Plastics Processes: Line Bending

Line Bending

Line bending is a thermoforming process, i.e. it is a method of forming a thermoplastic after it has been heated until it has become soft and pliable.

Line bending involves heating a thermoplastic sheet material over a strip heater until it becomes soft and pliable, then bending it, usually over a former.

Thermoplastics may be bent to any angle by using a jig or a former, or if the angle is not critical, simply by bending the thermoplastic sheet by hand and then holding it until it cools.

The animation opposite is one of a set covering line bending processes, including jigs, formers and line benders / strip heaters.

New Line Bending software package

A great D&T package that will help teachers and students. The Line Bending software package includes:

• Animations, including the line bending process
• Types of strip heaters / line benders
• Jigs and formers
• Details of plastics commonly used for line bending
• 10 line bending design and make assignments (HTML versions for computers and interactive whiteboards)
• PDF versions of the 10 DMAs for easy printing and duplicating
• Resources to help students with their DMAs:

Line bending notes, animations and projects Click one of the links below to download the software.

Payment methods for Line Bending

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Teachers: Click here to fill out an order form

Other plastics process notes and animations covered in our KS3 D&T software:

• Thermoforming:
  • vacuum forming
    • commonly used materials
  • plug & yoke
• expanded polystyrene (EPS)
• structural foam
  • commonly used materials
• rotational moulding
  • commonly used materials
• injection moulding
  • commonly used materials
• gas assisted injection moulding
• injection blow moulding
• extrusion blow moulding
  • commonly used materials
• inserts in plastic mouldings
• blown film
• thermosets
• resins
• hand lay-up of glass reinforced plastic (GRP)
• sprayed polyester resin and reinforcing material
• resin transfer moulding
• pultrusion process
• injection moulding
• compression moulding:
  • dough moulding compound (DMC
  • sheet moulding compound (SMC)

The KS3 Design and Technology software package is our biggest and best product, containing all our latest D&T notes, animations and exercises.

Together, the KS3 Design and Technology and our original KS4 Design and Resistant Materials Technology software make a very useful and economical D&T teaching and learning package, giving students and teachers D&T information, exercises and tests

Click on a link below, fill in an order form,
then download our D&T software

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