Panel for forming a floor covering and method for manufacturing such panels

A panel comprising at least a substrate of thermoplastic material having a thickness of 1.3 to 10 millimeter, and a top layer with a printed decor and a translucent or transparent wear layer, wherein said thermoplastic material is chosen from the list comprising of polyvinylchloride, polypropylene, polyethylene and polyurethane and wherein said substrate forms more than one half the thickness of the panel, said panel being a floor panel for a floating floor covering and comprising at two or more opposite edges coupling parts with which two of such floor panels are able to be coupled at said edges in such a manner that they are mutually locked in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the respective edge and in the plane of the floor panels, as well as in a vertical direction perpendicular to the plane of the floor panels, wherein said substrate substantially consists of three layers, including a lowermost layer, a central layer and an uppermost layer, all made from thermoplastic material, wherein the thermoplastic material of the lowermost layer and the uppermost layer is more rigid than the thermoplastic material of the central layer,

• wherein said lowermost and said uppermost layer comprise less than 5 percent by weight of plasticizer or no plasticizer, and
• wherein said central layer comprises 12 percent by weight or more of plasticizer.