There are many ways to create your Vaquform molds. You may use sculpted clay, Lego pieces, found objects, and many more. As long as the mold can hold its shape under heat, is not wet or dusty, and will not stick to a formed sheet, you can #VaquformIt.
But there is one thing that makers out there use a lot and that’s FDM 3D printing. With 3D printing, you can easily and digitally modify your mold designs.
This guide will teach you how to optimize your FDM 3D prints for vacuum forming.
Parameter |
0.5mm Sheet & 1mm Sheet* |
Layer Height |
0.16mm |
Wall Thickness |
3.2mm |
Top Thickness |
3.2mm |
Bottom Thickness |
0mm |
Infill Density |
20% |
Infill Pattern |
Gyroid |
Increase wall thickness if:
- You’re using a thicker sheet
- You’re going beyond 10 pulls for 0.25mm - 0.5mm
- You’re going beyond 5 pulls for 1mm or thicker
A smart and powerful machine, and a good mold leads to a successfully formed sheet.
To start things off, All Vaquform Molds should follow two basic principles:
Your molds ought to have draft angles along its vertical edges. Having draft angles on the appropriate surfaces will ensure that you will be able to separate your mold from the formed sheet.
When it comes to how much draft angle you should apply, a general range we recommend is between 3-5 degrees. A larger draft angle will make it easier to separate your mold from the formed sheet, but will also affect the overall shape and dimensions of your mold. It is up to you to find the balance based on your individual forming needs.
Watch out for any negative angles or “undercuts” to ensure that you can separate your 3D printed mold from the plastic sheet after forming.
Undercuts may include inward angles less than 90 degrees (such as in the photo above), overhanging protrusions, slots, holes, and other concave and convex features that are present on the sides of your mold
If your molds have any concave features, it is a good idea to drill vent holes in order to ensure that the plastic sheet forms evenly into the details of those features.
In the example above, the mold contains a basic box cut out in the center. Without the use of vent holes, the plastic sheet has difficulty getting down into the corners and crevasses of the concave feature as air gets trapped inside the concave feature.
The strategic placement of vent holes will allow air to escape from places where air might otherwise get trapped during the forming process.
When choosing what size of drill bit to use for your molds, the idea is to allow as much air to flow as freely as possible through the hole, without the hole being so big that it leaves a noticeable impression on your formed sheet.
In the photo above, we drilled 4 vent holes using 0.4mm, 0.6mm, 1.0mm and 2.0mm bits to give you an idea of the impressions that different sizes of vent holes may leave on your formed sheet.
For the best result, we recommend using between 0.4mm to 0.8mm size drill bits. Anything bigger, and you will begin to notice evidence of vent holes on the final form. It is up to you to determine if evidence of vent holes is relevant to your specific forming needs.
Parameter |
0.5mm Sheet & 1mm Sheet |
Layer Height |
0.16mm |
Wall Thickness |
1.6mm |
Top Thickness |
1.6mm |
Bottom Thickness |
0mm |
Infill Density |
20% |
Infill Pattern |
Gyroid |
The table above shows the standard parameters that we use at the lab for forming 0.5mm and 1mm sheets. Let’s discuss each parameter in detail.
The DT2 is a VERY powerful machine; great for getting those finer details that other desktop vacuum formers simply can't. This does mean however that fine details such as layer lines on your 3D prints will be seen on your form.
Now this may or may not be important to you and your forming goals, but if you prefer a form without those layer lines, we recommend using a 0.16mm layer height (for a standard 0.4mm nozzle) to get the best balance of surface finish and print speed for Vaquforming molds.
As a general rule, the thicker the wall thickness of your printed mold, the longer the service life will be.
For example:
A wall thickness of 1.6mm might last you tens of cycles with sheet thicknesses of up to 1.0, and adequate mold cool down time (see adequate cool down), while a wall thickness of 3.2 might potentially last you much longer, with thicker sheets.
We use a wall thickness of 3.2mm for our general use PLA tools, which will hold up against sheets of up to 1.5mm thick
Tip: For thicker sheets you can use the formula
Sheet Thickness x 1.5 = *Wall Thickness
*Be sure to round the wall thickness to the nearest multiple of your nozzle size to ensure that the nozzle prints the exact amount of walls needed without overlap
Ex.
A 0.4mm nozzle → wall thickness = 1.6mm, 2.0mm, 2.4mm, 2.8mm, 3.2mm, etc..
Here, we printed two cubes with identical slicer settings (our recommended parameters). The only difference between them is the wall thickness. We put both molds through a number forming cycles, using HIPS sheets heated to 160 degrees celsius.
This is the result after 10 pulls. As you can see, there is evidence of warping and deformation on the print with thinner walls (left), while the other mold with thicker walls still looks like it’s fresh off the printing bed.
We always keep the bottom thickness of our molds 0. This not only speeds up printing time, but more importantly, creates an open bottom where air can pass through more easily from the vent holes during forming.
The difference between the two forms is clear. The debossed Vaquform Logo can be seen more clearly and cleanly when formed over a mold with gyroid infill, even without the use of vent holes.
For the infill density of your Vaquform molds, 20% is a good place to start.
It's true that increasing the infill density will help increase the service life of your mold. However, with 100% infill, not only will it take you longer to print, it will also prevent air from escaping through your mold.
In 3D printing, the infill pattern can affect the durability of your print, how much material is used, and also the printing time. In vacuum forming, this also affects the structural integrity of your mold against multiple forming cycles.
