Thermoforming packaging machines play a key role in modern production, efficiently transforming flat plastic films into trays and packs that meet strict quality and hygiene standards. Whether you work in food, médical, or industrial sectors, knowing how these machines function is essential to choosing the right equipment for your needs. This article will provide a clear overview of what a thermoforming packaging machine is and guide you through its complete workflow, pas à pas.
Qu'est-ce qu'une machine d'emballage par thermoformage?
A thermoforming packaging machine is a fully automated system designed to convert flat rolls of plastic film into shaped, sealed packages in one continuous cycle. It precisely heats the base film to its forming temperature, draws it into a mold using vacuum, pression, or plug-assist, fills the formed cavities with product, and then applies and seals a top web. The process integrates heating, formation, remplissage, scellage, and cutting within a single frame. Because each stage is controlled by programmable logic, the machine delivers uniform pack dimensions, reliable barrier properties, and consistent seal integrity at high speed.
From an operational perspective, you can view it as a compact production line engineered to meet high-volume, high-hygiene requirements. By feeding in your chosen film and setting key parameters, you gain control over pack depth, forme, and material thickness. This allows you to standardize quality across thousands of packs per hour while reducing manual handling and complying with strict packaging regulations.
Key Components Inside a Thermoforming Packaging Machine
Film Unwinding and Tension Control
This unit holds the upper and lower film rolls and feeds them with constant tension. A stable feed avoids wrinkles and keeps sealing surfaces flat. Adjusting film tension correctly can significantly reduce sealing defects.Heating Station
Quartz or ceramic heaters warm the bottom film to the forming temperature, typically 90–120 °C for PVC and 120–160 °C for PET or PP, depending on thickness. Uniform heating is critical to prevent uneven thinning of the material.Forming Station (Mold Area)
The heated film enters a mold where vacuum, pression, or a plug assist in shaping it into cavities. Cooling channels in the mold speed up setting, and high-end molds can form complex shapes like deep trays with tight corners.Loading or Filling Zone
Operators or automated dosing systems place the product into the formed pockets. In food factories, this area is often enclosed in a hygienic or controlled environment to maintain product safety.Sealing Station
The top film (often printed or laminated) covers the filled pockets. Heat and pressure seal it to the lower film. In medical packs, sealing parameters are validated to ISO 11607 to ensure sterility.Cutting or Punching Station
The machine cuts individual packs or leaves them in perforated strips. Precision cutting reduces waste and improves shelf appearance.
Each module is controlled by a PLC with temperature, pression, and timing feedback. The interface lets operators fine-tune parameters to match different films and products. Consistent calibration of sensors can increase line uptime by up to 5–10% annually.
How a Thermoforming Packaging Machine Works
Heating and Preparing the Film
The process begins when the bottom film — often PET or PP — enters the heating zone. It is warmed to 120–160 °C, depending on thickness, which softens the material enough for forming while maintaining its barrier properties. Careful control of each temperature zone can greatly improve thickness uniformity and help cut energy use by notable levels compared with uncontrolled heating.
Forming the Cavities
Once the film reaches the correct temperature, it moves smoothly into the forming station. Ici, vacuum, pression, or plug-assist technology shapes the film into precise cavities or trays. Selecting the right method ensures accurate walls and edges, which is especially important if you produce high-value or tightly-fitting packs.
Filling the Product
As soon as the cavities are formed, they travel directly to the filling area. Depending on your setup, dosing can be automated or manual. In food factories, this zone is often enclosed in a hygienic or controlled environment to maintain product safety and reduce contamination risk. Keeping this section clean can markedly lower the chance of rejected packs compared with open loading areas.
Vacuum or Gas Flushing (if required)
Before sealing, the machine can evacuate air from the cavities or replace it with a protective gas mixture. This optional step helps extend shelf life, protect delicate items, and slow microbial growth. It can also be bypassed entirely for products that do not need a modified atmosphere.
Sealing with the Top Film
After filling and any vacuum or gas-flushing step, a top film covers the product and is sealed to the formed bottom film with heat and pressure. The balance between temperature, dwell time, and web tension is critical. When these parameters are optimised, you achieve fewer seal defects and maintain consistent package integrity even at higher speeds.
Cutting and Finishing the Packs
The sealed web then enters the cutting station, where precision blades or dies separate individual packs. Clean cutting improves both appearance and consistency. High-accuracy cutting can noticeably reduce film waste and material costs over time, which matters for long production runs.
Monitoring and Control
Throughout these steps, a central PLC and sensor system tracks temperature, vacuum levels, and web tension in real time. You can adjust parameters on the control panel while production runs, which helps stabilise quality, cut downtime, and keep output steady across shifts.
Main Types of Thermoforming Processes and Their Applications
UN machine d'emballage par thermoformage works by heating a flat plastic film until it softens, then shaping it into cavities or trays that match the product’s requirements. The forming method you choose affects the depth of the tray, wall thickness, and overall precision. Knowing these differences helps you select the right machine setup and optimize material use.
Vacuum Forming
In vacuum forming, the heated film is placed over a mold, and air is drawn out so the film tightly conforms to the mold’s shape. This method is straightforward and cost-efficient, as tooling is simpler. It works best for shallow trays or packs where the wall thickness is relatively uniform.
You can run vacuum forming at moderate speeds and still get consistent results, making it suitable for high-volume production of simple shapes. The simplicity of this method also means maintenance and setup are faster compared with more complex forming techniques.
Typical applications: disposable meal boxes, fast-food trays, lightweight food packaging, and light industrial parts.
Pressure Forming
Pressure forming builds on vacuum forming by applying additional air pressure or mechanical force from above. This pushes the film more tightly against the mold, which allows you to produce deeper cavities and shapes with greater variation in wall thickness.
Compared with vacuum forming, pressure forming achieves higher dimensional accuracy and reduces weak spots where the film could stretch too thin. It is particularly useful when the product requires precise protection or when you use thicker films for durability.
Typical applications: deep trays, medical device packaging, and premium food products that need both visual appeal and protection.
Plug-Assist Forming
Plug-assist forming adds a mechanical or pneumatic plug that pushes the film into the mold during vacuum or pressure forming. This ensures the wall thickness remains consistent even for deep or complex shapes.
This method is ideal for delicate, high-value, or heavy products where uniform wall thickness is critical. The plug reduces material stress, helps maintain shape, and improves sealing performance in the final pack.
Typical applications: vacuum-packed meats, deep medical trays, precision cosmetic trays, and fragile industrial components.
Combined or Hybrid Methods
Many thermoforming machines use a combination of these techniques to balance speed, depth, and wall thickness. Par exemple, vacuum plus pressure or plug-assist plus pressure can be applied, particularly when processing multilayer or barrier films.
Although tooling costs are higher for combined methods, they improve material efficiency and produce more consistent packs, especially in high-volume production where precision and quality are crucial. You can also run these machines at higher speeds without compromising shape or wall uniformity.
Réflexions finales
Thermoforming packaging machines follow a clear sequence—heat, formulaire, remplir, (optional vacuum or gas flushing), joint, and cut. When you understand this workflow, you can see how these machines deliver consistent, hygienic, and high-quality packs at scale. At CHLB, we design machines that optimize material use and wall thickness, helping you achieve reliable output with reduced waste.
If you are considering a new machine or upgrading your line, our team at CHLB can help. We provide detailed specifications, performance data, and guidance to match your production needs. By choosing the right thermoforming packaging solution, you ensure efficiency, product safety, and professional presentation for every pack that leaves your facility.
