Spencer Industries Inc. Plastic Blog

In-House Extrusion Benefits

noreply@blogger.com (Spencerind) — Tue, 12 Jan 2016 21:01:00 +0000

Spencer Industries is vertically integrated more than any other thermoformer in the nation. We have 3 extrusions lines internally allowing us the ability to extrude ABS, TPO, HMWHDPE, PP, and HIPS. (co-extrusion is available)

There are many benefits that this brings for our customers:

Reduced Lead Times
Increased Sheet Quality
Lowered Costs
Closed-Loop Regrind Cycle
Custom Colors, Textures, Caps, and Films

Contact our technical sales staff for more information!

Thermoforming in Hampton, South Carolina

noreply@blogger.com (Spencerind) — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 13:03:00 +0000

Did you know that we have thermoforming facility in South Carolina????

The headquarters for our Heavy Gauge Thermoforming operations are located in Dale, Indiana. We also have an established facility in Hampton, South Carolina. This has provided convenience and access for our customers in the southern states.

We feel it is important to serve our customers, and in 2008 we were able meet their needs by purchasing another facility in South Carolina. When dealing with Heavy Gauge plastic products logistics often becomes a point of concern. Being closer to our customers in the south has allowed them to reduce their logistic costs. We simply extrude the plastic sheet at our facility in Dale, Indiana, and ship the plastic sheet to our Hampton, South Carolina facility to be thermoformed. This facility continues to allow us to be that single supplier, but yet reduces shipping costs for our customers in the southern and eastern states.

Our thermoforming facility in Hampton, South Carolina is located only 4 hours away from Atlanta, Georgia. It takes less than a half an hour to access I-95 from our Hampton, South Carolina facility. Charleston, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia are less than 2 hours away from our facility as well.

Francis Hirt

If location is key to your business then speak with Francis Hirt, our Southeastern Regional Sales Manager @ 931.680.0879

Thermoformed Plastic Enclosures - How to make them Stronger!

noreply@blogger.com (Spencerind) — Fri, 04 Oct 2013 19:51:00 +0000

Thermoformed plastic enclosures fall into many categories from outhouses, storage sheds, underground equipment, deer blinds, tool boxes, and all the way to large cabins for utility vehicles.

Many of these I have listed are larger plastic enclosures. So the question is...
   "How in the world do you make plastic enclosures stronger?"
                    Simple... Use Twin Sheet Thermoforming

When using Heavy Gauge plastic it is possible to increase the structural strength of those thermformed plastic enclosures by using the Twin Sheet Thermoforming method. Twin sheet thermoforming is the heating of two extruded plastic sheets simultaneously, and then forming and sealing or fusing these two sheets together during the thermoforming process.

When using Twin Sheeting this produces a hollow part. Inside this hollow part separate components can be placed inside before or after the plastic enclosure is formed. This could be needed to add strength, for mounting purposes, aesthetic looks, or could be just a creative idea your company has. This hollow part could also be foam filled to insulate or reduce noise.

There are many outdoor thermoformed plastic enclosures that incorporate doors or lids. When dealing with hinges in outdoor plastic structures consider the effect that weather has on a metal hinge. Why not try a Thermoformed Plastic living Hinge if you already have a Twin Sheet Thermoformed part.

There are so many opportunities out there in the world of Plastic Enclosures. There are many ways to make plastic stronger, and more durable. It takes a good innovative idea to make things happen.

Spencer Industries Inc. has engineers working directly with our customers, and with the operators forming the parts on the shop floor. Our engineers have the manufacturing experience to tailor your design to optimize the performance, price and tooling costs for your plastic thermoformed enclosure. You better believe that they love a good challenge, and we love to see our customers succeed!

If you have a plastic enclosure question please don't hesitate to call us 800-937-4561 ext. 225 .

               We are not afraid to try new ideas!

                                 We know our Heavy Gauge Plastic!

                                                    We have 30+ years in experience!

Thermoforming Emergency 911 - We Need Parts NOW!

noreply@blogger.com (Spencerind) — Tue, 17 Sep 2013 16:05:00 +0000

Emergencies happen for all sorts of reasons but getting your parts on time at the needed quality level requires resources. Make sure your vendors, current or potential, can move at the fastest possible speed to support your needs.

Do they have Internal Sheet Extrusion?

Internal sheet extrusion puts the thermoformer in charge of sheet quality, production schedules, color conformance, and material choices that meet your needs. If your product is supported by external sheet sources, your options or your timing will be limited.

Do they have fast tool turn-around?

New tooling requires a little lead time. Tooling times on new or replacement molds are critical to delivery timing: Any good supplier will have more than one tooling vendor with more than one fabrication method.
Tool deliveries in four weeks are common, and if needed, two to three weeks may be possible. Many thermoforming molds are cast, but when needed for tolerances or other characteristics, machined tools are also great for thermoforming. Special customizations may also drive the delivery time of a tool.
24 hours turn around on take over and new tools. With proper planning Spencer Industries has the ability to start producing parts 24 hours after the tool has been received. An experienced in-house staff of toolmakers, across three shifts, and inhouse extrusion are major assets to making best use of available time. Nearby tooling vendors are other valuable resource in overcoming issues and solving problems.

Do they have 3d Modeling?

3D modeling is a MUST HAVE! Lead times are triggered by supplying the tool vendor with the tool design or a model from which the vendor can design a mold. Look for a vendor with high end 3d modeling, and mold design protocols for cooling lines, vacuum hole sizes and placements, and other details that gets the tool maker cutting chips faster and improves results in forming without delaying deliveries. Vendors who provide the tool design, cuts one step from the process. Your vendor should be totally responsible for the project, including the tool design.
Ability to Pre-build CNC fixtures using the 3d model while a mold is being built is a major time saver. Building and adjusting fixtures in house is a major advantage in reaching first part trimming. A lean, streamlined vendor can put this in motion to meet quick deliveries.

Can they provide Quality?

Mold and part conformance to your designs and prints are crucial determinations in making a new part perform. Repeating current part profiles when moving molds is even more important. A vendor needs the meteorology tools and personnel to measure existing parts and molds and measuring and comparing new molds and parts to the model, engineering drawing, or parts being used in production.

Of course, all the upstream preparation needs down stream capacity and your vendor should have flexible capacity to meet your needs.

If your vendor has all of these elements available for your project, even impossible time lines become more manageable.

You don’t have to have an emergency to enjoy these resources, but it is nice to know the power is there if needed.

Send us your information, and we will send you a detailed list of the resources and experience waiting make your project a success!!

If you have an immediate need, call 812-937-4561

Dennis @ ext 225

Thermoforming in the Central Time Zone in Indiana

noreply@blogger.com (Spencerind) — Thu, 29 Aug 2013 13:45:00 +0000

Here in Southern Indiana our time zones are so close you can drive a few miles down the road and be in a different time zone. I'm not kidding either take a look for yourself --> Indiana Time Zones!

Here at Spencer Industries Inc. we operate on the Central Time Zone CST. I just want to clarify this because we have so many people ask. I thought maybe posting it in a blog would help get the word out.

So... if you need a Thermoforming supplier that operates near the Central Time zone you have found your Thermoformer!!

To schedule a short Q&A session about our Thermoforming methods & capabilities click here.

Our office hours are 7:00 am - 4:30 PM CST.

Our Thermoformers & Extrusion lines run 24 hrs x 5 days / week
.. sometimes more if a customer has a deadline to meet.

We are probably one of the most flexible Thermoformers you will ever work with!

note: A big thank you to Joe for letting me take a picture of his AWESOME clock for the blog article even though it does say Kentucky on it.

Consider Color.. When Changing Metal over to Plastic Thermoforming

noreply@blogger.com (Spencerind) — Fri, 23 Aug 2013 14:43:00 +0000

When considering converting Metal products over to plastic products be sure to take color into consideration. This should be one of the things on the list when determining if Plastic is the right solution for you!

Avoid the extra cost painting metal by choosing from a variety of plastic color options.

