Door Panels Kydex acrylic PVC in 3 mm for Playground Equipment – Formed to Drawing

These Kydex acrylic PVC door panels are thick gauge vacuum formed parts supplied to drawing for playground equipment. They are formed from Kydex acrylic PVC 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
• Kydex acrylic PVC keeps the weight down while stiffness is held through the formed shape
• Pad printed logos 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
• ISO 9001 quality system

Typical applications

• seat buckets
• slide shells
• climbing tower caps
• panel covers
• door panels used across general playground equipment builds

How it is made

1. Sheet is dried when the material needs it, then heated to forming temperature on the machine.
2. The part cools on a jig so the shape is held while the material stabilises.
3. Tooling is cut: aluminium for production volumes, composite or printed moulds for samples and first articles.
4. The sheet is formed over the mould with vacuum and, where the draw is deep, with plug assist.
5. Parts are inspected, fitted with inserts or hardware if required, packed and shipped.

Material: Kydex acrylic PVC

Kydex acrylic PVC sheet is specified for interior trim that must resist scuffing and meet fire, smoke and toxicity rules.

Design notes

• hold the draw ratio near 1:1 for deep parts, or specify plug assist
• 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
• avoid sharp steps in the mould, which show as chill marks on the finished surface

Finishing and assembly options

• pad printed logos
• matte finish
• 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

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

• dimension reports with every release
• material certificates with every batch
• UL94 V-0 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 3–4 weeks, 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.

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.

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.

Request a quotation

Send the drawing or a photo of the current door panels 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.