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to thermoform

to thermoform

7.7
To heat a plastic sheet until soft and shape it into a form
  • verb
  • /ˈθɜrmoʊfɔrm/
  • Specialized
translation icon : termoformar
  • After heating the sheets, they were ready to thermoform them into various shapes needed for production.
  • thermoformed parts

Examples

  • "The epoxy tooling is cheap and you can make several parts at once by thermoforming a 5x12-foot sheet," Ward explained.

    Academic text (1999)
  • To create a custom design, the engineer decided to thermoform the plastic into the desired shape.

  • Positive molds of these models were then carved, and negative molds were thermoformed over them.

    Academic text (1992)
  • A computer numerically controlled router then cuts out the thermoformed parts.

    Academic text (1999)
  • It is sometimes necessary to include secondary processes with thermoformed parts to achieve critical tolerances, and they can substantially increase part cost.

    Academic text (2010)
  • He was the first to develop an effective program for simulating the thickness distribution in thermoformed plastic parts.

    Academic text (1996)
  • Also some probably high density foam, foam, PVC board that's thermoformed, vacuum forming, probably some resin cast pieces.

  • Preforms of thermoformed mat are made by pressing masses of long glass fibers with binder additives under heat.

    Academic text (1996)
  • Instead, Ward prefers to thermoform Senosan, a thick, tough, multilayer plastic sheet developed by Austria's Senoplast Klepsch & Co.

    Academic text (1999)
  • The company specializes in thermoforming lightweight plastic components for the automotive industry.

Surface Forms

thermoform infinitive
thermoformed past participle
thermoforming present participle
thermoforms third person singular

Morphology

thermoform = form (transparent) = thermo + form

The meaning is directly compositional: 'thermo-' indicates heat and 'form' means shape, so the verb clearly means to shape by heat.

Etymology

Thermoform as a verb uses thermo- ('heat') + form ('shape'), so to thermoform something is to 'heat' a plastic sheet until it is soft and then 'form' it into a specific shape.