Vacuum Former
Formech 300XQ

Materials needed

You'll need the following to use the vacuum former successfully:

Plastic sheet(s)

Pick the type and thickness of plastic you'll need to make your form. Here's a quick guide to materials:

Prep the area

The vacuum former generates heat and has some moving parts, so you'll want to pull it out, carefully, from its nest under the stairs. Take care when doing this, it's very heavy. Ensure you can manouvre it into the open where the cable can reach a power outlet without being putting strain on any parts, and so you can freely and easily reach, and move, the heating unit on top and the bed lever on the right side of the machine.

Fit a reducer, if needed

You'll want to ensure there is enough clearance around the buck that it doesn't catch on platen housing when raising and lowering, but not so much that it leaves loose material that can gather. Ideally, you'd aim for no more than an inch border. You can use the entire vacuum platen if your buck is big enough, or you can fit a reducer.

MakeSpace has three reducers, stored underneath the vacuum former. The lower plate is flat and has a foam gasket which faces upwards. Use the locator pins in the holes on the reducer to ensure it's in the right place.

Position your buck

Pull the bed lever towards you to raise the bed, and position your buck in the centre of the opening. Doing this after fitting the reducer also allows you to confirm you've picked the right size. Once positioned, push the lever back to lower the bed.

Fit your plastic sheet

Lift the top of the clamp frame and position your plastic sheet so it completely covers the opening in the frame and the gasket, if using a reducer. The clamp frame needs something to hold onto all the way round so it can create a vacuum.

Lower the clamp frame into position and lock the toggle clamps to hold it securely. The toggle clamps can be adjusted if needed.

Set heat and time

Heater standby level should stay at approx. 30% as this is the most efficient setting. 

The Formech 300XQ features four independent heating zones, allowing for precise control over the heat during the vacuum forming process. This setup is particularly beneficial for producing challenging shapes and materials, as it provides a greater range of control and flexibility.

A good level to start off is 60% on Zone 1 and 75% for all other zones, but you may want to adjust this depending on what exactly you're using/making. the table below aims to provide some indication as a starting point but if in any doubt, start with lower temperatures and shorter times and work up from there.

NOTE: For the 0.5mm PETG stock makeSpace currently has, you only really need about 30 seconds once the elements are up to temperature (which doesn't take long at all)

Tips for creating a buck

Here are some tips,rules and guidelines for making a vacuum forming buck

There are many ways you can do this, including multiple methods available to you in MakeSpace

3d printing

This will work, but remember to use a filament that can withstand high temperatures. The heat from the plastic sheet will transfer to the print and may deform it, especially under prolongued contact and under the forces of a vacuum. You may also find the print delaminates along the layer lines and therefore may not survive the forming process.

Laser cutting

Depending on the shape you need, you might  find you can break the object down and laser cut each layer to glue up later. This is especially handy if you include locator holes in the design that you can then use dowels to accurately place and secure each layer. For example: