Mayku FormBox

Thermoforming is an enormously versatile and relatively inexpensive manufacturing process, widespread in the industry.

This process consists of heating a thermoplastic sheet or plate in such a way that it becomes deformable and can adapt to the shape of a base piece or matrix by pressure or vacuum action.

A thermoplastic is a material that, when reaching its glass transition temperature (tg), becomes deformable; and hardens once it cools. The nature of these plastics allows them to be remelted several times to give them a different shape. It should be borne in mind that this cycle is limited, since after being melted and molded several times, their physical properties decrease.

Most of the thermoplastics are polymers of high molecular weight and low specific heat, and among them can be found polyethylene (PE), Polypropylene (PP), Polyester (PET), nylon (Polyamide PA), etc.

Currently the thermoforming process is widely used in:

• Manufacturing: the manufacture of large-area parts and thin walls, such as bathtubs, electrical appliance panels, car or boat doors, signs, etc. Decoration accessories such as chairs or lamps are also manufactured, and it's a widely used process in the manufacture of toys.
• Packaging: It's also widely used for the manufacture of packaging. Within the food industry, we can find it in the manufacture of yogurt cups, egg cups, pastry containers, etc. But it's also applied in other industries that require the manufacture of containers with holes adapted to the shape of the product they contain: hardware, toys, etc.

There are different methods in which thermoforming is carried out in a single stage.

• Shaped by adaptation
• Vacuum molding
• Pressure formed
• Free overlap
• Mold and counter mold

Adaptive shaping is a thermoforming process in which a hot thermoplastic sheet is placed on a matrix, adapting to its shape. The adaptation is complemented by making the vacuum between the matrix and the sheet, or applying pressure air to it.

Mayku FormBox is a desktop thermoforming machine that allows you to create molds, prototypes or containers from a matrix. This machine uses the principles of adaptive shaping.

Image 1: Mayku FormBox. Source: Mayku.

The Formbox is a compact machine, 300 x 458 x 240 mm, and allows the thermoforming of parts up to 130 x 150 x 150 mm.

For the use of the Formbox you need a base part or matrix from which the mold or final part is created, a thermoplastic sheet (Form Sheet or Cast sheet) and a domestic vacuum cleaner, which must be attached to the machine to create the void.

The operation of the Mayku FormBox is very simple: The Formbox has a ceramic radiator incorporated in its upper part.

1. A thermoplastic sheet (Form sheet or Cast Sheet) is placed on an adapted tray.
2. By raising the tray and attaching it to the top of the machine, under the ceramic radiator, the thermoplastic sheet is heated. Thus, this sheet becomes deformable.
3. It's then when the tray must be lowered to the base of the machine, on the die.
4. At that time, the Mayku FormBox activates the suction of the vacuum cleaner, which absorbs the air between the sheet and the matrix until creating the vacuum.

Mayku Formbox doesn't require any specific software or connect to any device for its operation; the machine is operated only through two selection wheels, where you can choose the parameters of time and temperature of forming.

Image 2: FormBox selection wheels. Source: Mayku.

The thermoplastic sheets specifically designed for Mayku Formbox are as follows:

Mayku Form Sheets

Mayku Form Sheets are 0.5 mm thick white sheets. The material they are made of is partly made of recycled plastics and is fully recyclable. Due to its versatility and ease of use, this material is excellent for product packaging and prototyping.

Image 3: Use of Mayku Form Sheets. Source: Mayku.

Prototyping and manufacturing of final parts: With the use of Mayku Form Sheets, final parts can be manufactured for different areas. The result will be a piece with a certain rigidity, with the shape of the matrix that has been used to thermoform, and walls with a thickness of 0.5 mm, which in some areas may be less due to the thermoforming process.

Mayku Cast Sheets

The Mayku Cast Sheets are 0.5 mm thick transparent sheets aimed at making molds through thermoforming with the Mayku Formbox. These sheets have a non-stick and slightly flexible surface, guaranteeing the optimal extraction of the matrix after the creation of the mold. The molds can be filled with various materials, and are suitable for food use. Furthermore, they are fully recyclable and are partly made from recycled plastics.

Image 4: Mold filling created with Mayku Cast Sheets. Source: Mayku.

By using Mayku Cast Sheets, the Mayku FormBox allows the creation of molds that can later be filled with a multitude of materials. Thanks to this, parts with different finishes or materials with different physical properties can be mass-produced. Thanks to their transparent finish, these thermoplastic sheets can also be used to create packaging or product packaging.

Mayku FormBox includes 20 sheets of each of the models. The brand also offers spare parts for Mayku Form Sheets and Mayku Cast Sheets, which include 30 units each.

Materials suitable for thermoforming

Although it's recommended to use the Mayku Form Sheets and Mayku Cast Sheets thermoplastic sheets, thanks to its 100 W ceramic heater that is capable of reaching temperatures of 340 ºC, it's possible to use thermoplastic sheets of other materials such as: Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) , Polystyrene (PS), Polycarbonate (PC), Polypropylene (PP), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), PMMA acrylic, PETg, HIPS or PE.