Tons of Color Options.... Most plastics can be colored across the palette to deliver your particular color needs and part appearance.

Plastic ABS, Polystyrene, Acrylic, TPO, Polyethylene, Luran, and Centrex can be colored and have various gloss and textures as well, which broadens the performance choices.

Co-extrusion provides additional color combinations that can provide gloss or matte finishes by using different but compatible polymers in layers with each layer having its own appearance.

ABS plastic capped with a weatherable polymer has been a long standing choice for outdoor applications while TPO plastic, a new polymer offers performance, low thermal expansion and contraction rates, and resists long term weathering as well.

Camo & Brushed Aluminum Films - If you like a Camo or special look like Brushed Aluminum, these too can be attained by laminating cap films during the sheet extrusion process to further expand the possibilities, and while Microban is not a color, this antimicrobial additive can also be incorporated in the cap or caps of the sheet.

All of these plastic sheet choices are extruded at

Spencer Industries Inc

. for our thermoforming customers, providing faster deliveries and truly custom choices.

Polycarbonate, PVC , glass filled TPO, Kydex, and Senosan sheets are purchased for applications as needed.

These options provide the material for thermoforming parts that might be substituted for metal, saving weight and eliminating painting in your applications.

If you have more questions about Color options for Thermoformed Plastic please email us .

Cost Savings - Converting Metal or Fiberglass parts to Plastic… Consider This….

noreply@blogger.com (Spencerind) — Wed, 14 Aug 2013 15:46:00 +0000

In the world of thermoforming converting both cosmetic and structural parts from metal or fiberglass to plastic can be a great cost savings. Metal parts such as a large tool box, fenders for a vehicle, cowls, and SUV Vehicle Roofs would be great candidates to consider for this change. These changes could also improve the part’s performance, esthetic look, and durability as well as providing a cost savings.

Consider … Color
Avoid painting Metal or Fiberglass by using a colored plastic.

Consider… Durability & Product Life
Metal parts can become rusty or pitted. Metal can also show hail damage. TPO can provide U.V. Stability.

Consider…. Extra Hardware
Plastic can be molded using methods and techniques that could reduce the need for metal hinges, and hardware. This could also in turn reduce the need for assembly labor.

Consider.. Appearance
Acrylic capped sheet can rival the appearance of gel coated fiberglass. New materials like TPO can provide U.V. stability. Films can also be applied to plastics to make it appear they are metal, or films such as Camouflage patterns can be applied to give a more unique cosmetic appeal.

Consider… Strength
There are methods available such as Twin Sheet Thermoforming, and mechanically inserting supports as the plastic is molded. It is possible to design radii and ribs that are not practical in metal, foam filling, and material choices for different specific performance issues.

Consider.. Shipping Weight
Metal parts tend to weigh much more than plastics parts.

Don’t let plastic fool you! When considering the change from Metal or Fiberglass over to plastic keep an open mind. The key is to think outside the box, and to have an engineer that will listen and make it happen!

Celebrating 30 Years of Custom Thermoforming

noreply@blogger.com (Spencerind) — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 17:41:00 +0000

We are very excited to be celebrating 30 years of Custom Thermoforming!! Our company is a very strong locally owned and operated business. I wanted to share with you a little bit of our history, as many people do not realize how we started into the Thermoforming business.

We are a very unique company nestled in a small town in Southern Indiana. We started out thermoforming plastic as Thermwood Corporation where we thermoformed wood grained plastic products for the furniture industry, hence the name "Thermwood".

In 1981 Thermwood made a corporate decision to become totally automated, and they set out their dream to build CNC Routers. We then set out on our mission to provide Custom Thermofoming. We built a facility next door and purchased the Thermoforming and Sheet Extrusion assets of Thermwood. With our company headquarters being located in beautiful Spencer County, Indiana we decided to name our company "Spencer Industries Incorporated".

Our company began with 58 employees in 1981. Now in 2011 we have over 200 employees in our Indiana & South Carolina facilities. We are proud to say that many of those same experienced employees are still working with us today!

