Products
Continuous Inline Thermoforming Machines.
Continuous Production. Precision Engineering. MODERN Performance.
Continuous Inline Thermoforming Machines.
Custom-engineered inline thermoforming systems.
Modern Machinery of Beaverton designs and manufactures continuous inline thermoforming machines built to improve production efficiency, maintain consistent part quality, and streamline manufacturing operations. Our custom-engineered equipment integrates heating, forming, trimming, knockout, and part removal into one coordinated production system. Each inline thermoforming machine is designed around your specific application, material requirements, tooling specifications, and production goals. Whether you're expanding capacity, upgrading outdated equipment, or developing a new manufacturing process, MODERN delivers equipment engineered for reliable, repeatable performance.
Advanced Features and Capabilities
Our continuous inline thermoforming machines can incorporate:
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Custom Oven Systems: Panel heaters, ceramic heating elements, and clamshell or pullout oven configurations engineered for controlled, consistent heating.
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Precision Form Stations: Tool clamping systems and third-motion plug drives designed for accurate, repeatable forming.
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Pneumatic or Servo-Driven Toggles: Engineered motion systems that support application-specific forming force and positioning requirements.
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Integrated Trim Stations: Custom-designed stations engineered to generate the tonnage required for consistent trimming.
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Knockout Stations: Reliable systems for separating finished parts from the material web.
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Chain-Drive Systems: Controlled material indexing and accurate positioning throughout production.
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Automated Part Removal: Integrated solutions that reduce manual handling and improve production flow.
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Advanced Machine Controls: Coordinated automation, operator interfaces, and diagnostics designed for efficient operation.
Clamshell or Pullout?
The right oven makes a difference.
In continuous inline thermoforming, consistent material heating is essential to producing quality parts. Uneven temperatures can affect material distribution, forming consistency, and overall part quality. That's why Modern Machinery designs oven systems around the material, tooling, and production requirements of each application.
Our continuous inline machines can incorporate several IR heater configurations, with configurations designed to deliver the appropriate heat distribution and PID temperature control. We also offer oven configurations that balance production requirements with accessibility and maintenance needs.
Clamshell Oven Systems
Clamshell designs provide access by opening the oven sections, making them a practical solution when machine layout and available clearance support this configuration.
Benefits include:
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Offers a reduced footprint
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Access to heating components
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Configurations suited to specific machine layouts
Pullout Oven Systems
Pullout configurations allow oven sections to move away from the production path, providing another approach to heater access and maintenance.
Benefits include:
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Offers more access for maintenance providing access to heating elements outside the operating position
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Flexibility for certain machine layouts
Each design has advantages and considerations. The right choice depends on your facility, material requirements, maintenance preferences, and production process. MODERN evaluates these factors to engineer a heating solution that supports reliable, repeatable forming.
Better heat control leads to better production control.
Better Forming Starts at the Form Station.
A well-engineered form station plays a critical role in producing consistent, high-quality thermoformed parts. At Modern Machinery, we design continuous inline form stations with a focus on precision, repeatability, and efficient tool operation. From tool clamping to advanced plug-assist movement, each component can be configured to meet your material, tooling, and forming requirements.
Third-Motion Plug Drive
For applications requiring plug-assisted forming, a third-motion plug drive provides an independently controlled movement for the plug-assist system. This additional motion can provide greater control over material distribution during the forming process.
Benefits include:
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Independent plug-assist movement
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Improved control of plug timing and positioning
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Greater flexibility for complex part geometries
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Support for more consistent material distribution
Tool Clamping Systems
Reliable tool clamping helps secure tooling during production while supporting accurate alignment and repeatable operation.
Benefits include:
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Secure tooling during operation
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Consistent tool positioning
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Reduced setup complexity
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Support for efficient tool changes
Whether you're forming deep-draw components or parts requiring precise material placement, MODERN can engineer a form station designed around your application.
Precision at the form station supports consistency throughout production.
Pneumatic or Servo?
Choosing the right toggle system.
In continuous inline thermoforming, controlled and repeatable form-station movement is essential for maintaining consistent production. Modern Machinery can engineer toggle systems with pneumatic or servo-driven actuation, depending on the force, positioning, cycle time, and control requirements of your application. Both technologies offer advantages.
Pneumatic Toggle Systems
Pneumatic actuation provides a practical approach for applications where straightforward operation and reliable motion are priorities.
