[TriEmbed] Anyone know a good way to get access to a vacuum forming machine?

[Mike Lisanke]

Charles,

Hope everything is going great for you and yours.
I recall as a child using this...
https://www.ebay.com/b/Mattel-Vacuform/727/bn_7114054425
much later in life but still years ago, I've watched DIY Youtube videos on
vacuum forming.
I was interested in the tech and was surprised that a great number of
vacuum draw holes was Not needed.
But still it all depends on the size and requirements of the product.
Your product idea seems to fit in the vacuform size and pin spacing.
as I recall (after very long time) it had a great number of tiny pinholes
in its forming platen.
I held thin plastic sheets in a metal frame which is held against a heater
(opposite of the forming platen)
which is then swung into place for vacuum pump down.
Anyway, I hope the story helps.
I haven't worked on implementing my own (yet) because there's so much
manufacturing tech to look at/choose!

On Tue, Dec 20, 2022 at 9:31 PM Charles West via TriEmbed <
triembed at triembed.org> wrote:

> Hello!
>
> I'm kinda all over the place project wise (apologies Paul), but one of the
> things I am working on right now is a Phase 1 STTR grant from NASA for a
> new solar sail material.
>
> As part of that, I'm trying to figure out the barriers to implementing a
> new solar sail design called a "space tow".  It's composed of a bunch of
> little solar sails all strung together like sled dogs to pull on something.
>
> As part of that, I am trying to see whether it's possible to form
> corrugations in a thin plastic sheet (1-5 microns thick) so that it has
> some rigidity and won't need reinforcement to stay planar.
>
> As part of that, I would like to try vacuum forming one of the sheets and
> see if that can produce the desired change in shape.
>
> ... as part of that, I need to find, make or buy a vacuum forming machine
> and give it a go.
>
> TL;DR:
> Does anyone know where I could find a vacuum forming machine that I could
> use or about their experience homebrewing one?
>
> Thanks,
> Charlie
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-- 
Best regards,  Mike
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