Over the past 30 years we have expanded our Thermoforming, and warehouse facilities many times. There were also purchases of new facilities in El Plaso, Texas and in Hampton, South Carolina. The El Paso facility is no longer open, but we do currently produce large amounts of Thermoformed plastic products in our Hampton, South Carolina facility today!

Over the past 30 years we have also achieved several awards for our unique Thermoforming abilities. These abilities are continually improving as we learn new ways to improve or products and business.

It's like our Motto says :
"Excellence Through Continuous Improvement"

More history on our company

Thermoforming Job Opening: Quality Assurance Manager - Hampton, South Carolina

noreply@blogger.com (Spencerind) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:57:00 +0000

Thermoforming Business is picking up and moving forward...

Spencer Industries Inc. is searching for a Quality Assurance Manager to join our team in Hampton, South Carolina.

Quality Assurance Manger Job Description

To apply please fill out an application

in our front lobby or email your resume here

This position has been filled. Thank you to all the applicants!!

Spencer Industries 2010 Scholarship Winners Announced

noreply@blogger.com (Spencerind) — Thu, 13 May 2010 12:07:00 +0000

We are proud to announce that recipients of the 2010 Spencer Industries Primary Scholarship in the amount of $1,415 each are Derek Brown, son of Kenny and Darlene Brown, and Jessica Ritter, daughter of Jody Dodd.

The winners of the Special Supplemental Scholarship Drawing in the amount of $250 each are Caitlin Hedinger, daugher of Lisa Hedinger, and Joshua Rhoades, Son of Randy Rhoades.

Reduce Product Production Cost by adding a Plastic Living Hinge Vs. Traditional Metal Hinges

noreply@blogger.com (Spencerind) — Fri, 07 May 2010 17:27:00 +0000

I have been writing about different ways to reduce the cost of producing products. Design and Engineering are key to producing a high aesthetic product, but one goal usually is to keeping the total project cost down.

Here is another idea to ponder....

Replace a Traditional Metal Hinge with a Plastic Living Hinge

Plastic Living Hinge

Imagine the Savings!

No hinges to order! Lower Inventory costs!
No extra labor/machine time to fasten them to the product. They are already there molded into the product.
No risk for rust, and no need to grease the hinge.

Plastic Living Hinge
similar to the hinge on a Tic-Tac Container but large scale

We have put together an example of a Twin Sheet Thermoformed Roll-up Door with a Plastic Living Hinge.

Plastic Can Reduce Manufacturing Costs... Replace Metal with Plastic

noreply@blogger.com (Spencerind) — Mon, 03 May 2010 15:40:00 +0000

Naturally plastic weighs less than most metals. There are many things that can be done to save on manufacturing costs of a product if you can reduce the weight or components. Here is an idea to ponder...

Replace Metal with a Thermoformed Plastic Component

Replacing any size piece of metal with Thermoformed plastic Component can reduce the weight of the product. This will also lower the packing requirements and shipping costs.
Worried about Strength? Twin Sheeting is a proven solution to add structural integrity to a plastic thermoformed component.

The Velocity Tanning Bed is a great example of a product where a Thermoformed Plastic Component was used in place of Metal to reduce production and shipping costs.

Plastic Can Reduce Manufacturing Costs... How??

noreply@blogger.com (Spencerind) — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 16:31:00 +0000

The economy has many companies thinking about different ways to reduce manufacturing cost. There are many ways to do this, but many Innovative American Companies are looking into using different materials, or parts to reduce costs.

Naturally plastic weighs less than metal. There are many things that can be done to reduce cost if you can reduce the weight, eliminate painting with molded in color, or reduce the number of components needed to produce a product.

Other related Blogs : Plastic Can Reduce Manufacturing costs - Replace Metal with Plastic

Taking a Plastic Product Concept and turning it into Reality!

noreply@blogger.com (Spencerind) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 17:59:00 +0000

We have just published an additional page on our website to explain how we turn a Unique Plastic Product Concept into Reality!

This webpage will step you through how our plastic thermoforming process flows from the initial rough draft a customer sends in, all they way to a finished consumer product.

