Forming apparatus and method for forming a thermoplastic semi-finished product

Abstract

Described and presented is a forming apparatus (1) for forming a semi-finished product (3) made from at least one thermoplastic material, comprising at least one forming tool (5) for forming the semi-finished product (3) into a moulded part (7) and / or at least one punching tool for punching out a moulded part and at least one removing tool (8), which is formed so as to correspond at least partially to an inner contour and / or an outer contour of the moulded part (7) and is intended for removing the moulded part (7), together with the removing tool (8), from the forming tool (5), from the punching tool and / or from a moulding station (2) comprising the forming tool (5) and / or the punching tool, wherein the removing tool (8) has at least one suction-extraction opening (9) and at least one suction-extraction channel (10), which is connected to the at least one suction-extraction opening (9) and is intended for extracting air from the intermediate space between the moulded part (7) and the removing tool (8) by suction. In order to improve the material properties, it is provided that the at least one removing tool (8) is assigned a temperature-control device (14) for controlling the temperature of the removing tool (8), in particular in at least one region of the removing tool (8) that is formed so as to correspond to the inner contour of the moulded part (7).

Description

[0001]September 5, 2024 Forming device and method for forming a thermoplastic semi-finished product. The invention relates to a forming device for forming a semi-finished product made of at least one thermoplastic material, comprising at least one forming tool for forming the semi-finished product into a molded part and / or at least one punching tool for punching out a molded part and at least one removal tool configured to correspond at least in sections to an inner contour and / or an outer contour of the molded part, for removing the molded part together with the removal tool from the forming tool, from the punching tool, and / or from a forming station comprising the forming tool and / or the punching tool. The removal tool has at least one suction opening and at least one suction channel connected to the at least one suction opening for extracting air from a space between the molded part and the removal tool.The invention further relates to a method for forming a semi-finished product made of at least one thermoplastic. Forming devices for forming thermoplastics are known in various designs. In many cases, the forming devices have forming tools in the manner of a mold, which determine the shape of the molded parts to be produced from the semi-finished products by the semi-finished products being applied at least partially to the forming tools. The molds can be one-piece molds, two-piece molds, or multi-piece molds. Very common forming devices that use molds to form the molded parts are thermoforming machines for thermoforming the semi-finished products. Thermoforming machines require a single forming tool. No positive and negative of the molded part to be produced is required.Thermoforming typically involves heating, clamping, and forming thermoplastic films or sheets with a forming tool. A distinction is made between positive thermoforming, in which the semi-finished product is "slipped" over the forming tool, which extends beyond the semi-finished product's original clamping plane, and negative thermoforming, in which the semi-finished product is pressed and / or drawn into the forming tool. The forming of the semi-finished product can be preformed by at least one punch similar to a pre-stretcher, but this is not required. The final shaping is usually achieved by pressing the semi-finished product against the forming tool using compressed air and / or by suctioning it onto the forming tool using a vacuum.In some cases, the semi-finished product is pressed against the forming tool from one side using compressed air and drawn onto the forming tool using negative pressure, for example, to form individual areas of the semi-finished product primarily using positive pressure and / or other areas primarily using negative pressure. It goes without saying that another pressurized gas can be used instead of compressed air. A correspondingly produced molded part can be punched out using a punching tool to remove excess material, particularly at the edges. Punching can take place while the molded part is in the forming tool. This is also referred to as a single-step process. In other cases, however, the molded part can be removed from the forming tool before being punched and transferred to a subsequent punching tool. The punching tool can be part of the forming station, but this is not required.In this context, one also speaks of a two-stage process.The removal of the molded part from the forming tool, the punching tool and / or from the forming station of the thermoforming machine can be carried out with a