ABS/PMMA Dashboards Vacuum Formed in 3 mm for Office Furniture

These ABS/PMMA dashboards are thick gauge vacuum formed parts supplied to drawing for office furniture. They are formed from ABS/PMMA sheet at 3 mm, trimmed on 5-axis routers and inspected against the drawing before packing. Buyers choose this route where a metal fabrication is too heavy, or where injection moulding tooling cannot be justified for the volume.

Product specification

Key features

• One piece shell replaces a fabrication, so assembly hours drop
• ABS/PMMA keeps the weight down while stiffness is held through the formed shape
• Powder coat finish finish as standard, further finishes on request
• Trimmed on 5-axis routers, so mounting holes and cut outs match the drawing
• Tooling stored against the part number for repeat and spare orders
• RoHS compliant grades available

Typical applications

• chair shells
• cable trays
• desk modesty panels
• screen frames
• dashboards used across general office furniture builds

How it is made

1. Tooling is cut: aluminium for production volumes, composite or printed moulds for samples and first articles.
2. The part cools on a jig so the shape is held while the material stabilises.
3. Parts are inspected, fitted with inserts or hardware if required, packed and shipped.
4. The sheet is formed over the mould with vacuum and, where the draw is deep, with plug assist.
5. Trimming is done on 5-axis routers or with a dedicated trim fixture to meet the drawing.

Material: ABS/PMMA

ABS/PMMA combines an ABS core with a hard acrylic cap, so the part has the toughness of ABS and the UV and scratch resistance of acrylic.

Design notes

• hold the draw ratio near 1:1 for deep parts, or specify plug assist
• keep a draft angle of at least 3 degrees on vertical walls so the part releases cleanly
• plan the trim line on a flat face so the router can hold tolerance
• use corner radii of at least three times the sheet thickness to avoid thinning

Finishing and assembly options

• powder coat finish
• clear protective film
• two coat polyurethane paint
• Threaded inserts, PEM fasteners and brackets fitted before dispatch
• Mating parts can be trial assembled before the first article ships

Quality

First article inspection covers critical dimensions, wall thickness, colour and texture against the approved sample. Moulds, trim fixtures and programmes are stored against the part number, so a repeat order matches the first batch.

• PPAP or ISIR on request
• dimension reports with every release
• RoHS compliant grades available

Packing and delivery

Parts are stacked with interleaved film and packed in export cartons on pallets. Standard lead time to first article is 7–15 working days, and repeat releases ship against stored tooling without a new proving run.

Frequently asked questions

Can you make it in another material?

Any grade in this family can be swapped in. Send the requirement and the material will be quoted with the price difference shown.

What quantity can I order?

Sample quantities start at one piece off printed tooling. The process pays back from about 25 pieces a year and runs well into several thousand.

How fast is the first article?

Seven to fifteen working days from drawing release for sample tooling, with production tooling in three to four weeks.

Request a quotation

Send the drawing or a photo of the current dashboards with the quantity and the finish required. The reply covers material choice, wall thickness, tooling route and price, so the decision is made on a complete picture.