Materials suitable for filling molds

Once a mold is created with Mayku Cast Sheets, it can be filled with a multitude of materials, including: cement, plaster, silicone, foam, jesmonite, resin, soap, ice (water that is later frozen), chocolate, gelatin, etc.

Image 5: Materials suitable for filling molds. Source: Mayku.

Thanks to this, the creation and application possibilities of the Mayku FormBox are enormous.

Combined use with 3D printer

The combined use of Mayku FormBox and 3D printing greatly expands the possibilities of creation by thermoforming.

3D printed parts can be used as a thermoforming die, resulting in fully customized molds or shaped parts from the prints. This procedure is suitable for different 3D printing technologies such as FDM, SLA or SLS.

Image 6: Combined use with 3D printer. Source: Mayku.

This combination of technologies can be very useful in specific applications where additive manufacturing can be slow. Thanks to the Mayku FormBox you can create multiple copies of a 3D printed part in a short period of time with the Mayku Form Sheets. This method can be very efficient in rapid part prototyping.

The combination of Mayku FormBox and 3D printing can also be decisive when the objective is to create a series of pieces in materials such as cement, ice, chocolate, gelatin, etc. with custom shapes. To do this, you can use the Mayku Cast Sheets to create a mold of the 3D printed piece. This mold can be filled with different materials and reused to create the required number of copies. In this way, pieces with personalized shapes and with the properties of the filling material used are achieved.

Both thermoplastic sheets (Mayku Form Sheets and Mayku Cast Sheets) replicate in detail the shape and details of the piece, also offering a finish with a polished surface, which offers a professional look to copies or molds made from printed pieces in 3D.

The replication or creation of molds by thermoforming also has its limitations, which must be taken into account when designing a 3D printed matrix. Pieces with nooks or intricate figures are not the most convenient for thermoforming. In these cases, additive manufacturing with technologies such as SLA or SLS, or the creation of molds through other methods, may be more convenient.

The FormBox mayku is very useful in areas like:

Engineering and Industrial Design: Rapid and Economical Prototyping

The use of Mayku FormBox in areas such as engineering or industrial design allows prototyping without having to depend on external companies, which means significant cost and time savings.

In prototyping, the Mayku Form Sheets can be used in combination with other technologies such as 3D printing to create the matrix. In addition, pieces created with Mayku Form Sheets can be post-processed and painted to offer different finishes.

Image 7: Post-processing of prototype made with Mayku FormBox and Mayku Form Sheets. Source: Mayku.

It's also possible to use the Mayku Cast Sheets to create a mold that can be filled with different materials with different properties and textures to show the customer various prototypes of the same product quickly and effectively.

Architecture: Creation of realistic models

The use of Mayku FormBox in the field of architecture allows the creation of realistic models in a very short time.

Image 8: Architecture model created with Mayku Cast Sheets. Source: Mayku.

With the Mayku Form Sheets you can create models that can later be painted.

You can also use the Mayku Cast Sheets and fill the molds with materials that simulate the finishes of the materials that will be used in the construction, giving rise to models with realistic finishes that help to visualize the projects with great clarity.

Packaging design: Manufacture with a professional finish

The use of Mayku FormBox in the field of packaging and packaging design focuses on creating personalized and specific packaging for a given product.

Thanks to Mayku FormBox, you can use as a matrix a shape made by 3D printing, or an object or final product. Thus, using thermoplastic sheets, you can create different packaging prototypes or custom packaging for a given product.

Image 9: Packaging created with FormBox and Mayku Cast Sheets. Source: Mayku.

In turn, using Mayku Cast Sheets, thanks to its transparent finish, molds can be obtained that can be used as part of the final packaging of a product.

Crafts and pastry: A versatile manufacturing tool

In areas such as crafts and baking, Mayku FormBox can be an essential tool throughout the entire manufacturing process.

Mayku Cast Sheets can be used to create custom shaped molds, which can later be filled with different materials. Soaps, candles, and even chocolate bonbons can be created, since the Mayku Cast Sheets are made with a material suitable for food use. By reusing molds a large number of times, products can be created in small series quickly and easily.

Using the same matrix or creating another adapted to the product, the Mayku Form Sheets and Mayku Cast Sheets can be used to create the product's own packaging.

Image 10: Manufacture of a product for a confectionery company using Mayku FormBox. Source: Mayku.

This allows small companies to control the production of their products throughout the manufacturing process, without the need to subcontract to other companies.

Education: Creativity and learning for classrooms

The use of Mayku FormBox in the field of education amplifies the possibilities of creation and learning in classrooms. It can be used to create models, molds and exercises and thus enhance the creativity of the little ones.

Image 11: Use of Mayku FormBox in classrooms. Source: Mayku.

The Mayku FormBox can be safely operated by children over 8 years old under adult supervision, and by children over 12 years old without the need for supervision.

Domestic use

Mayku FormBox is a very useful and versatile tool for those who love crafts and DIY.

Thanks to this machine, anyone can create different decoration objects, either with the Mayku Form Sheets, with which you can create lampshades or other objects, such as with the Mayku Cast Sheets, with which you can create pots and everything type of decorative objects quickly.

Image 12: Cement pots created from Mayku FormBox and Mayku Cast Sheets. Source: Mayku.

It's also perfect for creating personalized gifts with professional packaging.