Thermo Forming .
Heat-formed domes, covers, enclosures and custom-formed components. Vacuum forming up to 1.2 m and large-format thermo forming up to 3000 × 2000 mm with a draw depth to 700 mm.
Flat sheet to three-dimensional shape .
Thermo forming, sometimes called heat forming or drape forming, is how we turn flat sheet plastic into three-dimensional shapes. Skylight domes, machine covers, retail product housings, protective enclosures and custom architectural elements all start life as a flat sheet that's heated and shaped over a mould.
Our thermo forming bay handles one-offs and short-run production with a single point of accountability, heat, form, trim and finish, all in-house at Yennora. When the design needs curves, domes or compound shapes, this is where it goes.
Vacuum forming for parts up to 1100 × 1100 mm, covers, enclosures, machine guards, product housings. Large-format thermo forming and moulding up to 3000 × 2000 mm with a draw depth to 700 mm, any thickness, for skylights, architectural domes and oversized covers. We also run blow-moulding in-house for hollow plastic forms and containers when the brief calls for it.
The specs at a glance.
Where this is used .
When you need a curved, domed or compound-curved shape from plastic, and you don't want the cost or lead time of injection moulding, thermo forming is the answer. It's also faster and cheaper than fabricated alternatives for dome-shape parts, and stronger than bonded curve assemblies.
We jig and tool in-house for repeatable production runs. Prototype tooling can be turned around fast for one-off proof-of-concept work, then upgraded to production-grade tooling once the design is locked.
- Skylight domes (acrylic and polycarbonate)
- Protective machine covers
- Retail product housings and POS enclosures
- Equipment enclosures and instrument covers
- Scientific and museum display covers
- Architectural feature elements
- Marine cabin features
- Illuminated signage faces and curved letter sets
From sketch to shop floor in 24 hours .
Send a sketch, a CAD file, or a sample part. We work from STEP, IGES, STL, SolidWorks or 2D dimensioned drawings. For one-offs from a sample, send the part, we'll measure, scan and tool from there.
Tooling lead time is the longest part of the process. Allow 1–3 weeks for prototype tooling and 3–6 weeks for production tooling. Forming and trimming inside a week once tooling is locked.
Common questions about thermo forming .
Vacuum forming is one type of thermo forming, a heated sheet pulled over a mould by vacuum pressure. We also run drape forming and large-format heat forming up to 3000 × 2000 mm with a draw depth to 700 mm for skylights, oversized covers and bespoke architectural work.
Allow 1–3 weeks for prototype tooling and 3–6 weeks for production-grade tooling. Forming and trimming runs inside a week once tooling is locked. For one-offs from a sample part, we can sometimes use the sample directly as a tool, talk to us about the brief.
Acrylic (cast and extruded), polycarbonate, PETG, ABS and HDPE are the most common. Material is chosen based on application, we'll specify the right grade based on your performance requirements (impact, UV, food contact, etc.).
Question not answered? Send us a message or call (02) 9632 5466.
Got a drawing, a sketch, or just an idea?
Send it through. You'll hear back from someone on the shop floor within 24 hours.