Plastics Specific Equipment

Plastics Specific Equipment in Science Area

Acrylic Bender (32")
Vacuum Former (32 1/2" X 27 1/2")

Woodshop equipment which can be used for plastics

Bandsaws - Can be used, but plastic appropriate blades not available for best finish.
Scroll Saw - Can be used, but plastic appropriate blades no available for best finish.
Table Saw - Can be used, has appropriate blade available to install, however user should have taken Woodshop Basics class (formerly Woodshop 101).

Additional Equipment available

IR Spot Temp Meter - I (Photomancer) will bring one in for use at DMS for Plastics. To properly control plastic forming knowing the temperature is very critical if consistent good consistent results are be achieved when hot forming plastics. It will also be used to determine the uniformity of heating devices to determine: uniformity of temperature, e.g. hot and cold spots, temperature drop when material is inserted and how fast it heats material.

Advantages of IR Spot meter is it will provide a continuous readout of temps as "spot" is moved about. It is a non-contact meter which will allow taking temps in confined spaces such as the Vacuformer over various points while the plastic is heating. When scanning an area it will indicate the high temp registered. Because many plastics are clear, we will have to conduct some experiments with surface contact probes to establish a correlation table of indicated temp vs. actual temps. Due to transparency normal emissivity factors won't be accurate for calculating deltas between actual and metered. Goal is to have measurements indicated on the IR Meter tabulated to actual so member can interpret reading to desired forming temperature.