Please view our Thermoformed Product "Concept-To-Reality" page to see how we can work One-on-One with you to help manage your project!

Spencer Industries Employees take the Biggest Loser Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Spencerind) — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 14:05:00 +0000

Spencer Industries employees participated in "The Biggest Loser" contest that started Jan. 6th, 2010. We had 23 Employees committed to weighing in each week for twelve weeks.

Employees were constantly watching their opponents, and seeked healthy advise on how they were losing weight. Like any other competition it came down to the wire between two employees. Between the both employees they have lost a total of 104.5 lbs. The winner was Randy Rhoades, and Kevin Martin falling only 4 lbs shy of winning.

There has been talk about starting a "Maintain Program" for those who participated in the contest to keep those pounds off.

Total Company Weight Loss 303.9 lbs

Thermoforming Plastic .. use your imagination!

noreply@blogger.com (Spencerind) — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:28:00 +0000

Plastic can be formed into almost any shape and size, and can be used for almost anything!!

Use your Imagination.... The band DEVO did!

Do you remember the band "DEVO" from the 70's & 80's?

Do you recall their famous Energy Dome hats? Devo is a band that is known for their originality.

Click here to learn more about....

the band DEVO, The Blue Plastic Energy Dome hats we Thermoformed, Pictures, and to also view a Video of the plastic energy domes being worn at their concert at the 2010 Olympics.

Indiana Thermoformer Receives Kubota Manufacturing of America’s Kaizen Award

noreply@blogger.com (Spencerind) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 21:21:00 +0000

Spencer Industries Inc. received Kubota Manufacturing of America’s Kaizen Award for the best over-all Kaizen and commitment to Kubota Manufacturing of America.

This award is based on an eight month competition between Kubota suppliers to improve processing and reduce the cost of not only Kubota components that Spencer Industries Inc. produces, but an overall commitment to the Kaizen philosophy of process improvement. To further utilize the Kaizen approach in their overall manufacturing process, Spencer Industries Inc. is visiting Japan (the home of the Kaizen Philosophy) for additional training and in-depth observation.

Twin Sheet Thermoforming - Advantages and Features

noreply@blogger.com (Spencerind) — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 21:27:00 +0000

Twin Sheet Thermoformed parts/product are made by very few thermoformers. Spencer Industries is one of the few that Specializes in this skill. When using the Twin Sheet Thermoforming method there are many unique advantages that allows the engineer to think "outside the box." Using the Twin Sheet Method can also be a huge cost savings!

Twin Sheet Thermoforming is accomplished by heating two extruded plastic sheets simultaneously and then forming and sealing or fusing these two sheets together during the thermoforming process. In many cases, the twin-sheeting process produces parts that can resemble a blow-molded or rotational molded product, but with several advantages.

Advantages of Twin Sheet Thermoforming

A two-color product option
Ability to have 2 different material thicknesses
A higher esthetic product because of complete tool contact of both exterior sheets
A hollow product with a separate component trapped inside the two sheets as the part is being twin sheet thermoformed.
Allows a parting line that varies in locations around the perimeter of the two halves
Increased Structural Integrity and helps Rigidify otherwise weak areas
Multiple Materials that we commonly Twin Sheet Thermoform - HIPS, ABS, TPO, HDPE, PP, TPU, & PETG
Size capabilities range from as small as 8" x 8" to as large as 7' x 11' x 36" Depth

Features of Twin Sheet Thermoforming

Hollow Formed Parts
Two Color Part Option
Foam Filled
Living Hinge Capabilities
Custom Color Layering
Variable Wall Thickness
Multi Textures
Air and Wiring Ducting

Spencer Industries Announces Expansion in Hampton, SC

noreply@blogger.com (Spencerind) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 21:48:00 +0000

PRESS RELEASE

Spencer Industries, Inc. has announced that the company will expand operations at their Hampton County facility to increase production capacity and capture a larger market share in the thermoformed plastics industry. According to Plant Manager Todd Warren, the expansion represents a capital investment of $1.2 million and will create a total of 12 jobs at the Hampton County location. (view the complete article here)

Excellence Through Continuous Improvement and 6S Methodology

noreply@blogger.com (Spencerind) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:12:00 +0000

"Excellence Through Continuous Improvement!"

