Modular thermoforming system

A system for forming a thermoplastic part along a continuous processing path, comprising:

• a thermoplastic source station at an upstream end of the continuous processing path, configured to provide a continuous web of thermoplastic material from an upstream roll of continuous web of thermoplastic material,
• a preheating station including a preheating oven, configured to heat the continuous web of thermoplastic material to form a continuous web of preheated thermoplastic material;
• a pressing station downstream of the preheating station, including a first robotic system configured to automatically press the continuous web of thermoplastic material between a first and second tool at a forming press to form the thermoplastic part, wherein at least the first tool comprises a rotary tool having multiple faces and each of the faces has a different mold configuration and the second tool having a mold shape configured to mate with the mold configuration on at least one of the faces of the first tool, the first robotic system being configured to rotate the first tool to change which face is directed toward the second tool, while the second tool remains fixed;
• a cooling station downstream of the pressing station, configured to cool the continuous web of preheated thermoplastic material to form a continuous web of cooled thermoplastic material;
• a finishing station downstream of the pressing station, including a second robotic system configured to remove the thermoplastic part from the continuous web of cooled thermoplastic material;
• a recovery station configured to collect the continuous web of cooled thermoplastic material, devoid of the thermoplastic part onto a downstream roll at a downstream end of the continuous processing path;
• and
• wherein the continuous processing path is defined from the upstream roll of continuous web of thermoplastic material at the thermoplastic source station, through the pressing station, and the downstream roll at the recovery station.

A forming system comprising:

• a feeding station, configured to feed a continuous web of thermoplastic material into a preheating oven to form a continuous web of preheated thermoplastic material;
• a pressing station, configured to receive the continuous web of preheated thermoplastic material into a forming press, the forming press comprises a first tool and a second tool, the first tool includes a multifaceted rotary press tool and the second tool includes a multifaceted rotary mold tool, and at least a face of the first tool is configured to mate with a face of the second tool to press the continuous web of thermoplastic material;
• wherein the pressing station is further configured to rotate the first tool to a first operational position, move the first tool towards the second tool, press the continuous web of preheated thermoplastic material between the first and second tools to form a thermoplastic part on the continuous web of preheated thermoplastic material with a first molded shape and move the first tool away from the second tool to open the forming press;
• a control device configured to stop an operation of the feeding station during the pressing of the continuous web of preheated thermoplastic material between the first and second tools;
• a cooling station, configured to cool the continuous web of preheated thermoplastic material to form a continuous web of cooled thermoplastic material;
• and
• a finishing station configured to remove the thermoplastic part having the first mold shape from the continuous web of cooled thermoplastic material.