Thick Gauge Vacuum Forming of Dashboards in Marine And Boat Building at 5 mm

Vacuum formed dashboards are used across marine and boat building because they can be produced without the tooling spend of injection moulding and without the weight of sheet metal. This page covers how 5 mm TPO sheet is formed for marine and boat building, what tolerances are realistic, and what has to be on the drawing before tooling starts.

The route below is the one used for most of the dashboards shipped from this plant: sheet is heated on the forming machine, drawn over an aluminium or composite mould, cooled on a jig, then trimmed on a 5-axis router. For dashboards the sheet gauge is selected from the load case rather than from habit, and TPO is the material most often specified for this combination.

Typical specification

Where these parts are used

• hatch covers for marine and boat building
• seat bases for marine and boat building
• battery box liners for marine and boat building
• console shells for marine and boat building
• dashboards in general marine and boat building builds

How the part is made

1. Drawings are reviewed and a manufacturability report is issued with wall thickness, draft and radii marked up.
2. Tooling is cut: aluminium for production volumes, composite or printed moulds for samples and first articles.
3. Sheet is dried when the material needs it, then heated to forming temperature on the machine.
4. The sheet is formed over the mould with vacuum and, where the draw is deep, with plug assist.
5. The part cools on a jig so the shape is held while the material stabilises.
6. Trimming is done on 5-axis routers or with a dedicated trim fixture to meet the drawing.
7. Parts are inspected, fitted with inserts or hardware if required, packed and shipped.

Material notes: TPO

TPO sheet is used where the part lives outdoors: it stays flexible in the cold and resists UV without a coating.

Design tips for this part

• add ribs or returns instead of increasing sheet thickness to save weight and cycle time
• use corner radii of at least three times the sheet thickness to avoid thinning
• avoid sharp steps in the mould, which show as chill marks on the finished surface
• call out the finish on the drawing: mould texture, paint, or as-formed gloss
• keep a draft angle of at least 3 degrees on vertical walls so the part releases cleanly

Quality and inspection

Sheet thickness is checked on the formed part at the points shown on the drawing, and the readings go into the report. Batch releases carry a dimensional report, material certificate and, where agreed, PPAP or ISIR documentation.

Cost and lead time

Tooling is the main cost driver at low volume, so a 5 mm dashboards for marine and boat building is usually quoted with a composite or printed mould first and the aluminium tool cut once the design is frozen. That keeps the first article cost low and gives a real part to test before the production tool exists. The result is better appearance compared with the alternatives, and a piece price that stays stable across repeat releases.

• Sample tooling: 7–15 working days
• Production tooling: 3–4 weeks
• Repeat orders run on stored tooling with no new proving run

Frequently asked questions

Can you match an existing part?

Yes. Send a sample or scan and the part can be reverse engineered, with the wall thickness and material measured from the sample.

Do you supply certificates?

Material certificates, dimensional reports and flame retardancy or food contact declarations are issued with the shipment where the specification requires them.

How long does tooling take?

Sample and first article tooling is usually cut in 7 to 15 working days. Production aluminium tools take 3 to 4 weeks depending on size and cooling layout.

Getting started

Send the drawing or a photo of the current dashboards with the quantity and the finish. The first reply is a manufacturability review with the wall thickness, material and a quotation, so the decision is made on facts rather than on a price alone.