Process of heating a thermoplastic sheet and applying force to form it into or over a mold
Thermoforming is a versatile plastic manufacturing process used to create durable components across a wide range of industrial and OEM applications. At Eck Plastic Arts, we specialize in heavy gauge thermoforming, supporting customers who require both small and large, robust parts such as equipment covers, guards, bins, trays, windows, and enclosures.
By combining in-house engineering, tooling, forming, and secondary operations, Eck Plastic Arts delivers custom thermoformed parts that balance performance, cost efficiency, and lead time—while maintaining consistent quality from prototype through production.
Benefits of the Thermoforming Process
The most advantageous aspects of thermoforming are its low tooling and engineering costs and its fast turnaround time, making it an ideal solution for both prototype and production applications.
Key benefits include:
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- Significantly lower tooling cost compared to injection molding.
- Well-suited for low to medium production volumes and for geometries
- Quick turnaround times from tooling completion to initial prototype parts
- Ideal for larger parts with thin walls, including covers, guards, windows, trays, and bins
- Compatible with a wide range of thermoplastic materials
- Significantly lower tooling cost compared to injection molding.
Almost any thermoplastic can be thermoformed. However, material costs and performance vary based on polymer type, processing temperature, crystallinity, and the complexity of extruding the sheet. Eck Plastic Arts works closely with customers—and material suppliers when needed—to identify the most cost-effective material that meets all functional and environmental requirements.
The ECK Plastic Arts Advantage to Vacuum Forming
Due to its low engineering costs and fast turnaround time, vacuum forming is ideal for prototype development and low-volume production for both small and large product designs.
Eck Plastic Arts focuses primarily on heavy gauge vacuum forming, supporting industrial applications where strength, durability, and dimensional stability are critical.
Advantages of vacuum forming include:
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- Low-cost tooling
- No minimum order quantities
- High-quality, repeatable results
- Design flexibility for large or complex parts
- Reduced lead times compared to other molding processes
- Customized solutions tailored to application requirements
With vacuum forming, customers retain ownership of their tooling. Eck Plastic Arts designs, builds or sources the tooling, and maintains it throughout the life of the project to ensure consistent performance and quality.
Vacuum Forming Process Overview
Vacuum forming is the most widely used method of thermoforming.
This process involves moving either a male or female mold into a thermoplastic sheet that has been heated past its glass transition temp. Glass transition temperature is the temperature that the sheet remains intact, but moelcurlar chain is not broken allowing it to retain its new shape once cooled. In order to maintain the new desired geometry, a vacuum removes the air trapped between the sheet and the mold, allowing atmospheric pressure (14.7 psi) to force the material into contact with the mold surface.
Typical applications include:
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- Equipment and machine covers
- Industrial dunnage trays
- Internal covers and guards
- Non-critical appearance parts
- Equipment and machine covers
Because the cosmetic surface of the part is on the non-mold side of the sheet, vacuum forming allows for a wide variety of surface textures, finishes, and printed features.
The ECK Plastic Arts Advantage to Curved WIndows
- No tooling cost
- No tooling marks on the window
- Exceptional quality
- Personalized customer service
- Shorter lead times
ECK PLASTIC ARTS HAS DEVELOPED A PROPRIETARY PROCESS
Eck Plastic Arts has developed a proprietary process to put a radius into sheet plastic without requiring tooling. This process will remove your tooling costs, delivery lead times, all while maximizing the ascetics of your window.
Materials Selection for Thermoforming
Choosing the correct thermoplastic material is critical to the success of any thermoforming project. Eck Plastic Arts approaches material selection by identifying the most economical material that meets all functional, environmental, and regulatory requirements.
Material selection considers:
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- Mechanical forces and impact resistance
- Environmental exposure (heat, chemicals, UV, moisture)
- Flexibility versus rigidity requirements
- Industry-specific or regulatory compliance needs
For complex applications, Eck Plastic Arts collaborates with trusted industry partners and application engineers to ensure optimal material performance throughout the product lifecycle.
Engineering Support for Complex Thermoformed Parts
Challenging thermoforming projects—such as large parts, deep draws, or intricate geometries—require careful planning early in the process.
Eck Plastic Arts supports complex projects through:
- Upfront engineering analysis
- Design-for-manufacturing collaboration
- Mathematical process definition and validation
- Customer design reviews to confirm feasibility and performance
This engineering-driven approach reduces risk, improves part quality, and ensures successful production outcomes.
Secondary Operations & Finishing Services
Delivering quality thermoformed parts often requires additional processing. Eck Plastic Arts provides a full range of in-house secondary operations, allowing customers to receive finished, production-ready components from a single supplier.
Secondary services include:
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- Painting and surface finishing
- Pad printing and part marking
- Assembly into parent part numbers
- Specialty packaging for shipment
Keeping these operations in-house improves quality control, reduces lead times, and lowers total project cost.
Typical Lead Times for Thermoforming Projects
Lead times for thermoforming projects depend on part geometry, tooling complexity, and material requirements.
Typical timelines include:
- Simple tooling: Sample parts available in approximately 4–6 weeks
- Complex tooling or temperature-controlled molds: Approximately 12–14 weeks
Wood or 3D-printed tooling can significantly reduce lead times for simpler parts, while more complex designs require additional development time. All timelines are tailored to customer needs and production requirements.
Need a faster turnaround? Contact our team.
Thermoforming vs. Injection Molding
While not all vacuum formed parts can be injection molded—and not all injection molded parts can be vacuum formed—there is often overlap between the two processes.
In many cases, minor design adjustments can make either process viable. Eck Plastic Arts evaluates both options to determine the most economical solution based on tooling cost, part volume, and long-term production needs.
Thermoforming is often ideal for new product launches where demand volumes are uncertain, allowing customers to enter the market with lower capital investment. As volumes increase, projects can transition to injection molding to improve margins or capacity—supported by the same manufacturing partner already familiar with the application.
Why Partner with Eck Plastic Arts
The Eck Plastic Arts advantage lies in flexibility, reliability, and integrated manufacturing. By offering thermoforming, machining, finishing, and assembly under one roof, we help customers reduce complexity, manage risk, and achieve consistent results.
Ready to Work With Eck Plastic Arts?
If you’re exploring thermoforming for a new or existing product, our team is ready to help you evaluate materials, processes, and design options.
Injection Molding
Process that creates plastic objects by injecting molten plastic into a mold
Injection Molding
Process that creates plastic objects by injecting molten plastic into a mold
Thermoforming
Process of heating a thermoplastic sheet and applying a force to form it into or over a mold
Thermoforming
Process of heating a thermoplastic sheet and applying a force to form it into or over a mold
Plastic Fabrication
From advice on how to design for manufacturing, or assembly of plastic products
Plastic Fabrication
From advice on how to design for manufacturing, or assembly of plastic products
Product Finishing Operations
Delivering quality plastic parts may require more, and Eck Plastic Arts is ready to complete your project!
Product Finishing Operations
Delivering quality plastic parts may require more, and Eck Plastic Arts is ready to complete your project!
The Eck Plastic Arts Partnership Promise:
Hire and train good PEOPLE. Execute precise PROCESSES. Deliver quality PARTS.
We believe through our quality PEOPLE and the focus on continually improved PROCESSES we deliver the highest quality plastic PARTS ensuring your confidence in a long-term partnership.
Ready TO WORK WITH ECK Plastic Arts
We believe through our quality PEOPLE and the focus on continually improved PROCESSES we deliver the highest quality plastic PARTS ensuring your confidence in a long-term partnership.
