Purpose & Overview:
This seminar is designed to provide detailed technical knowledge of thermoforming tooling, both forming molds and trimming fixtures and tools. The program is presented with lecture, slides, videos, sketch sheets, samples and questions and answers.

Who should attend?
This fact-filled seminar is structured for thermoforming production and management personnel, design engineers, tool makers, and thermoforming tooling and parts buyers.

About the Instructor: Arthur Buckel
Arthur Buckel spent thirty-seven years in the plastics shop job world. Twenty-eight years managing and operating his own companies. Art founded Specialty Manufacturing Inc. in San Diego, CA in 1972. By the mid 1980's, SMI had become one of the nation's most sophisticated thermoforming and fabrication companies. He has a hands-on management style, supporting sales and directing tooling and manufacturing operations. He has organized, written, promoted and presented numerous seminars to acquaint customers, engineers and designers with the advantages of thermoforming. Art has lectured at numerous universities and seminars internationally. He is currently an associate with the McConnell Co., Inc. At the 1996 SPE Thermoforming Conference in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky, the Society of Plastics Engineers awarded Art the "Outstanding Achievement" award. Art received the "Thermoformer of the Year" award for 1999 at the Thermoforming Conference in Chicago.

Seminar Content:
Introduction to Thermoforming - Why Different Processes have Different Tooling Requirements • Mechanical • Vacuum • Pressure
Materials for Thermoforming - How they Affect Tooling Requirements • Amorphous • Crystalline • Properties • Acceptable molds for various materials
Mold Materials • Wood, plaster, epoxy, aluminum • Properties: heat conductivity, expansion & contraction, temperature controlling, expected life of each, advantages and disadvantages of each material
Tooling for Thin Gauge Forming • Mold Design: material, temperature control (cooling parts, in-mold cooling), mounting plates (quick change overs), pressure boxes • Trim tooling: steel rule dies, forged high dies, punching match dies, in-mold dies, heated dies
Tooling for Heavy Gauge Forming • Mold Design: vacuum forming, pressure forming, matched molds, ridge form dies, twin sheet • Mold Specifications: temperature controlling, vacuum manifolding, multiple vacuum zones, mounting set-ups • Trimming Jigs & Fixtures: handheld router jigs, handheld drill fixtures, saw fixtures, 5 axis robotic fixtures, steel rule dies, forged high dies