CMT plug assist boosts thermoforming clarity

The firm unveiled the Hytac-XTL thermoplastic plug assist, as it is tougher, easier to machine and provides a smoother finish to get a higher clarity in parts for processors.

“We’ve also found in some tests that we’ve done with processors that they are seeing better material distribution,” ​said Conor P. Carlin, international sales manager.

“So they get the elimination of thin spots which also serves to reduce the amount of rejects that they may get when they are first trying to debug a tool or provide sample prototype production to their end use customer,” ​he told FoodProductionDaily.com at K Show in Dusseldorf.     ​

GN Thermoforming and Kiefel ran FLX and FLXT plugs for PP and PET cookie trays and drink cups.

He said it can be used to create packages from strawberry punnets to drinking cups in grades of materials including polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene and polystyrene.

“So a lot of manufacturers are looking to do a number of things with thermoformed packages, when they have the ability to downguage their materials it can result in significant savings that they can then pass onto their consumers.” ​

Carlin said the parts have become ‘almost indispensable’​, especially for the processors that are doing high volume for cut in place tooling and tilt mold tooling for drink cups.