The Ultimate Guide to Safe Operation and Maintenance of Thermoforming Machines

Plastic thermoforming machine is the basic equipment in the secondary forming processing of plastic products. And its using  and maintenance in the daily production process directly affect the normal operation of production and the safe use of equipment.

Common thermoForming Machine operating procedures are as follows:

Ⅰ. The Preparation Before The Boot

1. Carefully check the processed materials to ensure that they are clean and free of foreign bodies and dirt.
2. Ensure that all parts of the machine are clean and hygienic.
3. Before each drive, check the pressure of air compressors, vacuum pumps, fans and other equipment and whether the work is normal.
4. Check the movement of the clamping (fixture) device, the mold lifting device, the safety door, the plunger and other moving parts, and the movement should be flexible and reliable.
5. Ensure that the pipelines of each lubrication system are unimpeded and the oil from the lubrication point is normal. Each lubrication part shall be injected with specified amount of lubricant according to the lubrication rules. 
6. Check the safety and reliability of electrical equipment.

 Ⅱ. Boot Operation

1. Heat up. Before starting the heating system, it is necessary to carefully check whether the setting values of the temperature control instruments in each section are consistent with the process requirements; After starting the heating system, check whether the current indicating value of each heater is normal.
2. Adjust the heating time, pressure, speed and other parameters in line with the process setting.
3. Feed. When feeding the plate (sheet), it should be in place; After clamping the frame, the edges around it should be uniform to avoid air leakage and affect the quality.
4. Take out the product carefully, wear gloves, so as not to heat the product.

Ⅲ. Regular Maintenance:

1. Cleaning: Regularly clean the outside and inside of the equipment, including removing accumulated plastic residue, lubricating oil dirt, etc. Keeping equipment clean helps reduce breakdowns and increase productivity.
2. Lubrication: Regularly lubricate the lubricating parts of the equipment to ensure the normal operation of each component. At the same time, the lubricating oil and grease need to be changed regularly to maintain the lubrication effect.
3. Check fasteners: Regularly check the various fasteners of the equipment to ensure that they are in good fastening condition and prevent equipment failure caused by loosening.
4. Check the electrical system: Periodically check the electrical system of the device, including cables, terminals, switches, etc., to ensure that they are securely connected to avoid potential safety hazards caused by electrical faults.
5. Check the transmission system: regularly check the transmission system of the equipment, including belt, chain, gear transmission, etc., to ensure the normal operation of the transmission system, and timely replace the seriously worn transmission parts.
6. Check the heating system: check the heating system of the equipment regularly, including the heater, temperature control instrument, etc., to ensure the normal operation of the heating system and avoid production accidents caused by the heating system failure.
7. Check the safety device: regularly check the safety device of the equipment, including the emergency stop switch, safety door, protective cover, etc., to ensure that the safety device is intact and effective to ensure the safety of the operator.

Ⅳ. Safety Operation Procedures

1. The thermal forming machine should be operated by a special person, the operator must be trained, familiar with the equipment, operation and related knowledge, understand the operation principle of the equipment, safety precautions, etc., and should concentrate on the operation of the equipment.
2. The operator must wear protective equipment that meets safety standards, such as gloves and goggles, to prevent accidental injuries.
3. The device must be properly grounded to avoid electric shock.
4. Check whether the air compressor, vacuum pump, oil mist, etc. is short of oil before starting. Check once per shift during continuous operation, and prohibit the equipment from running short of oil.
5. Pay attention to whether the sound of the air compressor is normal at any time during the work, and observe that the pressure should not exceed the rated value. If any abnormality is found, power off and water off immediately.
6. Discharge the sewage in the air filter at any time according to the ambient humidity.
7. Before driving, check whether the protective cover is installed, whether the heater set temperature (or pressure regulation) is within the specified range, and whether the procedure time setting meets the requirements.
8. When closing the power and opening the air valve to connect the compressed air, all people must stand in the safety zone to avoid the equipment to hurt people instantly.
9. During the start-up and operation of the equipment, the operator must pay attention to safety and must not touch the dangerous parts of the equipment.
10. If the equipment is abnormal, it should be stopped for maintenance. It is forbidden to run the equipment with disease.
11. When the equipment is abnormal, the operator needs to know how to properly carry out emergency stopping and troubleshooting. Press the emergency stop switch in time to continue working after the fault is removed.
12. Plunger safety pin must be inserted when no plunger or equipment is used for adjustment, maintenance and each stop.
13. After work, pay attention to power off the brake and cut off the air source. Cover the work surface with a clean Plastic Sheet to prevent dust.
14. Do not arbitrarily adjust the limit switch on the device.
15. Power should be off when replacing the mold, table and press frame, and extra care should be taken during the first test after replacing the mold.
16. Open the tank bottom drain valve at least once a week to drain.

V. Environmental protection:

1. Waste gas treatment: Plastic thermoforming machine will produce waste gas during processing, which may contain harmful substances such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Therefore, it is necessary to install exhaust gas treatment equipment, such as exhaust gas purifiers or exhaust gas treatment systems, to treat exhaust gas to meet emission standards.
2. Wastewater treatment: In the production process of the plastic thermoforming machine, wastewater may be produced, which may contain pollutants such as organic matter and grease. It is necessary to establish a wastewater treatment system to treat the wastewater and ensure that the discharge water meets the environmental requirements.
3. Solid waste treatment: A certain amount of solid waste will be generated in the production process of plastic thermoforming machine, such as waste, waste mold, etc. It is necessary to establish a reasonable solid waste treatment system to classify, recycle or safely dispose of the waste to reduce the impact on the environment.
4. Energy saving and emission reduction: During the operation of the plastic thermoforming machine, energy consumption can be reduced and energy consumption and emissions to the environment can be reduced by optimizing process parameters, adopting energy-saving equipment and improving production processes.
5. Environmental monitoring: Establish an environmental monitoring system to monitor environmental indicators such as air and water quality around the plastic thermoforming machine to ensure that the production process does not pollute the surrounding environment.

These are all aspects that require additional attention in daily operations to ensure the safe operation and production quality of plastic thermoforming machines.