process that corresponds at least in sections to an inner contour and / or a K. J / KJ 230183WOSeptember 5, 2024 The removal can be carried out using a removal tool configured with an outer contour, which has at least one suction opening and at least one suction channel for extracting air from a space between the molded part and the removal tool. If the corresponding sections of the removal profile and the molded part adjoin one another at least in sections, the molded part is sucked into the removal tool and can be removed together with the removal tool from the forming tool or from the forming station comprising the forming tool. On the one hand, removing the molded part using a removal tool is gentle on the material, as the mechanical stresses on the molded part can be reduced. Nevertheless, completely satisfactory material properties of the molded parts are not achieved when removing the molded parts using a removal tool.The present invention is therefore based on the object of designing and developing the forming device and the method of the type mentioned at the outset and explained in more detail above in such a way that the material properties are improved. This object is achieved in a forming device according to the preamble of claim 1 in that the at least one removal tool is assigned a tempering device for tempering the removal tool, in particular in at least one region of the removal tool designed to correspond to the inner contour and / or the outer contour of the molded part. The stated object is further achieved by a method for forming a semi-finished product made from at least one thermoplastic, preferably with a device according to one of claims 1 to 7,K. J / KJ 230183WO5 September 2024- in which the semi-finished product is formed into a shaped part in at least one forming tool and / or a shaped part is punched out in at least one punching tool wird,- in which the molded part is removed from the forming tool, from the at least one punching tool and / or from a forming station comprising the forming tool and / or the punching tool, together with at least one removal tool designed at least in sections to correspond to an inner contour and / or an outer contour of the molded part; - in which, for the removal of the molded part, air is sucked out of a space between the molded part and the removal tool via at least one suction opening and at least one suction channel connected to the at least one suction opening; and - in which the at least one removal tool is tempered by a tempering device, in particular in at least one region of the removal tool designed to correspond to the inner contour and / or the outer contour of the molded part. By tempering the removal tool, the cooling of the molded part after the forming of the semi-finished product can be influenced in a targeted manner.The properties of the molded part can depend on how quickly and / or evenly the molded part is cooled. For this reason, the forming tools are typically forced cooled. However, it has been shown that in some cases, slower and / or more targeted cooling can be advantageous. If the removal tool is temperature-controlled, the molded part can be cooled faster, but also more slowly than without temperature control. Certain areas of the molded part can also be cooled faster than others. Alternatively or additionally, the cooling of certain areas of the molded part can be delayed compared to other areas. In this case, it is particularly useful if at least areas of the... J / KJ 230183WOSeptember 5, 2024, the temperature of the removal tool can be controlled by means of the temperature control device, which are designed to correspond to the inner and / or outer contours of the molded part. There, a flat contact of the molded part against the removal tool and thus rapid heat transfer can occur. In a first particularly preferred embodiment of the forming device, the removal tool has at least one heat transfer channel for the flow of a heat transfer medium to temperature control the removal tool. The heat transfer medium can then influence the temperature of the removal tool at least locally, thus increasing or decreasing it. For this purpose, it is preferred if a temperature control device for temperature control of the removal tool is designed to cool and / or heat the heat transfer medium. It is not only energetically advantageous if the heat transfer medium is circulated between the temperature control device and the forming tool.Alternatively or additionally, at least one removal tool can also be assigned at least one electrical heater in order to temperature-control the removal tool and thus ultimately the molded part. In order to influence the cooling of the molded part in a targeted manner and according to predetermined criteria, a control and / or regulation system can be assigned to the temperature control device. The control and / or regulation system can then, for example, specify a temperature of the removal tool and, if necessary, keep it as constant as possible. The