¶ Vacuum former Vaquform
¶ Technical
The machine is a Vaquform DT2 Desktop machine with a
280x200mm forming area
and a
200mm maximum depth draw
We have a selection of original materials on the shelve above it, some of which can not be found on the manufacturers shop anymore.
¶ Consideration
Please put it in the window for operation and open said window, as it will smell like very hot plastic.
Give it some time to cool before putting it back into the storage shelve.
¶ Use
Starting up the machine will show you a simplified interface you can navigate with the three buttons "Up", "Down" and "Confirm".
First you set your material, then the desired forming temperature with a suggestion from the manufacturer.
Next you set the thickness (which does not seem to influence anything) and tune the vacuum pull, with the UP setting giving you a longer pull and the down a stronger initial pull (or so the manual claims)
Inserting the sheet is straightforward, hex screws on the side allow you to fine-tune the clamping force of the frame.
Then you pull the frame up to the heating element and position your object* to form.
Hit the orange button to start the heating process.**
*This object (called a buck) should be capable of withstanding temperatures in excess of 150°C, as well as quite some pressure.
3D printed bucks from PLA are possible with generous infill, but will slightly shrink and possibly deform in the process.
Bucks with undercuts will not be removable from the sheet without destruction of either the buck or the sheet.
**The heating process may release some nasty fumes and smoke-looking clouds from the material, hence the windowsill-work
The machine will start suction automatically once the desired temp is reached.
¶ DO NOT TRUST THE MACHINE
The plastic will start to bow, quite dramatically before the end temp is reached. Keep an eye on that. The "medical grade IR-Sensor" seems to do little more than guess. If the "belly" reaches something between 5-7cm depth, you might want to yank down the handle.
Failure to abort the process may lead to the overheated sheet ripping and doing its best impression of liquid cheese on your part.
The handle reaching the bottom will start the suction, even if the set temp was never reached.
¶ KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF THE PLASTIC!!!!!!
While the cooldown and hardening is fast, this thing was just 150°C+ and even if your pull failed, you will not improve anything by grabbing the hot, sticky plastic to pull it off with your bare hands.
The cooldown takes a moment.
Gloves to get the sheet (and your likely attached buck) out of the frame should be in the box with the sheets.
¶ Buck design
Should you be in the position of designing your own buck, a slight chamfer to the verticals seems to make removal from the finished shell a lot easier.