Benefits include:
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Relatively simple mechanical and control systems
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Lower initial complexity
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Reliable operation for suitable applications
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Straightforward maintenance
Servo-Driven Toggle Systems
Servo-driven actuation offers more programmable control over movement, making it attractive for applications requiring precise positioning and adjustable motion profiles.
Benefits include:
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Programmable motion control
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Adjustable speeds and positioning
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Repeatable movement profiles
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Greater flexibility for different tooling requirements
The best solution is not always the most complex one.
MODERN evaluates your production goals, part requirements, and operating conditions to recommend an actuation system that balances performance, reliability, and investment.
The right drive system can make a meaningful difference in machine performance.
Formed. Trimmed.
Ready for the next step.
Producing a quality thermoformed part is only one stage of the manufacturing process. Consistent trimming and reliable part separation are just as important to keeping production moving.
Modern Machinery designs continuous inline systems with integrated trim and knockout stations engineered to work with the forming process.
Trim Stations Engineered for the Required Tonnage
Different materials, part geometries, and tooling configurations require different trimming forces. MODERN engineers trim stations to generate the tonnage required for the application while maintaining controlled, repeatable operation.
Benefits include:
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Trimming force matched to application requirements
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Consistent trim operation
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Integrated tooling and machine design
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Reduced handling between forming and trimming
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Support for repeatable finished-part dimensions
Knockout Stations
Following trimming, a knockout station can separate the finished parts from the surrounding material web and configure the parts in a stack if desired. Can design custom solutions. For suitable applications, simple knockout systems provide a practical method for removing parts from the web.
Benefits include:
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Straightforward mechanical operation
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Consistent part separation
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Integration with inline production
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Reduced manual intervention
By integrating trimming and knockout into the machine design, MODERN helps manufacturers create a more complete and efficient production process.
From forming through finishing, every station matters.
Keep Your Inline Production Moving.
Continuous inline thermoforming depends on more than the performance of individual stations. Material must move accurately through the machine, and finished parts must be removed efficiently to maintain production flow. Modern Machinery engineers chain-drive and part-removal systems to support reliable material movement from one stage of production to the next.
Chain-Drive Systems
The chain-drive system plays an important role in transporting and positioning material throughout the inline thermoforming process.
A properly engineered system helps maintain consistent indexing and material alignment as the sheet moves through heating, forming, trimming, and knockout operations.
Benefits include:
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Consistent material indexing
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Controlled sheet transport
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Repeatable positioning between stations
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Reliable operation during continuous production
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Integration with machine controls
Part-Removal Systems
Once parts have been formed, trimmed, and separated, they need to be removed from the production area.
Depending on the application, MODERN can engineer part-removal solutions that help transfer finished components to downstream handling or collection processes.
Benefits include:
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Reduced manual part handling
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Improved production flow
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More consistent part transfer
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Integration with downstream equipment
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Support for automated production
From the first index to the final part, MODERN designs systems that keep material moving through production.
Reliable movement is essential to reliable output.
Your Entire Inline Process. Working Together.
A continuous inline thermoforming machine is only as effective as the systems working together behind it. Heating, forming, trimming, indexing, knockout, and part removal must operate in a coordinated sequence to maintain consistent production.
At Modern Machinery of Beaverton, we design custom automation and control systems that bring these processes together. Our engineering capabilities include PLC-based machine controls, operator interfaces, coordinated motion systems, and application-specific automation.
Integrated Machine Automation
MODERN can engineer controls to coordinate:
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Oven temperature and heating zones
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Material indexing and chain-drive movement
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Form-station motion and tool operation
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Pneumatic or servo-driven toggle systems
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Trim and knockout sequencing
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Automated part removal
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Machine diagnostics and safety functions
Let's Look at Your Current Setup.
Start with your part.
We'll engineer the rest.
Designed Around Your Operation.
Every production environment is different.
Whether you need a fully integrated new inline thermoforming machine or are evaluating automation opportunities within an existing process, MODERN can develop a solution based on your equipment requirements, production goals, and operational needs.
MODERN's experience in mechanical engineering, electrical controls, and machine manufacturing allows us to approach automation as part of the complete equipment design.
Ready to modernize your continuous thermoforming process?
Let's discuss what a custom-engineered inline system could do for your operation.
Visualize. Customize. Modernize.