cold molding

Cold molding is a manufacturing technique used to shape thermoplastics without heating them. Instead, sufficient pressure is applied to the material, causing it to form into a new shape within a mold. This process is distinct from thermoforming, which involves heating the plastic sheet before shaping it. Cold molding is suitable for creating items like margarine cups and refrigerated food containers from materials such as acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer. Molds themselves are cavities or matrices made from various materials, including sand, hardened steel, or plaster, depending on their intended use in shaping substances like metal or plastic.12