We have found that the gyroid infill pattern has the perfect balance between good structural integrity and fast printing time.
With a gyroid infill, force from the vacuum suction is supported more evenly throughout the surface of the mold. The photo above demonstrates how having gyroid infill will help increase the mold’s service life, especially when compared to other patterns such as grid where you can see signs of deformation with the same number of forming cycles.
The gyroid infill pattern also has no air locks in any directions. This means that if you pour a liquid substance into a mold with this infill, the fluid will flow and distribute itself freely throughout.
A grid infill pattern and other similar infill patterns wont have the same benefit, and in the case of a grid infill, fluid will only be able to pass vertically through the spaces between the pattern. Air or any other fluid traveling horizontally is not possible with this infill pattern.
We use PLA to print nearly all of our Vaquforming molds because it’s rigid, durable, and easily accessible; as it is one of the most common types of filament used in 3D printing.
Other filament choices are available! But do take note of the following:
Now that you've followed our general guidelines for how to print your molds, they are nearly ready for forming! But before that, here are some techniques you can use to post-process your printed molds. Applying any of these post processing techniques may:
It is a good idea to sand the surface of your 3D printed mold to help increase the surface quality. In the sample photo, we sanded the surface of the mold until the layer lines could no longer be seen.
When sanding your molds, sand in a circular motion. This will give you the smoothest surface finish. For the best results, we recommend multiple cycles of sanding using increasingly fine grit levels of sandpaper.
For example, starting first with 400 grit, then 800grit, and finishing with 1000 grit.
If you prefer to stick with only one grit level, we suggest that you avoid using anything rougher than 400 grit.
A couple more advantages of sanding based on the forms above:
Allow your Vaquform molds to cool down between forming cycles. This will help lengthen the lifespan of your molds and prevent warping from constant heating.
Remember, your 3D printed molds are also thermoplastics just like your sheets!
In some cases, you might need to tweak the settings according to your mold shape and design but these guidelines are a good place to start.
If you have questions, feel free to reach out through Facebook and Instagram, or by sending us a message at feedback@vaquform.com
]]>Well drilled and well placed vent holes could make the difference between a successful or a failed form
Surely most of you reading this article are already familiar with the vacuum forming process - a heated plastic sheet is pulled over a mold using a vacuum, which forces the sheet to take the shape of the mold.
Creating a strong and effective vacuum is something that Vaquform’s DT2 does exceptionally well. However, a strong vacuum is only part of the equation. In order for the vacuum to be effective, your Vaquform mold must allow air to freely escape from all its parts.
This is where vent holes come in.
A vent hole is a small hole that you drill into your Vaquform molds. Vent holes can be many different sizes and be placed in different parts of the mold but they essentially have the same purpose. Vent holes allow air to escape from areas of your mold where they might otherwise get trapped during the forming.
Trapped air becomes a problem when molds have concave features relative to the forming bed and the sheet.
Here you can see the effects of trapped air on the formed sheet. The plastic is unable to fully envelope the mold because air cannot escape from in between the sheet and the mold, especially in the corners of the trapezoidal shapes.
When vent holes are placed in these concave features, the issue of trapped air gets resolved, and you end up with a clean and successful form - The sheet fully covers all the corners, bends, and other details of your mold.
The concept of drilling a hole is simple enough, but when to take into consideration things such as the small size of the vent hole and the material that you're drilling into, it gets a little more complicated.
Drilling without giving thought to technique generally means simply pushing the drill through a material until a hole appears.
The problem with this method, as seen in the video, is that the material has difficulty escaping from the small hole and even smaller drill flutes, and that the heat from the friction may melt material with low melting temperatures such as 3D printed PLA. The vent holes you end up with leave a rough imprint on the surface, and will have diameters that are not consistent with the diameter of your drill bit.
Here are some drilling techniques you can use to help solve these problems:
This technique allows for adequate dissipation of heat, and allows for material to be expelled as the drill bores further into the hole.
In the example above, a 0.7mm drill bit is used to drill through the material. A conventional drilling technique results in the melting of the plastic material, which wraps around the drill bit when it's retracted, and then solidifies. This renders your drill bit ineffective at drilling clean holes. Furthermore, if you use the drill bit without removing the melted plastic, it will increase the effective diameter of your drill bit, and you will get much larger holes than the size of your bit.
Here we have a side by side comparison between the quality of vent holes you get with two different drilling techniques. The difference is clear. You get much better quality and more consistent holes with the peck drilling technique.
Another way you can make your vent holes better is by using water and lubricant.
When it comes to materials such as PLA (used in 3D printing), the heat that comes from the friction between the drill bit and the material, is enough to cause melting.
Before you start drilling holes, we recommend spraying the surface of your mold with water, and dipping your drill bit in any lubricating agent you may have, such as spray lubricant, grease, oil, petroleum jelly, etc..
Misting the surface of the mold with water aids in keeping the surface of the mold cool, while the use of a lubricating agent allows easier passage of both the drill through the material, and the expulsion of material.
During the actual drilling process itself, drill the holes quickly; in and out, one quick motion*. This ensures that the chips don't have time to melt on the drill flutes.
*note: You ought to practice this movement a few times. Be sure to drill straight and true or you might bend or break your drill bit.
You have many options when it comes to what kind of drill bit to use and what size is best for creating the most effective vent holes.
