Forming

Deep-drawing and blowing of KÖMATEX sheets is possible only to a limited extent. This is also true of bending and folding. The sheets can be deep-drawn, bent and, by warming, beveled under certain conditions. Deformations under thermal impact are possible to a limited degree (e.g., bending, beveling with notch, etc.).

Folding, Bending, Compression Forming

For these processes, you must have the proper equipment. The bending radius must not be smaller than two to three times the sheet thickness. The width of the heated zone should be at least five times the sheet thickness. After cooling, the material’s linear heating causes tensions within the PVC that affect folding of short lengths. Sides with a length of 20 times the thickness of the sheet will not distort. Distortion of short sides can be avoided by heating the entire section. Thermoforming KÖMATEX requires heating the material to approximately 266°F. Bevels with a relatively small radius are possible if the interior side is V-notched.

Thermoforming

Conventional forming techniques, such as vacuum forming or pressure forming, can be used with KÖMATEX. We recommended a shallow configuration when using this product. The expanded material reacts differently than solid PVC products. The working cycle is usually shorter for KÖMATEX. We suggest applying heat to both the top and bottom of the sheet for optimum performance. A test prior to full production is always best to see how far KÖMATEX can be stretched.

Stamping

You can stamp impressions, such as letters or numerals, with tools used for sheet metal, cardboard and leather. The stamping process does not require heated material but does require heated tools. For KÖMATEX, we recommend tool temperature of 100 – 130°C (212 – 266°F).