Thermoform Trays: Some Interesting Facts & Information

By Lenna Stockwell


Thermoform trays generally can include things like one compartment to flat tray manufactured basically for holding merchandise and also complex cavity designs produced according to specification such as contours and shapes simply for protecting, holding and safeguarding fragile, precious and expensive items. Some designs of thermoformed trays are usually used for food packaging.

The process of plastic thermoforming is the manufacturing method used to create thermoformed trays. This process begins by feeding huge sheets of thermoplastic into a machine. This machine will heat the plastic and when it reaches a certain temperature, the machine will use great force to direct the thermoplastic into specially designed molds. Once the plastic has been formed into a tray, it then should be cooled and any extra plastic will be trimmed from the thermoform tray and recycled.

This is how your plastic food packaging is created. Your thermoform tray packaging can carry a large amount of one type of food or perhaps house different foods in separate cavities. Frozen food containers typically are thermoform trays that can withstand the rigors of re-heating either in an oven or in the microwave. Additionally, a thermoform tray often will hold a food item such as dozens of crackers or perhaps cookies. Once placed in the tray a foil pack will cover these food items and they further will be protected by a box.

While food products might be seen commonly in thermoform trays, other types of companies also need these trays. If you have ever noticed, you might remember that a doctor or nurse will use a medical kit where items are stored in thermoformed tray. One cavity might hold a syringe, while another cavity might hold medicines or other medical instruments. You also might buy retail products, where components are stored in a thermoform tray, resting is a perfectly designed cavity that protects each part of the product. To form a tray, different types of thermoplastic can be considered for use and these include LDPE, HDPE, OPS and commonly PVC or PET.

PVC is the generally the common material used when forming web. The material has several benefits which include, they are less expensive to acquire and transport because they are of light weight. PVC is materials known to be quite easy to mold. The durability of PVC makes it very ideal. There some disadvantages associated with it too.

Another very common thermoplastic is polyethylene terephthalate, which is known by the easier to remember moniker of PET. This is an easy-to-recycle thermoplastic typically used for holding beverages and other liquids, containers, trays and even as synthetic fibers. One of the key benefits of PET is that it acts as an excellent barrier for many liquids. Sometimes PET also will be sandwiched with a polyvinyl alcohol and this reduces the PET's oxygen permeability. At any rate, PVC and PET are just two of the choices to consider for thermoformed trays.




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