When it comes to what your drill bit is made off, most options will get the job done. However, there are some notable differences among the options you have:
For creating general purpose vents, use 0.7 to 0.8mm drill bits. If you are using small forming tools, you can go as small as 0.4 to 0.5mm; there is rarely a need to go smaller than 0.5mm, since it is very difficult to detect the dimple imprinted by a 0.5mm diameter vent.
Generally speaking, several small vents scattered around are better than a single larger one located in a single spot. This makes for a more discrete hole while still being able to attain a high flow rate of air. This also makes for a more balanced stretch of the sheet
The drilling vent holes for your Vaquform molds, is generally dictated by the presence of any concave or negative features*
*Any feature or shape on a mold that is inwardly curved such as hollow features, sharp inward corners, debossed details, and all other places where air might get trapped during the forming process.
In this example, the concave features of the mold are the trapezoidal cutouts, and the concave circle they surround (highlighted).
So far, we’ve established that we need to place vent holes in places where air might be trapped. But where to place vent holes exactly along those areas, could be the difference between a failed and a successful form.
Let's take a look at this mold as an example. There are three circular cut outs, each around 3mm deep. We conducted a test pull with different vent hole configurations in each circle to see how it would affect the final form.
For the test pull, we:
Here is the result of the test pull:
The form above had a negative cut out with a FLAT bottom surface. If the bottom surface had been concavely curved, the result would have been different.
Here, we have a Vaquform mold made to from blister packaging for a designer toy. This mold requires some vent holes to be placed along the edges [y], and some in the center [x]
In this part of the mold, the vent hole ought to be placed in the center because of the convex shape of the bottom surface. The last area that the plastic will form over during the forming process is precisely where the vent hole is placed: the bottom/center*
*note: when drilling vent holes for larger round concave features, you can drill several smaller holes around the center for a more effective pull.
Whereas for this part of the mold, we place it along the edges, in accordance with how we know the sheet will form if the surface is flat. There are also vent holes along the convex features within this negative cut-out.
Here's a bullet point summary if you’re here for a quick reference, don't have time to read through the whole article, or just have a short attention span just like most of us do.
Hopefully these tips on drilling vent holes will help you improve the effectiveness of your Vaquform molds, and lead to making better forms with your vacuum former.
If you have questions, feel free to reach out through Facebook and Instagram, or by sending us a message at feedback@vaquform.com
]]>We put Vaquform out into the world knowing full well the possibilities were endless as far as its application was concerned. Right at the very start, we knew this portable machine held so much promise for makers, but it wasn’t until we began seeing the actual works that we started realizing its power to shape not just molds, but entire special interest communities.
Such is what Vaquform has been doing for chocolatiers. Using the DT2, gifted artisans from all over the world are leveling up in their craft through custom mold making and even packaging, allowing them to enrich their beloved customers’ chocolate experience with every unique mold built.
To know more about these sweet Vaquform journeys, read it straight from the chocolatiers themselves:
Laminiak is an innovation workshop for pastry chefs and chocolate makers.
“I carry out Research and Development there for the customization of utensils and custom manufacturing in very small series to support craftsmen in their projects. I train pastry chefs, chocolate makers, caterers in handling machines (3D printers, thermoformers, digital milling machines, silicone molding, resin, etc.) and in mastering food standards. My expertise in materials and in chocolate pastry making allows me to advise professionals on the best safe production methods.”
How has your experience been with Vaquform?
The Vaquform is a quick start-up tool, which allows molds to be made very quickly. It is ideal for small laboratories of chocolate makers and pastry chefs.
When I make molds by thermoforming, I ensure the quality of the materials I choose for my dies as well as the quality of my environment. Each roughness, each surface defect will be a source of difficulty in maintaining a food-grade product over the long term. By taking the time to choose each parameter wisely, we achieve durable molds with the Vaquform.
In 2017, Hernan Lauber founded Oodaalolly in San Francisco, California. As a Filipino-American and son of a Swiss chocolate maker, Hernan decided to blaze a new path in his family’s chocolate heritage by blending the flavor and precision of both cultures.
Using time-honored family recipes infused with modern techniques and technology, Oodaalolly makes magic out of ingredients sourced directly from the Philippines, creating world-class, proudly Filipino chocolate as a result.
The single-origin chocolate brings the same joy and delight our founder experienced as a child to the next generation of chocolate lovers.
“We’re always up to something new, but we never forget the traditions of the past.”
Do you think that the Vaquform is an essential tool in your craft?
Polycarbonate molds may be the gold standard for makers and chocolatiers because of their long life and durability, but once purchased, bar designs are more or less set in stone.
Vacuum-formed molds, on the other hand, may seem less durable because of lower capital expenditure but actually have no difference in terms of the quality of molded chocolate vis-à-vis polycarbonate molds.
Designs are so much more flexible and quick, allowing us to satisfy clients even more with every bar always looking as good as it tasted. The Vaquform DT2 and the spontaneity it gives for such a small investment are a huge part of Oodaalolly’s success as a bean-to-bar chocolate maker.
Enigma Chocs
After falling in love with the mystique of chocolate many years ago, not a day has gone by since Enigma Fine Chocolates opened that our passion hasn’t grown. Here, the aim is to share our belief of how chocolate is an ingredient full of character, complexity, and stories–not just something that coats a confectionary bar.
Based in Canberra, Australia, Enigma Fine Chocolates specializes in handmade award-winning artisan-style chocolate truffles, bars, unique items, and hot chocolate made from the highest quality cocoa beans sourced from all around the world. It is here that chocolates, in all their wonderful glory, are showcased and shared with everyone who comes to visit.
