An apparatus for transferring a material web in a thermoforming machine is disclosed. The thermoforming machine may have a forming tool. The forming tool is tilted about an axis running transversely to the feed direction of the material web during a forming process. The material web is transported from a forming region of the forming tool of the thermoforming machine to a downstream station of the thermoforming machine. The material web is moved from the forming region to the downstream station, where the transfer apparatus includes a transport unit with a transport device that is displaced in a first direction between the forming tool and the downstream station and is engaged with an initial portion of the material web in a first region facing the forming tool and is disengaged in a second region facing the downstream station.

A method for thermoforming an article includes extruding a sheet of material, conditioning the sheet with a roller, thermoforming the sheet to provide a web, and cutting the web to provide the article.

A hand tool (1) for separating a deep-drawn jaw-spanning dental apparatus such as an aligner or a bite splint of thermoform film. The hand tool includes a grip (2) for holding; a separating element (3) for thermally separating the deep-drawn thermoform film and refining the separated deep-drawn thermoform; a heating device adapted to regulate heating of the separating element (3) so as to increase the temperature of the thermoform film substantially to at least its glass temperature; and a power supply device for supplying electric power to the heating device.