What we do – Processing phases of the plastic materials

1. Design and development

Free Plast is aware of the customer's need for a more and more complete development and technical advice service in the field of plastic materials and their use. That is why since its setting up it has always tried to satisfy such need.

Expert internal staff operating in ten-year partnership with trustworthy and qualified external mould makers and planners is able to create, develop and test any kind of manufactured article.

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2. Thermoforming

After a careful phase of development and creation of suitable equipments, Free Plast gives its initial plans concrete form through the use of electronically controlled thermoforming machines.

Organized on 4 production lines, Free Plast thermoforming department is able to mould manufactured products up to the size of 1200 x 2200 with a maximum height of 700 mm. Modern controlled thermoforming machines can numerically satisfy the most demanding needs while keeping a constant quality level throughout the manufacturing execution, which characteristic is not very often present in the thermoforming process.

Production lines of the thermoforming department

1 thermoforming machine 800 x 1000 vacuum/pressure
1 thermoforming machine 1000 x 1500 with hydraulic movements
1 thermoforming machine 1200 x 2000 with new-generation electric handling
1 thermoforming machine 1200 x 2200 with new-generation electric handling

Through the use of these machines any kind of product can be created having recourse to a wide range of plastic materials with the most varied technical features and colours, solving possible painting problems.

As Free Plast strong focal point is the sector of refrigeration applied to furnishing and other fields, the most used material is ABS + PMMA (methacrylate). Besides offering technical features far above standard, this material provides a very high aesthetic finishing. In addition, according to the use of the finished product, Free Plast operates through the use of other materials such as ABS, PST, ABS + PC and PEHD (high density polyethylene) with thickness from 1 mm up to 10 mm.

Besides being used for technical items, these materials are particularly indicated for the production of inter-layers for robotized handling and packaging. The wide range of exploitable materials - through the employment of advanced technologies, completed with great expertise, allows almost endless possibilities for the thermoforming process (including slight undercuts).

3. Cutting

Free Plast is characterized by productive balance; piece blocking out, trimming and burring phases follow in parallel the thermoforming times, applying to them quality control standards.

The highly specialized staff is able to provide that finishing degree required by each detail through the use of numerical controlled robots. Free Plast cutting and finishing department is structured on 3 automated lines supported by an area dedicated to the manual finishing and disposal of scraps, which are always completely recycled through a procedure respectful of the environment.

Besides numerically satisfying very high needs, the numerical controlled cutting centres can guarantee the necessary quality constancy up to tolerances of 0.1 mm on any processed material. A significant part of the cutting department is made up of the manual workings carried out mainly on samplings and small series. There are carefully executed by staff provided with great experience and capable of supplying - of course in longer times - the same quality as a controlled machining centre.

Great devotion, spurred by an ever living passion, has always made it sure that Free Plast cutting department fully satisfies expectations within the prescribed time.

Production lines cutting and finishing department

1 CNC machining centre - 3 axles
1 CNC machining centre - 5 axles - 2 mandrels
1 CNC machining centre - 5 axles - 3 mandrels
Area destined for manual finishing and scrap disposal

4. Low density polyurethane insulation (39/40 Kg/m³)

Always ready to satisfy the new needs of the market and intent on constant internal development, 15 years ago Free Plast created a low density polyurethane insulation department inside its premises.

This added working, which is highly complementary to thermoforming, can be applied especially in the sector of refrigeration, in which Free Plast has been active for several years now gaining good experience. This material, which respects all the American and European chemical and environmental "UL" regulations, has important features of thermal and acoustic insulation, besides proving to be a vary effective reinforcement element when combined with particular thermoformed products for specific uses.

Presently, Free Plast polyurethane insulation department uses a high pressure machine capable of managing up to 8 moulds followed and coordinated by a staff with ten-year experience. The whole process is carried out in compliance with the ISO 9001: 2000 regulation and is submitted - same as the previous workings - to specific controls relevant to both the used raw materials and the finished product.

Packaging The packaging of a product has always been its first credentials. At Free Plast they not only take care over the main processes, but specialized staff prepares the finished product fore the shipment in specially provided area dedicated to packaging following specific instructions. Each manufactured article must be guaranteed to reach its destination perfectly intact.

Services

All the staff work - and consequently all the manufacturing phases at Free Plast are carried out - with perfect synergy, guaranteeing not only the utmost attention and flexibility with regard to the customer's needs, but above all a continuous and stimulating improvement in the company and the services it supplies.

Free Plast goal has always been the customer's satisfaction. Starting from this focal point, our company has evolved in time, keeping - also in the passage from a small handicraft concern to a small industry - the characteristics peculiar to those whom love and carry out their own work with great dedication. Transports carried out most of the time using self-owned vehicles or through reliable carriers, quality and constancy in supply as well as observance of terms and, last but not least, great flexibility are Free Plast strong points.