How has Vaquform impacted your craft?
Because of Vaquform, I am able to create molds for custom orders that are really specific to my client's needs, making their chocolate-buying experience as special as it can be. Not to mention, using the Vaquform is much more cost-effective and time-efficient, thanks to the machine being easy to use with its pre-programmed settings and large working surface.
Since using the Vaquform, I feel there is greater freedom for creativity and efficiency. The possibilities of what can be made are almost endless.
A global specialist, consultant, and trainer with over 20 years of experience in food-related industries, Chef Jerome specializes in pastries, bread, and chocolates. He earned his stripes as an esteemed Pastry Chef in various establishments and institutions. He was the first Filipino Pastry Chef to have worked for Dawn Food Global, a hundred-year-old bakery and baking supply company based in the U.S.
How would you describe your experience with Vaquform?
Using Vaquform is like making a piece of art into chocolate. It’s easy yet still creative and innovative, like a sculpting machine except that it’s one-click use. If you’re a chocolatier or an aspiring pastry chef looking to explore the depths of your creativity, getting a DT2 is one important investment you can make.
Here are other notable Chocolatier Vaqumakers:
1. Guillaume Mabilleau
2. Garuharu Pastry Academy Korea
3. Joe Moretones Lopez
4. 301 Chocolates (Joshua Smith)
5. Nishit Narayan Kamath
6. The Homicidal Homemaker
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What came to us as a surprise however is that Vaquform has become a hot commodity within the chocolate making community to the point that it has become one of our biggest and most profitable markets. We’ve received quite a number of messages, photos and videos from chocolatiers showcasing how they have used Vaquform to create beautiful, one-of-a-kind pieces or tell us how it has become a godsend to their business. Even now the community continues to grow and we’re all blown away at how Vaquform has slowly integrated itself to the chocolate making business.
GETTING STARTED
Professional Chocolatiers have many tools in their arsenal to produce their products. Some may have labs decked out with top-of-the-line appliances, a dedicated team to help them with their process or access to the best ingredients. You might want to jump right in and create over-the-top ambitious pieces. Since this is the ultimate beginners guide however, let’s begin with the basics and assume you might have limited or no immediate access to what the pros do. Like the expression goes, you’ll need to learn how to walk before you can run. This won’t be a problem because once we get the basics down and you’re more comfortable and familiar with how the machine works, you’ll realize that there is an endless amount of potential with your Vaquform!
For now, we’ll start things off with a simple one-part mold. Simply pour the chocolate in, let it set, and pop it right out.
Here’s how to do it.
FORMING TOOL
First thing you will need to have is your forming tool or buck. This is what you will use to create the vaquformed copy on your plastic sheet. Makers will often create forming tools using different fabrication techniques such as 3D printing, CNC milling or sculpting. These are topics for another article but as a beginner’s guide, we will be using more accessible methods.
For this guide, we’ll use something that is readily available almost anywhere or you may have some in your homes now…
Refrigerator magnets!
The great thing about them is they come in so many shapes and sizes that you are bound to find what you’re looking for. For this guide, we’ll be using fruit shaped magnets. Another advantage of using refrigerator magnets is since they’re already magnetic, they’ll stick to Vaquform’s plate mesh so you don’t have to worry about the pieces moving around during cycles. They also have no deep areas and undercuts which are two of the most important factors to take in when preparing a tool for forming.
Now we can move on and prepare the machine for forming.
MACHINE PREP
Once you have your Vaquform assembled, plugged in and turned on, load your plastic sheet onto the frame. For chocolate molds, we recommend using clear PETG sheets which you can also purchase on our website vaquform.com. These are food grade and very easy to work with. Sheets come in 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1mm thicknesses all pre cut to fit the machine. Once you have your plastic sheet loaded onto the frame, adjust the settings on the LCD menu. Vaquform has several pre-programmed material settings including Polystyrene, ABS and of course PETG. When the material selection is highlighted, use the left or right buttons to navigate to the PETG setting. You’ll see that the target temperature setting is at 150C. From our experience, you may want to bring the temperature down to around 130C to prevent overheating and overstretching the plastic sheet which causes webbing and distortion.
You can try this initial setup then you can try and experiment with your own setting.
Material: PETG
Temperature: 130C
K (Material Thickness): 1.00*
V (Vacuum Tuning): 0*
*The K and V settings you may leave as is. We will have a more detailed article discussing these in the future.
Once the temperature is set, press the center button until the orange button on the right starts to blink. This is the time to raise the sheet frame towards the heaters and place your forming tools in the forming area. Make sure to evenly space them out so you get a proper pull. When you are happy with the placement of your forming tools, go ahead and press the orange button. This will begin the heating cycle.
FORMING
If this is the first time you will be using the machine or it has been a while since the last use, it may take longer for the heaters to heat up. It will generally take around 5-6 minutes before it hits the target forming temperature. Occasionally, the LCD may give you a SLOW HEATING prompt. This is normal during the first heat cycle. The machine will then give you a prompt to continue the heating cycle. You will see YES and NO at the bottom of the screen. Press either the left or right button below the corresponding choice. If this happens again, simply repeat this process. The initial heat cycle is also a reason why you want to lower the target temperature of PETG. The longer the heating will take, the more time the plastic is exposed. Watch out for how much the plastic droops down from the frame because it will affect the quality of the pull as I mentioned before, causing webbing or distorting the plastic. To avoid this outright, you may opt to preheat the machine before actually forming anything. You may do this by simply running a heat cycle without a plastic sheet.
