Thermoforming is a generic term for the process of producing plastic parts 
from a flat sheet of plastic under temperature and pressure. In the highest 
expression of the technology, thermoforming offers close tolerances, tight 
specifications, and sharp detail. When combined with advanced finishing 
techniques, high-technology thermoforming results in products comparable to 
those formed by injection molding. All of us are exposed to many thermoformed 
plastics in our daily lives. They have replaced many parts previously 
manufactured from wood, paper, glass, and metal. 
Thermoforming is a plastic fabricating process that involves heating sheet 
plastic and forming it over a male or female mold. The two basic types of 
thermoforming processes - vacuum forming and pressure forming - and derivative 
processes such as twin sheet forming make plastic thermoforming a broad and 
diverse plastic forming process. The most advantageous aspects of thermoforming 
are its low tooling and engineering costs and fast turnaround time which makes 
thermoforming ideal for prototype development and low volume production. 
Applications for thermoformed plastic products include: automotive interiors, 
shipping and packaging containers, sports and recreational equipment, medical 
equipment, industrial supplies, etc.