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

[Scott Hall]

Charles (& Mike),
Jeff Crews at SplatSpace has built a vacuum-forming machine from scratch.
I cross-posted this message so that he might see it and respond to you.

On Tue, Dec 20, 2022, 9:56 PM Mike Lisanke via TriEmbed <
triembed at triembed.org> wrote:

> 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
>>
>> Triangle, NC Embedded Interest Group mailing list
>>
>
> --
> Best regards,  Mike
>
> Triangle, NC Embedded Interest Group mailing list
>
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