control and / or regulation system can also specify a temperature-time and / or temperature-distance curve of the removal tool. The temperature of the removal tool then changes from the moment the molded part is removed from the forming tool over time and / or with the distance traveled by the removal tool.The path of the removal tool can be the path that the removal tool takes from the forming tool and / or the punching tool to the location where the formed part is passed on by the removal tool.K. J / KJ 230183WOSeptember 5, 2024. In order to make the removal of the molded parts more reliable and reproducible, it may be advisable for the at least one extraction channel to be connected to an extraction device for extracting air from the extraction channel. For the sake of simplicity, the extraction device can comprise a fan connected to the suction side of the extraction channel in order to maintain the air flow to be extracted via the at least one removal tool. The removal tool can be particularly expediently designed as a removal mandrel for insertion into the molded part. This can not only simplify the approach of the removal tool and the molded part, but also improve the suction of the molded part by the removal tool. This applies particularly when the removal mandrel at least substantially completely fills the internal volume of the molded part.The cooling of the molded part by the removal tool can then also be improved, since the molded part can then rest over a large area against the tempered removal tool. While a molded part is being cooled by one removal tool, a subsequent molded part can be produced and removed by another removal tool from the forming tool, the punching tool, and / or from the forming station. The duration of the cooling of the molded parts by the removal tools therefore does not delay the manufacturing process of the molded parts. For this reason, it may be advisable for the forming device to have at least two, preferably at least three, in particular at least four, removal tools associated with the at least one forming tool and / or the at least one punching tool for removing molded parts one after the other from the at least one forming tool, from the at least one punching tool, and / or from the corresponding forming station.The more removal tools are provided, the longer the cooling time can be selected without slowing down the manufacturing process as a whole or the cycle times of the forming tool, the punching tool and / or the forming station.K. J / KJ 230183WOSeptember 5, 2024. The advantages described above are particularly evident when the forming device is a thermoforming machine for thermoforming semi-finished products made of thermoplastic film and / or thermoplastic sheets. In thermoforming, cooling of the molded parts is particularly important, and the cycle times in which semi-finished products are formed are particularly short. The same applies alternatively or additionally if the thermoplastic of the semi-finished product and / or the molded part is a semi-crystalline or crystalline polyethylene terephthalate (C-PET). In this case, the crystallization of the PET material can be specifically controlled to subsequently obtain molded parts with a favorable microstructure. Here, dimensional stability and dimensional accuracy play a particularly significant role, even in the case of reheating.Corresponding molded parts can then be used expediently for heating food in microwaves. In this case, pronounced crystallization or a high degree of crystallization is particularly advantageous, which can be achieved by slow and targeted cooling of the molded part. In a first particularly preferred embodiment of the method, a heat transfer medium flows through a heat transfer channel of the at least one removal tool to temper the removal tool. This allows the temperature of the removal tool to be adjusted easily and reproducibly. It is also possible to ensure simply and reliably that more heat is dissipated at some points on the removal tool than at others. It may also be advantageous for the heat transfer medium to be tempered in a tempering device, whereby the heat transfer medium can be optionally cooled and / or heated.Alternatively or in addition toK. J / KJ 230183WOSeptember 5, 2024. An electrical heater can also be assigned to the at least one removal tool for flowing through a heat transfer channel. In order to specifically influence and specify the cooling of the molded parts, a temperature-time and / or temperature-distance curve of the removal tool can be specified via a control and / or regulation system, whereby the control and / or regulation influences the temperature control of the heat transfer medium and / or the electrical heating. If the removal tool is used in the form of a removal mandrel for insertion into the molded part, removal is simplified and the removal of the molded parts can be carried out very reproducibly. In addition, the removal tool can at least substantially fill the internal volume of the molded part