You may monitor the current temperature of the plastic on the LCD screen. The IR sensor, which is located on the left side of the lower unit, reads the material temperature in real time and once the target temperature is reached, the machine will automatically switch on the vacuum. Bring down the plastic sheet. Make sure that you pull the handlebar down all the way. You will know it’s down when you feel the linkages on the side lock and straighten. If done correctly you will see the plastic begin to wrap tightly around your forming tools.
Congratulations! You now have your first Vaquformed chocolate mold!
Repeat the process to your heart’s content.
MULTIPLYING TOOLS
You have your molds, but you realize you want more of one shape or an entire tray with only that shape. Let’s say we want more grapes but the set of magnets that were used for this guide only contained two grape shapes. You’re free to use those two pieces but it may seem like a waste to use one whole sheet with only two small pieces. The best thing to do is to duplicate these shapes. To achieve this, makers would often use 3D printing to create multiple copies of a tool. Here at Vaquform we developed a technique of making copies of a tool using epoxy resins. Still being a beginner’s guide, we’ll keep the materials we use more accessible. A simple and less expensive solution to making more copies of a tool is using Plaster of Paris. It’s a guarantee that you will be able to find this is any craft or hobby stores in your area.
Prepare the plaster according to the package instructions. When the plaster is ready, pour it into the vaquform molds. Depending on how many you need, this may take a bit of time because of the prep work and the curing time but eventually, you’ll have as much as you need. You may have to clean the casts to get rid of the excess plaster on the sides or sand the bottom if they did not cure flat.
Repeat the same process of loading your plastic sheets, adjusting the material settings and placing the tools on the forming area. Note that there are no more magnets for your tools so they may shift positions from time to time during forming cycles or slight movements. You can use a bit of tape to keep them in place to prevent this.
MAKING CHOCOLATES
Now that you have your molds, it’s time to make some chocolate!
After forming your molds, you may want to cut them to more manageable sizes. Clean the molds with soap and water to remove any plaster residue that may have stuck to it.
Prepare and temper your chocolate. There are many ways to do this such as using a double broiler, the microwave or the table method. Choose whichever you’re comfortable doing. your chocolate is tempered and ready, you can now use your molds to make your chocolate creations with! Pralines, Bonbons, or whatever your idea you have going!
YOUR FIRST STEPS
Now you have your foot in the door of unlocking the potential of Vaquform in the chocolate making business! What makes it even more exciting is that there are literally endless possibilities on what you can do with Vaquform. What we’ve shown you here is only the tip of the iceberg; the most basic of applications with the most basic of tools. Imagine what you can achieve when your business begins to grow, when you begin to incorporate more advanced methods or when you begin to experiment on your own with your machine? From a flat one-part mold, you may figure out how to create more complicated, multiple part molds for 3D pieces and we tell you it literally does not end there.
As much as possible we encourage our users to try out new ideas that maybe we haven’t come up yet. That is one of our goals as a company: to eventually create experts of vaquforming in different fields and industries where one day people will be approaching you to get advice about using the machine for their needs.
In the end, we truly want Vaquform to be for everyone.
]]>Now before anything, if you’re looking for tips on DIY packaging, how to create blister packaging, or simply interested in hearing a newbie’s journey from packaging design to mass production with vacuum forming, then you've struck gold my friend!
I was hired two months fresh out of design school and since joining the team, I've been fortunate to have already handled a project all on my own already from start to finish. Which is exactly why I’m here! I thought it would be helpful to share with you guys what I learned from my very first vaquforming project.
The brief was pretty simple – create blister packaging for a small figurine.
To be more specific, I was tasked to design blister packaging for a custom mickey mouse figurine, the designer of which we closely worked with.
I came into the first meeting with a concept ready — a three layer packaging system easy enough to both form and assemble, and mass produce it. (it's a good thing I've got both a 3D Printer, and Vaquform’s DT2)
After that initial meeting, I then went on to further refine the sketches I made so I could officially start with the actual implementation process.
First Step: CAD MODEL
It wasn't my first time 3D modeling with 3D printing restrictions in mind. However, this was my first time doing it specifically with Vaquforming as my end goal.
For this, I'll let you in on one thing I was told anyone doing Vaquforming should know: “Draft angle is dogma.” It’s one of the very first things I learned from our big boss, John - the father of this amazing machine.
Just a refresher for newbies out there like me: a draft angle is the slant applied to every side of a workpiece that touches a mold or a form.
They are typically used in designing with injection molding in mind; to ensure that the form will release easily from the mold.
So with that quote heavily in mind, I made sure to place draft angles on every surface that would touch the forming sheet to ensure the 3D print would easily come off once formed. In my design’s case, I found 3 degrees worked best.
Second Step: 3D Printing
Many more lessons specific to 3D printing were learned during this stage.
For instance, one special consideration for 3D printing specifically for Vaquforming, is to consider surface quality. Not only will a best quality print surface lessen post-processing work, it will also make it easier to drill vent holes for the forming process.
Just a refresher: A vent hole is a small hole you drill into a workpiece to allow air to pass through the form, allowing the forming sheet to form into the large cavities of the workpiece. Without vent holes, air would likely get trapped in those cavities, preventing the forming sheet to fully cover the entire surface area of the workpiece.
How to do it? Well, the conventional drilling technique works, but if you want the best possible surface quality, best to employ the peck drilling technique.
