A strip-shape softened resin sheet (S) which is continuously extruded from a molten resin extruder is cut to a unit resin sheet and a press molded product is manufactured by press-molding the unit resin sheet in a press-molding machine. Prior to cutting the continuously extruded strip-shape softened resin sheet (S) to the unit resin sheet (U) , the slits C.sub.1, C.sub.2, C.sub.3, C.sub.4 and C.sub.5 which promote the molding to the press molded part from the unit resin sheet (U) (improve an inflow property of the material) are formed by a cutter which is upwardly and downwardly driven by an air cylinder at a portion P.sub.3 in which the material therein is out of a range of the press molded products P.sub.1 and P.sub.2 obtained by press-molding the press molded product by using the press molding machine and becomes a scrap. The inflow property of the resin material for vertical walls and embossment portions when press-molding is improved and the defects of the product can be prevented.

A strip-shape softened resin sheet (S) which is continuously extruded from a molten resin extruder is cut to a unit resin sheet and a press molded product is manufactured by press-molding the unit resin sheet in a press-molding machine 20. Prior to press-molding the unit resin sheet (U) by the press-molding machine, the unit resin sheet (U) is heated by a heating machine 16. The heating machine 16 comprises a first heating furnace 84 and a second heating furnace 86. The first heating furnace 84 includes a series of heaters 84-3 and 84-4 whose heat source is infrared ray in a far-infrared region and the second heating furnace 86 includes a series of heaters 86-3 and 86-4 whose heat source is the infrared ray in a middle-infrared region. In the first furnace 84, the unit resin sheet (U) is continuously conveyed with a low velocity and is gradually heated by the far-infrared ray up to temperature which is slightly lower than the temperature which is suitable for press-molding the unit resin sheet (U). In the second furnace 86, the unit resin sheet (U) is stopped and is rapidly heated by the middle-infrared ray. By efficiently heating the unit resin sheet (U), a cycle time can be shortened and the production speed can be improved.

A strip-shape softened resin sheet (S) which is continuously extruded from a molten resin extruder is cut to a unit resin sheet and a press molded product is manufactured by press-molding the unit resin sheet in a press-molding machine 20. Prior to press-molding the unit resin sheet (U) by the press-molding machine, the unit resin sheet (U) is heated by a heating machine 16. The heating machine 16 comprises a first heating furnace 84 and a second heating furnace 86. The first heating furnace 84 includes a series of heaters 84-3 and 84-4 whose heat source is infrared ray in a far-infrared region and the second heating furnace 86 includes a series of heaters 86-3 and 86-4 whose heat source is the infrared ray in a middle-infrared region. In the first furnace 84, the unit resin sheet (U) is continuously conveyed with a low velocity and is gradually heated by the far-infrared ray up to temperature which is slightly lower than the temperature which is suitable for press-molding the unit resin sheet (U). In the second furnace 86, the unit resin sheet (U) is stopped and is rapidly heated by the middle-infrared ray. By efficiently heating the unit resin sheet (U), a cycle time can be shortened and the production speed can be improved.

A nylon tube automatic thermoforming apparatus includes a main body, a conveying assembly, a heating assembly and a tube bending assembly. The heating assembly includes an oven communicated with the conveying assembly and an electrically heated cylinder arranged between the oven and the tube bending assembly. A heating coil is arranged in the electrically heated cylinder. A nylon tube is conveyed from the conveying assembly and enters the tube bending assembly via the oven and the heating coil. The electrically heated cylinder and the tube bending assembly are arranged outside the main body. A nylon tube shaping process includes the steps of drawing, heating inside a main body, heating outside the main body, bending, staying, feeding, angle adjusting, repeating the above steps until the length and the curvature of the nylon tube meet the requirements, and cutting off.

A thermoforming device includes: an upper hot plate including a first heating surface configured to heat a sheet from above; a lower hot plate including a second heating surface configured to heat the sheet from below; and a substrate-supplying unit including a base configured to hold a molded substrate, and configured to attach the molded substrate to and detach the molded substrate from the base and to dispose the molded substrate at a molding position below the first heating surface with the sheet interposed therebetween, in which the upper hot plate and the lower hot plate are configured to heat the sheet simultaneously from an upper surface and a lower surface of the sheet, the lower hot plate is provided to be movable in a horizontal direction with respect to a position below the upper hot plate, and the thermoforming device die-molds or adheres, onto the molded substrate held by the base, the sheet softened by being heated by the upper hot plate and the lower hot plate.

A thermoforming device includes two conveying units, a heating unit, a heat treatment unit and a forming unit. The conveying units define a clamp space and are adapted to move a raw material in a conveying direction. The heating unit is disposed at one side of the clamp space along a first axis, and includes a plurality of heating subunits adapted for heating the raw material. The heat treatment unit abuts against the heating base, and includes a plurality of temperature control subunits adapted for adjusting the temperature of the raw material. The forming unit is disposed proximate to the heat treatment unit and is adapted for forming the shape of the raw material.

A thermoforming device includes two conveying units, a heating unit, a heat treatment unit and a forming unit. The conveying units define a clamp space and are adapted to move a raw material in a conveying direction. The heating unit is disposed at one side of the clamp space along a first axis, and includes a plurality of heating subunits adapted for heating the raw material. The heat treatment unit abuts against the heating base, and includes a plurality of temperature control subunits adapted for adjusting the temperature of the raw material. The forming unit is disposed proximate to the heat treatment unit and is adapted for forming the shape of the raw material.

Provided is a resin sheet for thermoforming, the resin sheet containing a poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) resin. A difference between a melting point peak temperature and a melting point peak end temperature in differential scanning calorimetry analysis of the poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) resin is 10° C. or more. The sheet has a thickness of 0.15 to 1 mm. The melt viscosity of the poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) resin at 160° C. is preferably 10000 poise or more.

A flat laminate element made of thermoplastic is hot-formed in a two-stage method. In a first stage, the flat laminate which includes film(s) and/or panels(n) is placed on a flat frame-shaped pallet and is heated to a forming temperature in a heating zone between two flat heat screens in a contactless manner. The edge zone of the hot flat laminate element lies on the pallet such that the laminate piece cannot be clamped in a first laminate direction but rather can be slide on the pallet in this direction. Two non-flat rigid contours which are identical or largely identical act on two opposing parallel laminate edge sections uniaxially and perpendicularly to the laminate plane and only in the first laminate direction, i.e. monodirectionally, and shape the entire heated laminate element into a monodirectionally molded blank.

The invention relates to a method for producing molded parts, wherein semifinished product is heated in a heating device and is subsequently fed to a shaping machine. The heating device has a closed housing having a door or has a separately closable opening. The heating device optionally has a dividable housing, in the case of which the housing components can be moved away from each other in order to form an opening and can be moved toward each other in order to form a closed housing. One or more radiant heaters, in particular infrared radiant heaters, are provided in the interior of the housing. Semifinished product is introduced into the interior of the housing and radiant heat produced by the radiant heaters is applied thereto, said semifinished product is heated, and said semifinished product is subsequently removed from the housing. Thermal convection, which is directed substantially upward in the housing, is produced in the interior of the housing. According to the invention, an air flow counteracting the thermal convention, in particular an air flow directed substantially downward in the interior of the housing, is produced in the interior of the housing.