by being inserted into the molded part. This allows for rapid and defined heat transfer between the molded part and the removal tool.For the sake of simplicity, it may be advisable to extract air from the at least one extraction channel via an extraction device, for example in the form of a fan. This air is at least partially drawn in via the at least one extraction opening in order to draw the molded part onto the removal tool. Using the at least one forming tool and / or the at least one punching tool, similar molded parts are produced one after the other in a cost-effective manner by forming and / or punching. The successively formed molded parts can be removed from the forming tool, the punching tool, and / or the forming station comprising the forming tool by at least two, preferably at least three, in particular at least four, different removal tools.A molded part can then be cooled by one removal tool, while a subsequently manufactured molded part is removed from the forming tool, the punching tool, and / or the associated forming station by another removal tool. J / KJ 230183WOSeptember 5, 2024: The longer the molded parts are cooled on the removal tools and the shorter the processing times for forming semi-finished products into molded parts with the forming tools and / or punching molded parts with the punching tool, the more removal tools can be expediently assigned to a forming tool and / or punching tool. The advantages described above are particularly evident when the semi-finished products are formed and / or punched out in at least one forming tool and / or punching tool of a forming device in the form of a thermoforming machine. Cooling the molded parts is particularly important during thermoforming, and the cycle times for forming and / or punching out semi-finished products are particularly short.However, the aforementioned advantages also come into play, alternatively or additionally, when the semi-finished products are formed from a semi-crystalline or crystalline polyethylene terephthalate (C-PET) and / or the molded parts are made from a semi-crystalline or crystalline polyethylene terephthalate (C-PET). In this case, the crystallization of the PET material can be specifically controlled to subsequently obtain molded parts with a favorable microstructure. In particular, dimensional stability and accuracy play a significant role here, even in the case of reheating. Such molded parts can then be used for heating food in microwaves. A high degree of crystallization, which can be achieved by slow and targeted cooling of the molded part, is particularly advantageous here.The plastic of the molded parts can crystallize at least partially, but preferably at least substantially completely, while the molded part is held by the removal tool. In many cases, degrees of crystallization between 15 and 40% are generally required. Corresponding polyethylene terephthalates are then temperature-resistant for 20 minutes at temperatures between 160 and 220 °C. The temperature resistance increases with the degree of crystallization. The described degree of crystallization or the K. J / KJ 230183WOSeptember 5, 2024 Corresponding temperature resistance is usually sufficient for heating food in a microwave. In some applications, such as microwave applications, a temperature resistance of 20 minutes at 80 to 120 °C is sufficient. Therefore, even lower degrees of crystallization may be sufficient. Predetermined and reproducible structures of the thermoplastic are then obtained. Alternatively or additionally, for the same reasons, it may be advisable to effect crystallization of the thermoplastic of the molded part in a predetermined manner by tempering the removal tool. In this case, it is particularly advantageous, with regard to the properties of the molded parts and to simplify the process, if the crystallization occurs according to a predetermined temperature-time and / or temperature-distance curve.Alternatively and / or additionally, the molded part can only be transferred from the removal tool once a predetermined degree of crystallization has been reached. This ensures that certain minimum properties of the molded part are achieved. The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing which merely represents an exemplary embodiment. In the drawing, Figs. 1A-D show a forming device according to the invention during various steps of a method according to the invention for forming semi-finished products in schematic sectional views from the side, and Figs. 2A-B show a detail of the forming device from Fig. 1 comprising a removal tool in a schematic view from below and a sectional view from the side. Figs. 1A-D show a forming device 1 in the form of a thermoforming machine during the implementation of various steps of a forming method within the meaning of K. J / KJ 230183WOSeptember 5, 2024 of a thermoforming process. Fig. 1A shows a section of the thermoforming machine 1 in the form of a forming station 2, in which a semifinished product 3 in the form