When you're about to print your first official prototype, make sure to optimize your slicer settings to get the smoothest possible surface finish for the 3D printed mold. Because of how powerful the DT2 is, any surface imperfection will show on the final form.
As for the infill, choose a specific one that would allow air to freely pass through the top of the workpiece down to the vacuum. The idea is that you only have to drill through the outer shell or layer and not the entire print in order to create vent holes for the form.
The slicer software I used was Ultimaker Cura 4.8.0. Here were my settings for my print.
Keep an eye out! We’ll be getting into more detail about 3D printing for Vaquforming in a future article!
What about just removing the infill completely? Well, I learned the hard way that you really can’t just print hollow molds in an attempt to save material and time. The heat of the plastic sheet will soften the 3D printed plastic mold and cause it to collapse during forming. So depending on the size of your work piece, probably best to just leave the infill in.
Third Step: Refining 3D Prints
As mentioned previously, any surface imperfection will show on the final form because of the power of the DT2 Vacuum. So to smoothen the surface, I used the ever-reliable wall putty.
Being hands on with wet fingers instead of using tools to apply it helped save time. You may also use a small fan to speed up the drying process. Just be careful about caking on too many layers at a time. The surface of the putty tends to crack due to the temperature difference between layers.
If you need to put a lot of it on a certain area, do so in thin layers and allow them to dry first before applying the next layer.
Fourth Step: Testing the Form
Now, the moment of truth. Having realized how much of a learning experience it has been so far made my first time Vaquforming both exciting and dreadful.
I set the vaquform, waited for the plastic to heat and when the vacuum automatically turned on, lowered the handle bar. Seeing the finished form, I quickly discovered a new element to consider when creating 3D models for Vaquforming - Webbing.
On some parts of the workpiece, instead of the plastic sheet collapsing into the form, a web would form. I quickly realized that this was due to the cavities in the workpiece whose edges were too close together. . There wasn't enough space to allow the plastic to stretch and form through the cavity.
Be sure to watch out for these potential “webbing zones” on the work piece. Avoid having sharp edges with deep cavities in between them so that you can ensure that the plastic is able to freely blanket the entire work piece.
Fifth Step: Cutting and Assembling the Prototype
This part for me was easy enough because the vision from the very beginning was clear. Here, I simply took note of the fitting imperfections and made the necessary adjustments.
Take 2.0: Adjusting the 3D Model
At this point, I already had a clearer grasp of how else I can improve the model I had printed earlier.
I edited the 3D model for less chances of pinching; reducing the model into only what had to be there to perform the primary function, which was to simply hold the figure in place.
As they say, less is more.
Take 2.1: 3D printing new molds, refining, testing for
When it came to testing the forms again, they were finally successful. I used two plastic sheets here to create the prototype but in hindsight, one would have sufficed had I been more conservative in my approach to making test forms. It’s one thing to look out for, in order to reduce your total material consumption in the future.
TAKE 2.2: Cutting and assembling prototype
During this stage, I received a physical prototype of the toy figurine, which ended up fitting quite well to my relief.
A shake test also proved it secure enough to hold the figure in place.
Needless to say, the toy designer was really happy with the prototype.
Silicone Molding
Now that the prototype had been approved, it was time to begin mass production.
For this particular project, I needed to create resin casts of the molds I would use to form the packaging as 3D printed molds are not heat resistant enough to withstand multiple forming cycles.
The idea of a silicone mold is quite simple - you have your workpiece which you place in a small container, pour in liquid silicone pre-mixed with hardener, and after it dries, you have a cavity of an exact copy of the workpiece. But as with most things, it’s only easier said than done.
Before anything, it's useful to cover the workpiece with mold wax release to make sure it can be pulled out of the hardened silicone. Make sure to put a thin layer only as caked layers might affect the surface quality and show up in the negative mold.
To start, prepare the appropriate amount of silicone you will use for the mold. Make sure you measure the exact amount! My first few tries were failures because I didn’t properly measure how much silicone I needed to use.
Next lesson, RATIOS! The more exact you are with the ratio of liquid silicone to hardener, the better. Follow exactly the ratio that is indicated by whatever brand of silicone you're using. Why? Too much hardener and the mixture will harden too quickly or unevenly, which will leave many air pockets and other imperfections. Too little and the silicone won't harden, or worse, only harden in a few areas.
Once you've gotten the ratio just right, MIX WELL! It's all well and good having the right ratio, but if you don’t make sure the hardener is thoroughly mixed, you'll get a monstrosity of a mold where some parts are perfectly hardened, and some parts, still liquid.
The point is to get as accurate a mold as possible for when you resin cast later on. Here’s a hack I learned from a fellow teammate: apply a thin layer of silicone and let it dry before filling the rest of the mold up in order to make sure that there are no air bubbles. And if you have some (or a lot…) of failed molds like I did, you can actually cut those up and use those chunks to fill up the spaces of your new mold as a way to save silicone.
Remember that the first phase of the mold-cast process is CRUCIAL. If your silicone mold isn't well near perfect, the resin casts will be very difficult to work with, especially for the purpose of vaquforming.
Resin casting
Similar lessons learned from silicone molding can be applied here. A thorough mixture, for one, is extremely important. As for precision in measurement, it’s not as strict but still, be careful about the hardener.
Too much hardener will cause too quick a reaction which will cause the resin to heat up more than needed and it will boil; leaving air bubbles on both the cast’s surface and its inside. Too little, and again the cast won't harden properly or at all.
