peluso is now in the process of trying to secure funding for a Formech 1500 in order to form larger pieces for architectural applications. After the guest lectures, the student groups explained their projects–some that were formed on the Formech 686 housed on the IIT campus in The Idea Shop. Others were done utilizing composites such as carbon fiber. The pics below show some lectures and demonstrations from that day.
Have a design or architectural project you’d like to share? Formech invites guest would-be-bloggers to leave their contact info after the jump, along with a brief description of your design project. We’d love to showcase all unique qualifying projects here on our blog! Thanks and good luck!
There are a number of ways to produce the tooling/molds for this particular application.
1. Take an existing ceramic tile and vacuum form over the tile. Providing the tile has a good texture, there should be enough relief to allow the vacuum to draw over the tile in order to get decent definition. Ideally the molds need to have small 1mm – 1.5mm vacuum holes drilled in all the recesses. Then use the vacuum-forming to pour in liquid epoxy resin to create the production tool.
2. Take the vacuum forming and turn it upside down. Then mix up an epoxy resin with an aluminium powder filler and pour it into the vacuum-forming. Make sure to apply a release agent to the vacuum-forming to help with the mold release when the resin has cured.
Figure 2. Pour liquid epoxy resin with an aluminium powder filler into the vacuum-forming. **Please note that silicon sheet cannot be vacuum-formed.
3. When the resin has cured, remove it from the vacuum-forming. Depending on the resin used, there may be the need to post-cure the resin in an oven. This will stop the resin from becoming too flexible as the mold gets hot during the production of vacuum-formings.
4. Once the mold has been fully cured, drill 1mm – 1.5mm vacuum holes in the recesses and corners of the mold.
5. To obtain the maximum detail from the ceramic tiles, cast a liquid silicone rubber over the tile. When the silicone has set, pour the epoxy resin into the silicone rubber mold to create the production mold. Be certain to place the silicone mold on a flat surface and support it all around the outer edges with wood or steel so that it remains square while the epoxy resin goes hard.
For more about Formech vacuum formers and the vacuum-forming process, call, email, or visit our website now.
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“Thermoforming represents an ideal process since it is conducive to creating the case’s rounded edges and curved walls.” –Olivia Gann, Design Student
Formech was recently contacted to assist in the fast fabricating of one design student’s final project and was more than pleased to offer our powerful machines to take part in such an auspicious undertaking. Segal Design Institute student Olivia Gann created ABS thermoformed cases for an open-hardware research device called the TPad Fire. The device adds a tactile screen to a Kindle Fire Tablet, allowing users to feel forces as they swipe their finger across the screen. Gann thermo-formed (initially using a handmade thermoformer and later with a Formech) a new screen case, to contain all the components. Read on about the details of this groundbreaking project in surface haptics developed in the Neuroscience and Robotics Laboratory at Northwestern University.
In Gann’s own words, she describes the design process and what the project is about below.
The TPaD Fire (see: The TPad Tablet Project) is a touchscreen device that lets users not only see, but feel, images. Joe Mullenbach started the TPad Tablet Project over a year ago as a way to introduce the technology to a wider audience, and I joined about six months ago. My role on the project has been to design and build an enclosure for the device’s components – a Kindle Fire, a thin piece of glass, a circuit board, and a battery. We not only designed and fabricated the enclosure, but also developed a reproducible manufacturing process.
The enclosure’s primary role is to consolidate and protect the components. But the TPaD’s interactive and explorative nature means that the enclosure should also give users easy access to the device’s internal electrical components. And since the TPaD is designed for human interaction, it must be visually appealing and ergonomic as well. Lastly, the process for building the enclosure must be compatible with the project’s modest production rate. It should be easy and inexpensive to reproduce, with near-zero capital costs.
The enclosure comprises an ABS bottom and an acrylic top. The bottom is built by thermoforming a sheet of ABS over a mold and then using a mill to remove excess material and flatten the bottom’s upper edge. Thermoforming represents an ideal process since it is conducive to creating the case’s rounded edges and curved walls. In fact, fillets and draft, to some extent, are functionally necessary in thermoforming. Plus, the thermoformed parts can be easily and inexpensively reproduced in-house, and yields a more robust enclosure compared to rapid prototyping.
At the beginning of the project, we tested several iterations of mock-up molds made of high-density foam, and used the results to optimize forming parameters and the mold’s shape. The final mold was built by pouring a resin into a 3D printed model of the bottom of the enclosure. It is a compact design that fits the TPaD closely. Its rounded, organic shape fulfills the case’s aesthetic and ergonomic requirements, while its flat bottom allows it to sit steadily on a tabletop. Beyond aesthetics, the rounded shape increases the piece’s structural integrity, and plays an essential role in releasing the formed sheet from the mold.