of a sheet made of a thermoplastic, more precisely of a crystalline polyethylene terephthalate (C-PET), is positioned at least substantially gas-tight over a forming tool 5 by means of a clamping frame 4. Not shown is that the semifinished product 3 has previously been heated in a heating station or, alternatively or additionally, is heated in the position shown. Instead of a sheet, a semifinished product 3 in the form of a film made of a thermoplastic material could also be arranged in the corresponding position, with the film being drawn off, as needed, from a roll arranged in the forming device 1. The film can also have been heated before being clamped over the forming tool 5 or can only be heated in the corresponding position.The illustrated and thus preferred forming device 1 comprises a punch 6, which presses the heated semi-finished product toward the forming tool 5 in the manner of a pre-stretcher, as illustrated by the arrow in Fig. 1A. However, the punch 6, as well as the pre-forming of the heated semi-finished product 3, can be dispensed with. In the illustrated and thus preferred forming device 1, openings (not shown) are provided in the forming tool 5, which are connected to channels through which air can be sucked out of the space between the semi-finished product 3 and the forming tool 5. The negative pressure thus generated ensures that the semi-finished product 3, pre-formed as required, is sucked onto the inner contour of the forming tool 5. In this way, the formed part 7 receives an outer contour that at least substantially corresponds to the inner contour of the forming tool 5, as shown in Fig. 1B.Instead of a negative pressure on the side of the forming tool 5, an overpressure could alternatively or additionally be used on the side of the semi-finished product 3 facing away from the forming tool 5.K. J / KJ 230183WOSeptember 5, 2024 Not shown is a punching tool that punches out the molded parts 7 in order to remove excess material at the edges of the molded parts 7. Alternatively, the molded parts could also be removed from a semi-finished product formed as a film. In the illustrated and thus preferred forming device 1, the molded parts 7 are punched out by a punching tool assigned to the forming tool 5 before the formed molded parts 7 are removed from the forming tool 5. Alternatively, the molded parts 7 could also first be removed from the forming tool 5 and transferred to a punching device, in which the punching of the molded parts 7 then takes place. Fig. 1C shows the removal of the molded part 7 from the forming tool 5 and the forming station 2 with the aid of a removal tool 8.The clamping frame 4 for positioning a semi-finished product 3 above the forming tool 5 is moved upwards and away from the forming tool 5 so that the removal tool 8 in the form of a removal mandrel can be inserted into the molded part 7. The removal tool 8 at least essentially completely fills the internal volume of the molded part 7. Furthermore, the shape of the removal tool 8 corresponds in the lower area to the internal contour of the molded part 7. When the removal tool 8 is inserted into the molded part 7, a gap is formed from which air can be extracted via the removal tool 8. In this way, the molded part 7 is sucked onto the removal tool 8. The molded part 7 can then be removed reliably and without damage, together with the removal tool 8, from the forming tool 5 and the forming station 2.Alternatively or additionally, the molded part 7 could also be removed from a punching tool using a removal tool 8, for example if the punching of the molded part 7 does not take place while the molded part 7 is still held in the forming tool 5. Removal tools 8 can therefore be used in a one-stage process or in a two-stage process. In the latter case, K. J / KJ 230183WOSeptember 5, 2024, the molded part is removed from the forming tool 5 and / or from the punching tool using a removal tool 8. Fig. 1D schematically shows that the next semi-finished product 3 is already positioned over the forming tool 5 from the clamping frame 4 and is being formed as described above, while the previously produced molded part 7 is still held by the removal tool 8. Thus, the next molded part 7 is already produced before the previous molded part 7 has cooled sufficiently and is passed on by the removal tool 8, so that the corresponding removal tool 8 can be used again to remove a molded part 7 from the forming tool 5.Not shown in detail is that the forming device 1 has several removal tools 8, and successively produced molded parts 7 are removed from the forming tool 5 one after the other using different removal tools 8, while other removal tools 8 still hold molded parts 7 for cooling purposes. The same principle can also be applied to a two-stage process, specifically with respect to the forming tool 5—as described—and / or with respect to the punching tool, which is then separate from the forming tool 5. Figs. 2A-B show a detail of the forming device 1 comprising a removal tool 8 in a view