It helps to put a little powder on the surface of the silicone mold to remove any potential surface tension and eliminate the problem of microbubbles. Before pouring the resin, I used climbing or weight-lifting chalk (magnesium carbonate), but something like baby powder would also do just fine.
Production capacity computation
For this part, I made sure to cast more molds than I thought I needed to make sure that I had enough to work with when it came down to maximizing the surface area of the DT2 - a.k.a. how many parts of the packaging could I form in a single cycle.
It’s always a good idea to be as conservative as you can with the material to be able to maximize its use. I made the effort to experiment with different positions within the forming area to see how many molds could fit in a sheet.
After coming up with the maximum capacity, I computed the potential number of packaging sets I could make, and then offset a certain amount in case of failed forms. In the end, quality control must prevail.
Actual mass production
Forming everything took only a few hours thanks to the DT2!.
Something I discovered was that I could use the previous form to help reposition the molds on the bed for the next forming cycle!
After forming everything, the last step was cutting and assembly. When it comes to this part, the best approach is whatever works best for you. But the approach I used for cutting and assembling everything, I based on a well known concept borrowed from economies of scale. Doing a lot of one process at a time was way more time efficient than cutting and assembling 1 entire set at a time.
My approach was roughly to cut each packaging layer in individual steps before assembling everything. How segregated you want your individual steps to be is entirely up to you!
Once you get a good rhythm going, it won't be long before you get…
The finished product!
In total, I was able to produce 30 pieces of this packaging for the figurines with only a couple of failed forms.
If there was anything particularly challenging in this entire process, it was learning everything as I went along. Diving in the deep end and making all the necessary mistakes I had to make in order to learn.
Now, creating something is hard enough already, but documenting every step of the way made it that more challenging. BUT! In the end, documenting everything really helped make sure that I could retain as much of the lessons I learned as I could.
It was easier to spot errors that way and what else I could improve one. It’s not only great for sharing tips on the internet (like how i’m doing now). I think it will prove to be very useful for myself, as I work to finetune my skills and become better at Vaquforming.
If there’s one final lesson I could offer, it’s that preparation is everything in Vaquforming. All those processes I had to go through–the 3D printing, mold making, resin casting, etc.,—they were all so I could execute that one moment—the lowering of DT2’s handlebar—and come up with one fine print.
It’s really 90% preparation and 10% execution.
Without doubt, I know many of you in the Vaquform community are far more experienced than I currently am, so I'm sure I speak for all newbies here when I say we would all truly appreciate any tips, tricks, and words of wisdom you have to share.
That’s it!! I hope my experience was helpful for my fellow newbies out there! I had a lot of fun making this and I cannot wait till my next project.
Until the next.
The Toy designer, who goes by the name "Wuji Zun", started as a Gundam scale modeler in 2010 and has since moved on to customize Funko Pops. Wuji Zun reached out to us here at Vaquform to help develop and produce blister packaging for his newest project (soon to be revealed)!Catch the unveiling of his latest project through his Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube accounts:
FB - fb.com/wujirzun
IG - @wujitoys
YT - Wuji Zun
Due to the shortage of PPEs, people have gotten creative. Full-face snorkeling masks have been a popular candidate for hacking. But even those are in short supply. So we went to work on something similar that can be vaquformed for rapid mass deployment.
The mask is made of two main components: a shroud that forms a perimeter seal around the face, and a clear screen. Together they fully enclose the eyes, nose and mouth of the wearer, while given a 160 degree field of view.
The design calls for two sheets of plastic.
Other parts:
Print parameters
After printing, assemble the parts as follows.
Have a damp rag or spray bottle beside you when you're vacuum forming. At the end of a forming cycle mist or wipe down the formed sheet to cool it down rapidly. Do the same to the frame and platen.
You 3D printed tools will last longer if you cool it down to room temperature before using it again. Having a second, or even a third, set of tools allows you to do one pull after the other in quick succession.
Layer lines and ringing any surface texture make it more difficult to demold. Use a medium grit sandpaper, 400 or so, to level out the surface texture.
Apply a mold release agent to the tool. Pay special attention to vertical surfaces. A thin coat of petroleum jelly every two or three pull is enough.
License-free use of this design is strictly for non-commercial purposes only. For commercial use, please contact us.
]]>We're giving 50% off on 1.0mm ABS and HIPS sheets. Stocks are limited, so please purchase only what you need. We're hoping our supplies would reach as many people on the front lines as possible.
We suggest buying no more than 5 at a time.
The forming tool will last longer if you allow it to cool between formings. If you print 2 or more tools, you can keep forming for hours by alternating tools between cycles.
Form 2 masks at once
The sheet clamp/frame and the perforated mesh will heat up if you're forming continuously. To quickly cool down these components, spray them with a mist of water or wipe them down with a wet rag.
The evaporating water will quickly wick the excess heat off of them.
The hot plastic sheet has a tendency to stick to the 3D printed forming tool making it difficult to demold. To make it easier, slather the tool with a generous amount of petroleum jelly, or even vegetable oil.
Scale the STL up or down to resize. Or better yet print several tools in different sizes.
We shall be iterating this design as we go. If you have ideas, no matter how raw, let us know and our team will do our best to develop it further.
Reach us through our social pages or by email: feedback@vaquform.com
]]>One of the most fun things that you can create using Vaquform are gelatin and chocolate molds. The Vaquform material is food-safe. After creating the mold and cleaning it up, you can pour in the gelatin mix and softened chocolate. Take a look at how did our Christmas tree mold in the video below.