- Spencer Industries moto

We strive to continuously improve our processes, product, and working environment at Spencer Industries.

We are implementing a 6s system as a way of improving organization and management of the workspace, efficiency by eliminating waste, the process flow, our overall working environment, and our safety program.

Our safety team is leading this effort through out our facility.

365 Days Without a Lost Time Accident and Counting !!

noreply@blogger.com (Spencerind) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:50:00 +0000

We have recently hit a milestone of 365 Days without a lost time accident at Spencer Industries Inc.!!

What that means is that our employees have avoided work related injuries; where time was lost in recuperating from on the job injuries, over the last year.

Employees have been awarded a ZERO candy bar each month for "0" Lost Time Accidents. When reaching the 365 day mark each employee received a Safety T-shirt that read-

Spencer Industries

Safety

Believed It - Achieved It

Thermoplastic and Thermosetting

noreply@blogger.com (Spencerind) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 22:10:00 +0000

Did you know all plastics fall into only 2 categories when it comes to their reaction to heating? These 2 categories are called Thermoplastic and Thermosetting.

Thermoplastic materials become soft when they are heated and solid when cooled to room temperature. This is similar to heating and cooling wax. Thermoplastics are materials such as acrylics, cellulosics, polyamide, polystyrene, polyethylene, fluoroplastics, polyvinyls, polycarbonate, and polysulfone.

Thermosetting materials cannot be reheated and softened again. Once these are formed they cannot be reformed. This is simliar to baking a cake or boiling an egg. Thermosetting are materials such as aminos, casein, epoxies, phenolics, polyesters, silicones, and polyurethanes.

What's in a Company Name??

noreply@blogger.com (Spencerind) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:11:00 +0000

Did you know...

Spencer Industries Inc. is located in

Spencer County, Indiana

In 2008 Spencer County's Population was 20,111

We used this company name because of our involvement with the county. Spencer County is known for it's beautiful scenery, rolling hills, and fields upon fields of corn. I think the most scenic places to visit would be the St. Meinrad Archabbey and the Lincoln State Park.

Fast Fact...
Abraham Lincoln lived in Spencer county from 1816 to 1830, between the ages seven and twenty-one. His family moved to Illinois in 1830. The Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial is located at the site of the Lincoln family farm.

Spencer County has many places to visit!
You can Celebrate History and Holidays all year long! Visit http://www.legendaryplaces.org/ for information on places to visit in Spencer County.

Plastic Manufacturing in the USA

noreply@blogger.com (Spencerind) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 18:15:00 +0000

We are proud to be a Plastic Manufacturer in the USA supplying Custom Thermoformed parts all over the United States!

Our molds are made in the USA, and our parts are all manufactured from resin made in the United States as well.

Keeping business in the United States is very important, as this strengthens our economy!

We fly our flag with Pride!

Light Penetration Properties of Plastic

noreply@blogger.com (Spencerind) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 12:30:00 +0000

We posted a quiz last week on Opaque Plastic. Here are the voting results of optical properties of Opaque Plastic.

20% voted - Light will pass through. Can be seen through.
40% voted - Light will not pass through. Cannot be seen through.
40% voted - Light will pass through. Cannot be seen through.

The 2nd choice is the correct answer
Opaque - Light will not pass through. Cannot be seen through.

This is something that is easily confused. Plastic is often classified relative to light penetration because many plastics possess unique properties. There are 4 different types of light penetration It is much easier to differentiate them when their properties are side by side.

Opaque - Light will not pass through. Cannot be seen through.

Transparent - Light will pass through. Can be seen through.

Translucent - Light will pass through cannot be seen through.

Luminescent - (a) fluorescent: emits light only when electrons are being excited, usually transparent; (b) phosphorescent: gives off light energy more slowly than it takes on light, translucent.