The top is built primarily on a laser cutter, out of a sheet of acrylic, with a milled groove on its underside that runs around the piece’s perimeter. The TPaD itself is permanently attached to the underside of the top, while the top and bottom are held together by four sets of magnets at the case’s corners. This provides a secure connection, but still allows for easy access to the tablet’s internal components. Moreover, the bottom’s upper edge fits into the milled groove on the underside of the top. This strengthens the connection between the two pieces, and covers the bottom’s raw milled edge.
Now that the enclosure is designed, I’m shifting my focus to developing a hands-on activity for high school students to interact with the TPaD, in addition to continuing to produce a steady stream of enclosures. The goal of the activity is two-fold: to gather user observations, as well as to expose students to the TPaD and spark their interest in surface haptics. At present, my plan is to have students in game design and computer engineering develop an app that will allow students in art classes to create drawings with haptic effects. This represents a preliminary outline of the activity, which will be ultimately implemented next fall.
The TPaD Tablet Project is unique in its balance between technological and social relevance, marrying cognitive perception and human-computer interaction with advanced electro-mechanical technology. The TPaD Fire is the first widely available device to reflect a culmination of research and development in surface haptic devices. Inherent in this technological innovation lays a cross-disciplinary set of profound social and cultural implications that give the technology behind the TPaD both a context and a purpose.
For example, one safety-related application is in touchscreens on a car’s dashboard. Incorporating haptic effects allows the driver to change the dashboard’s controls by feeling, rather than seeing, the screen. This allows drivers to keep their eyes on the road rather than on the dashboard. Additionally, haptic devices present a rich avenue for applications in learning and communication among the visually impaired and intellectually disabled. More generally, haptic devices present a rich avenue for communication, learning, and expression in the general public as well. Haptic feedback adds an entirely new sense with which users interact with touchscreens. For example, imagine text messages that are opened by sliding your finger along the screen and feeling a friction pattern that corresponds to the mood of the written message.
The only way to further develop this technology is to build and implement tangible devices like the TPaD Fire. User observations and reactions provide an essential basis for developing authentic and relevant applications. The enclosure is especially important in this stage. One reason is that it represents TPaD’s first impression. The enclosure is the first thing a user sees, even before touching its screen. Additionally, the case is the physical interface between the user and the TPaD. For a device that is all about touch, this physical interface is of fundamental importance. At its core, the enclosure was designed to invite user interaction, but in an understated way that doesn’t detract from the device’s actual functionality.
From a more personal perspective, this project catapulted the development of my skills in prototyping techniques, manufacturing processes, and assembly design. I arrived at the enclosure’s final design and manufacturing process after quite a few iterations. In my eyes, that is a primary reason for the project’s success: this iterative approach yielded a thoroughly developed solution. I got a huge amount of help from one of the shop instructors at Northwestern, Joe Luciani. His input was instrumental throughout our design process. In addition, I learned about a variety of manufacturing processes, techniques, and conventions along the way. This project also enabled me to demonstrate thermoforming as a viable option for future prototyping projects so I’d like to thank Nic Neath at Formech, who set us up with great thermoforming equipment to produce and reproduce our product. Finally I have to thank Joe Mullenbach, who led the entire project and supervised my work.
Formech would like to thank everyone involved in this project for giving us the opportunity to assist and support your vision. If you have a thermoforming project and would like a free consultation from Formech; or to request a demo, please fill out the form below.
Formech recently participated in the “Open Night” at the National Museum of Science and Technology in Milan, Italy. A key theme of the show was energy efficiency and what energy saving means with opinions from energy producers, transporters, distributors and users all being voiced.
Formech demonstrated vacuum forming model boats with their popular desktop model 300XQ in the suitably nautical Leonardo da Vinci section of this impressive museum!
Formech are proud to class their machines as “ENERGY EFFICIENT” with energy saving features such as quartz heaters and heat stand-by. For these reasons, Formech was invited to attend and exhibit.
A fascinating night was had by all those exhibiting and visiting with the chance to see a wide range of technologies on display.
Is your old thermoforming machine giving you a headache? Perhaps it’s time for an update. Or maybe you’re just starting out in the hot field of rapid prototyping. Consider Formech Vacuum Forming machines to give you that competitive edge. With 30 years as an industry leader, picture yourself forming to perfection with one of Formech’s top notch machines by your side.
Download our catalog and see what your future could be like with a Formech. View all the machines we offer AND their specifications. Did you know we can also create a custom built model to suit your specific needs? Take a look now, you’re sure to find exactly what you’re looking for with Formech.
Everything you want and need to know about vacuum forming is in this handy guide from Formech, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of vacuum forming, thermoforming, and packaging machines. Check the link for your free download and if you still have any questions, feel free to send them to us! We’re always happy to share with you what we know.
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