When it comes to food, Vaquform has a buffet of offerings. The possibilities are endless.
]]>It starts out with a 240 mm x 320 mm (about 9 x 12 inches) sheet placed on the forming area. The mask mold is placed right below it. Once the right temperature is reached, the plastic sheet is pressed down onto the mold. As this is happening, the vacuum mechanism sucks down the heated sheet of plastic to capture the exact details of the mold.
Check out some of Vaquform's masks below.
So, what mask are you going to be wearing this Halloween?
]]>Maker Faire began as an event created by Make magazine in 2006. It was envisioned as a family-friendly event to celebrate the Maker Movement.
The events boasts of a wide range of experiences — from the most basic crafting processes that appeal to newbie makers to more sophisticated technology that's ideal for seasoned creators.
As Sabrina Merlo, managing director for Maker Faire, explained: "World Maker Faire is the East Coast's biggest celebration for grassroots innovation and creativity. Walking around the Faire, attendees often report a sense of inspiration, but also empowerment. It's a feeling that it's possible to design solutions, to make change — to be a Maker."
Merlo likewise added, "Oftentimes, people leave the Faire inspired to go home and tackle that idea or project they've always wanted to try."
In line with that, Maker Faire expanded the program this year withn a series of workshops along with the Make Education Forum, which focused on "the leaders, influencers, and practitioners providing support, services, and programs to bring making into schools." This is also an advcocacy that Vaquform believes in.
]]>So, how exactly does Vaquform makes masks?
You start with a plastic sheet and place it on the 9 x 12″ forming area. Then, you press the plastic down onto the object that you'd like to make a mold of. While this is happening the vacuum mechanism sucks down the heated sheet of plastic to capture the exact details of the object.
Vaquform's hybrid vacuum operates in two-stages:
Stage 1 - A high speed impeller draws air out quickly from the heated plastic sheet that is placed over the chosen object. It tops out at -20kPa of pressure like a household vacuum cleaner.
Stage 2 - It squeezes out the remaining air at 4X times the pressure (-85kPa) pulling the plastic tightly into corners and small details.
Vaquform has a Infrared (IR) probe that monitors the the temperature of the heated plastic so it's always just at the right temperature. That said, it is easy to manufacture several realistic-looking masks using Vaquform. This was precisely what we showcased at the Mask Fest.
]]>
In an article for Adweek, Joan Voight explained: "The maker movement, as we know, is the umbrella term for independent inventors, designers and tinkerers. A convergence of computer hackers and traditional artisans, the niche is established enough to have its own magazine, Make, as well as hands-on Maker Faires that are catnip for DIYers who used to toil in solitude."
]]>Tagged as "The Most Astounding Monster Maker Event of the Year," this year's Mask Fest marks the 10th anniversary of the event. Mask Fest is a convention that celebrates the artistry of masks, makeup, and monsters.
Vaquform joins the roster of independent artists and creators who are showcasing, demonstrating, and selling collectible masks, special effects makeup, props, and models.
One of the masks that Vaquform is taking to Mask Fest is its mask version of Game of Thrones favorite Tyrion Lannister's face. The character is played by actor Peter Dinklage in the HBO series based on George R.R. Martin's most popular novels to date.
Mask Fest is sponsored by Reynolds Advanced Materials, Black Heart Enterprises, and Trick or Treat Studios. For more details about Mask Fest 2018, check out the Mask Fest Facebook and Instagram pages.
Follow Vaquform's Mask Fest 2018 journey on Facebook and Instagram as well.
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I debuted my new found skill in my package design class when our professor had us do renderings of bottle designs. She didn't say that the renderings had to be in 2D so I took it as an opportunity to show-off. I did the bottles in 3D. She was sufficiently impressed and I got top marks. My lifelong relationship with vacuum forming had begun. I used it whenever I could. It became my signature technique.
Vacuum forming isn't appropriate in every fabrication scenario, of course. But when it is, it offers a fast and cheap way to make things with consistency. One professor commented that my prototypes almost looked 'manufactured'. Given the role vacuum forming plays in industry, in a way, they were manufactured.
I was digging through some old photos this afternoon and found some early examples of my work in vacuum forming, including the bottles I did for the package design class. I kind of wish I took more photos then.
A couple of months ago a small vacuum former appeared on Kickstarter. The campaign was wildly successful, raising more than 10 times its goal of $50,000. I took it as evidence of people's interest in vacuum forming, a technology I have an expertise in.
I've designed and built quite a few vacuum forming machines for clients over the years, but all of them had been meant for factory use. The challenge for me was in trying to reduce industrial machinery into a form that's light and compact, while also trying to make it affordable and easy to use. After months of work, of trial and error, I finally have a product that I'm proud of. And I'll be launching it through a Kickstarter campaign of my own.
That's still a couple of months down the road, but things have already gotten super busy. I'm finalizing the engineering, talking to potential partners, and auditing suppliers. I want to make sure everything is in its proper place before I start taking people's hard-earned money.
I have a product that works. The image you see on the top of this page is a photo of an actual prototype. Developing the product is the easy part. Between now and launch is when I get busy working on the hard part―developing the company that will bring Vaquform™ to desktops, to sit right beside 3D printers and CNC machines, wherever there are tinkerers, designers and makers.
John Truman Tan
If you're interested in Vaquform and want to keep informed about the upcoming Kickstarter campaign or just want to follow me on this adventure, please enter your email below.