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A Technical White Paper for Manufacturing Engineers and Fabricators

Abstract

Thermoplastics must do more than meet performance benchmarks—they must integrate seamlessly into the manufacturing process. KYDEX® sheet materials are formulated not only for toughness and compliance but for high-precision fabrication across forming, machining, and assembly methods. This white paper explores how KYDEX® performs in vacuum and pressure forming, membrane pressing, lamination, CNC machining, post-forming, and multi-part assembly—providing technical insights for design-for-manufacture (DfM) success.

1. Introduction: Manufacturing Demands Meet Material Capability

While KYDEX® excels in performance metrics like impact resistance and flame compliance, it is also engineered for manufacturability. Whether fabricating deep-draw enclosures, folded architectural panels, or branded kiosks, KYDEX® is designed to withstand the rigors of production while maintaining visual consistency, dimensional tolerance, and material integrity.

Its compatibility with a wide array of forming and machining techniques makes KYDEX® ideal for scaling from prototype to full production using lean, adaptable workflows.

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2. Thermoforming: Vacuum and Pressure Forming

KYDEX®’s controlled melt behavior, elongation-before-break, and low shrinkage rate make it ideal for both vacuum and pressure forming.

Vacuum Forming

  • Economical for low-complexity parts
  • Requires minimal tooling
  • Supports shallow or moderate draw depths
  • Maintains consistent wall thickness in tight radii

Pressure Forming

  • Enables finer detail than vacuum forming
  • Used for sharp corners, deep profiles, and molded features
  • Suitable for cosmetic surfaces where high-fidelity texture is required

Technical Parameters:

  • Forming temperature: 160–205°C (320–400°F)
  • Typical draw ratio: 3:1 to 5:1
  • Post-form shrinkage: Minimal, allowing for tight-tolerance trimming

3. Membrane and Bladder Pressing

Membrane pressing is widely used in furniture and equipment manufacturing to wrap KYDEX® over contoured substrates:

  • Advantages:

    • Seamless, edge-free finishes
    • No delamination or substrate exposure
    • Rapid cycle times with minimal fixturing
  • Materials: MDF, phenolic cores, aluminum honeycomb

Design Tip: Use soft radii and controlled heating to minimize material stress and maintain surface texture fidelity.

4. Lamination and Miter Folding

KYDEX® supports both hot- and cold-press lamination to rigid cores for vertical panels, kiosks, and fixtures.

Hot Press Lamination:

  • Optimal for large-format bonding
  • Produces high peel strength
  • Compatible with heat-activated adhesives

Cold Press Lamination:

  • Lower equipment investment
  • Suitable for prototypes or simple fixtures

Miter Folding:

  • V-grooves are CNC-routed to create clean 90° corners
  • KYDEX® bends without cracking, allowing seamless construction
  • Eliminates the need for separate edge banding or trim pieces

Applications: Retail furniture, lab benches, signage frames, kiosk bases

5. CNC Machining and Finishing

KYDEX® sheets are designed for compatibility with standard woodworking and plastic machining tools.

Operations Supported:

  • Sawing (panel, table, CNC)
  • Drilling and countersinking
  • Routing and slotting
  • Edge profiling and engraving
  • Laser cutting (thin-gauge, select grades)

Machining Advantages:

  • Clean cuts with minimal chipping
  • No fiber pullout or delamination
  • Color-through material allows edge exposure without cosmetic compromise

Best Practices:

  • Use sharp carbide tools
  • Minimize dwell time to reduce heat buildup
  • Extract dust with proper ventilation (non-toxic but fine particulate)

6. Brake Forming and Post-Form Adjustments

For onsite adjustments or low-volume production, KYDEX® can be post-formed using heat and mechanical force.

  • Brake forming with strip or wire heating enables precision bends
  • Common for flanges, edge returns, and corner stiffeners
  • Supports field modification of panels to fit as-built conditions

Bend Radius Guide:

  • Minimum internal radius: 1.5× sheet thickness
  • Heating temperature: 105–120°C
  • Slow cooling ensures dimensional memory retention

7. Assembly, Bonding, and Joining

KYDEX® panels and parts can be integrated into systems using both mechanical and chemical fastening:

Joining Options:

  • Screws, rivets, clips (through-holes or embedded mounts)
  • Solvent bonding (MEK, THF), epoxy, or acrylic adhesives
  • Plastic welding (hot air, extrusion welding on select grades)

For Cleanroom or Medical Applications:

  • Use sealed seams or welded joints for antimicrobial performance
  • Avoid porous backers and ensure full surface contact in bonding

8. Surface Decoration and Branding

KYDEX® supports multiple methods of graphical and aesthetic customization:

  • Silkscreen and digital printing (select grades)
  • Hot stamping and laser etching

  • Embossed textures applied during sheet extrusion
  • Color matching to Pantone, RAL, and branded specifications

Surface color is embedded during extrusion, preventing fading, peeling, or chipping—making it ideal for environments with repeated cleaning or long-term public exposure.

9. Summary: Design for Manufacture with KYDEX®

Whether forming, cutting, bonding, or post-processing, KYDEX® enables efficient, repeatable production of high-performance parts across a range of industries. Its formability, thermal consistency, and machinability make it uniquely adaptable to both lean and scaled manufacturing systems.

Process KYDEX® Performance Advantage
Thermoforming High-definition forming with minimal thinning
Membrane pressing Seamless curves with no delamination
Miter folding Clean corners without edge banding
CNC machining Crisp edges, durable surface, color-through
Brake forming Adjustable post-installation or for rapid prototyping
Assembly Compatible with mechanical and chemical joining

Need Production-Grade KYDEX® Fabrication Support?

From prototype to scaled manufacturing, RapidMade provides full-service KYDEX® solutions—including forming, routing, bonding, and branding—optimized for your specific application and performance targets.

Start your next production run atRapidMade.com or email info@rapidmade.com
 Certified. Scalable. Built to Perform.

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