Home · Locations · Custom Molding · Products · Contact Us · Site Map  

  Molding Ideas into Reality...
   

Member of:

American Composites Manufacturers Association

Vacuum Forming and Thermoplastic Manufacturing - Eaton, IN




Custom Vacuum Forming and Thermoplastic ManufacturingArrowhead Plastic Engineering has been in the vacuum forming business since 1973 when it purchased its first vacuum forming machine. The machine was very simple and very limited in its capabilities, but it got the job done. The machine was located in the middle of a facility primarily geared towards fiberglass fabrication. Most of the parts ran on the machine were for the Bus and Truck Industry. As Arrowhead gained more customers, the need to supply plastic parts as well as fiberglass parts became more apparent. Eventually, Arrowhead decided it was time to purchase another building where all of the plastic parts could be formed.
In 1996, Arrowhead bought a building in Eaton, IN and created a new division of Arrowhead Plastic Engineering called Arrowhead Plastic Products. Arrowhead Plastic Products primarily serves businesses in the midwest. However, Arrowhead has customer’s in Florida, Alabama, California, New Hampshire and everywhere in between.
Over the years, Arrowhead Plastic Products has went from one machine with limited capabilities to an ISO 9001-2000 facility with 5 different machines that are much more advanced than our original vacuum forming machine. In addition to standard vacuum forming, Arrowhead is able to utilize other production processes such as plug assist vacuum forming, drape forming, plunge forming, vacuum forming with a predraw box, strip heating and bending, vinyl wrapping and stamping. Some of our Arrowhead secondary processing abilities include but are not limited to: routing, trimming, Ultrasonic welding, Adhesive bonding, CNC routing, Shearing, Assembly, and in-house pattern and mold making.
The added capabilities coupled with the new production facility has enabled Arrowhead to expand its customer base to include clients in several different industries including but not limited to: Aeronautics, Defense, Food Service, Automotive, Recreational, Retail, Transportation and Safety. This diversified customer base enables Arrowhead to keep up to date on current technologies and trends in many different markets and industries.
With an increase in customers from various industries comes an increase in demand for Arrowhead to supply parts made from many different types of plastics. Arrowhead has successfully formed the following polymers:

ABS – Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (Magnum, Cycolac, Abex)
PVC – Polyvinyl Chloride (Vintec, GEON)
PC – Polycarbonate (Lexan, Makrolon)
ABS/PC – A blend of ABS and Polycarbonate (Pulse 830)
HDPE – High Density Polyethylene (C-TEAK)
HMWHDPE – High Molecular Weight High Density Polyethylene (TIVAR)
PS – Polystyrene
Acrylic – Extruded and Cell-Cast (Plexiglas, Acrylite)
PVC/Acrylic – Polyvinyl Chloride mixed with Acrylic (Kydex, Royalite)
PEI – Polyetherimide (Ultem)
TPO – Thermoplastic Olefin (Solvay)
PP – Polypropylene (perforated and standard)
PETG - Polyethylene Terephathalate Glycol Modified (Spectar, VIVAK)
Cross-linked foam

COMPOSITES NEWS
About.com Composites / Plastics: Most Popular Articles
These articles are the most popular over the last month.

Natural Fibers
Natural fibers include those of vegetable origin constituted of cellulose, a polymer of glucose bound to lignin with varying amounts of other natural materials.
A Brief History of Kevlar
Introduction to Kevlar fibers and their properties.
Vacuum Bagging: Basics - Composite Materials
Basic techniques for vacuum bagging laminates, from your About.com Guide
Composite Materials Properties Database
Database of composite material properties.: composite materials properties material properties database carbon graphite database material content database
What's a Composite?
A brief description and definition of composite materials.
Diffusion Coefficient
A factor of proportionality representing the amount of substance diffusing across a unit area through a unit concentration gradient in unit time.
Wind Turbine Blades - Composite Materials
Sandia Developing New Wind Turbine Blade Manufacturing Processes, from your About.com Guide
Dictionary of Composite Materials Technology
Introduction to the Composite Materials Glossary.
Compression Molding
A method of molding in which the molding material, generally preheated, is first placed in an open, heated mold cavity.
Axial Load
A pure tension or compression load acting along the long axis of a straight structural member.
 
     
Terms of Use  · © 2005 - 2008 Arrowhead Plastic Engineering, Inc  · Privacy Policy
Phone: (765) 286-0533  · Fax: (765) 286-1681