PVC sheets such as PALIGHT, PALABOARD, PALCLEAR and PALOPAQUE, can be bent with Calrods, radiant heaters, strip heaters or air-circulated ovens. Heat guns can also be used in small areas.
To ensure successful results, a thermostat should be employed to regulate the sheet temperature so that the surface temperature does not exceed allowed limits.
When using a metal contact strip heater, cover the heater strip with Teflon spray to prevent marking the sheets.
Different sizes of rectangular heating bars can be applied to produce bends of different radius. The larger the heated area of the sheet, the broader the radius can be created.
When heat-bending PVC sheets at a gauge thicker than 4 mm, the sheet should be warmed from both sides.
PVC sheets require heating approximately 30 to 40 seconds per millimeter prior to being bent.
To form tighter bends with smaller radii, use a small heated area on the upper surface (inside the bend) of the sheet and a larger heated area on the bottom surface (on the outside of the bend) of the sheet.
A minimum radius of twice the sheet thickness is necessary to avoid breakage.
When bending PVC sheets into an angle, the extension of the sheet on either side of the angle should be at least 20 times the panel thickness.
Once heat-bent, place the panel to cool down in a fixture, such as a jig or clamp. Fans and/or compressed air will speed up cooling. For detailed guidance, look up the Product Fabrication Guide in the Downloads section.
