Vacuum Forming Box

thingiverse

This lesson plan is designed for high school students in the subjects of Science, Technology, and Manual Arts. The objective of this lesson is to teach students about the vacuum forming process and how 3D printing can be a complementary manufacturing process for creating molds and equipment for vacuum forming. The students will learn about the vacuum forming cycle, machine set up, and warm up for effective processing of materials. They will also understand safety procedures, PPE, and the hierarchy of control, including engineering controls. The lesson plan includes several activities such as: * 3D printing required components * Discussing the vacuum forming process with students * Assembling the vacuum former * Demonstrating the operation of the vacuum former * Troubleshooting guide examples * Guiding students through selecting/creating a suitable component to model, either individually or in teams * Supervising and assessing students performing vacuum forming The lesson plan also includes a comprehensive guide to Vacuum Forming courtesy of www.plastimach.com and a General Thermoforming and Cutting Troubleshooting Guide courtesy of www.advancedextrusion.com. Assessment criteria include: * Did the student choose a 3D model that was able to be successfully molded? * Was the object able to be removed from the mold? * Was the appropriate level of detail transferred from the 3D part to the mold? * Did the student operate the vacuum former safely and with the correct PPE? * Did the student perform the vacuum former process correctly? The lesson plan also includes a rubric for assessment. The resources required include: * 3D filament 120 grams (0.26lb) * 3D Printer * Computer with access to Thingiverse * 4 x small binder clips * Wood or MDF sheets to create two frames that are 100mm x 155mm x < 5mm (L x W x H) * HPDE plastic sheet from a milk/juice container 100mm x 155mm (L x W). One sheet of HDPE per mold is required. * Wood/MDF cutting tools * Vacuum cleaner * Oven or heat gun * Heat resistant gloves * Safety glasses * Particle/dust respirator The knowledge and skills required include basic writing and numeracy, the ability to read and interpret typical product specifications, job sheets, and material labels as provided to operators.