Thermoformed products are made when plastic is inserted into a machine, heated to a required temperature, and vacuum formed to mold dimensions. It is then trimmed to customer specifications and packaged for shipment. Typical characteristics of thermoforming include:
Quicker Tooling Production
Typical lead time on thermoforming molds is 4 to 6 weeks versus 18 to 24 weeks for injection molds. Thermoforming also eliminates the cost and time wasted in producing and testing pilot injection molds.
Similarity In Per-Piece Pricing
Advances in thermoforming technology have brought per-piece costs of thermoformed parts in line with injection molded parts, particularly when mold costs are considered.
Low Margin For Error
Unlike injection molds, thermoforming tools offer more flexibility of design. If the original specifications are slightly inaccurate, the tool can be altered easily by machining. The tools may also be adapted to meet new specifications in the product. An injection mold would have to be thrown away.
Small Production Runs
Extremely low tool investment makes thermoforming ideal for smaller production runs and entrepreneurs with low capital. Tool payback is faster, new-product startups are less risky, and frequent model changes more possible.
Mold Pricing
Current Seeber Thermoforming mold costs are approximently one tenth the price of a similar injection mold.
Mold Size
We particularly excel at pruducing large products. Our maximum mold size is 8' X 14' allowing us to run virtually any mold.
Blow molding
In 2011 STM Plastics acquired Heartland Plastics Inc. which was a blow molding company also located in the Augusta, KS industrial park that specialized in small to medium sized production runs of polyethylene and polypropylene items. More specifically, Heartland plastics specialized in various sized plastic bottles for Health & Beauty, Food & Drug, Sports drinks, and more. STM will carry o the tradition of producing the high quality products that were associated with Heartland Plastics as well as expand the future products available from STM by utilizing Heartland plastics machinery and the product new capabilities that come along with it.
Bottles can range in size from 8oz. to 32oz. and other custom items with part weights of under one pound
Our machines are capable of working with either single or dual cavity tools
We maintain a stock FDA white color but can the ability to match any custom color our customers desire