from below and in a side sectional view. According to Fig. 2A, the removal tool 8 has several suction openings 9 on its underside, which are connected to a suction channel 10.A suction device 11 in the form of a blower is connected to the suction channel 10 on the suction side, which can suck air from the space between the removal tool 8 and the molded part 7 to be removed via the suction channel 10 and the suction openings 9. In the illustrated and thus preferred forming device 1, the suction side of the suction device 11 can be connected to at least one bypass opening 13 by switching a valve 12, in particular instead of the suction openings 9. The suction side of the suction device 11 is then connected via the suction device 11K. J / KJ 230183WOSeptember 5, 2024, at least substantially no more air is sucked out of the suction openings 9, but rather out of the bypass opening 13, so that the molded part 7 can be released from the removal tool 8 after cooling and passed on. Fig. 2B shows a tempering device 14 for tempering the removal tool 8, in particular in at least one region of the removal tool 8 configured to correspond to the inner contour of the molded part 7. In the illustrated and thus preferred forming device 1, the tempering device 14 comprises two storage containers 15, 16 for a heat transfer medium 17. A heater 18 for heating the heat transfer medium 17 is assigned to one storage container 15, while a cooling system 19 for cooling the heat transfer medium 17 is assigned to the other storage container 16. In many cases, it will be unnecessary to heat the heat transfer medium 17, so that the heated storage tank 15 can be dispensed with.Heat transfer medium can be withdrawn from the two storage tanks 15, 16 in a ratio specified by a control and / or regulation system 20. The control and / or regulation system 20 cooperates with at least one temperature sensor 21 to detect the temperature of the heat transfer medium 17. zusammen.It is particularly preferred if the temperature of the flow to the extraction tool 8 is measured. Alternatively or additionally, however, the temperature of the heat transfer medium 17 in the storage tanks 15, 16 and / or in the return of the heat transfer medium 17 can also be measured. Alternatively or additionally, the volume flow of the heat transfer medium 17 withdrawn from the two storage tanks 15, 16 and / or the volume flow of the flow of the heat transfer medium 17 to the extraction tool 8 can be measured. Independently of this, the fill level of the storage tanks 15, 16 can also be measured. All of these measured variables can be made available to the control and / or regulation system 20 for processing. J / KJ 230183WOSeptember 5, 2024. Depending on the mixing ratio, heat transfer medium 17 can be provided from the storage tanks 15, 16 at a time-varying and predeterminable or controllable temperature and delivered to the removal tool 8 for tempering the molded part 7. The same applies in principle to the volume flow of the heat transfer medium 17. Depending on the return temperature of the heat transfer medium 17, the heat transfer medium 17 can be returned to the heated or cooled storage tanks 15, 16. The use of two cooled storage tanks with heat transfer medium 17 at different temperature levels is also conceivable. In principle, one cooled storage tank could also be sufficient, if necessary in combination with a non-temperature-controlled storage tank.The heat transfer medium 17 flows at the previously set temperature, which can in principle also be set in a manner other than that described above, through at least one heat transfer channel 22 in the removal tool 8 in order to temperature-control the removal tool 8. The supplied heat transfer medium 17 is referred to as the supply line, and the outflowing heat transfer medium 17 after heat exchange with the molded part 7 is referred to as the return line. By arranging the at least one heat transfer channel 22 in the removal tool 8, different areas of the removal tool 8 can be heated or cooled to different degrees, as required. Depending on the temperature control of the removal tool 8, the molded part 7 held by the removal tool 8 is cooled. The cooling is carried out in such a way that a suitable crystallization of the material of the molded part 7 occurs, if necessary in specific sections of the molded part.The molded parts 7 then reproducibly have the desired predetermined properties.List of reference symbols1 Forming device2 Forming stationK. J / KJ 230183WO 5 September 20243 Semi-finished products4 Clamping frames5 Forming tools 6 Stempel 7 Molded part8 Removal tool9 Suction opening10 Suction channel11 Suction device 12 Ventil 13 Bypass opening14 Temperature control device15 Storage tank16 Storage tank17 Heat transfer medium18 Heating19 Cooling20 Control21 Temperature sensor22 Heat transfer channelK J / KJ 230183WO September 5, 2024

Claims

September 5, 2024 Patent claim e1. Forming device (1) for forming a semi-finished product (3) formed from at least one thermoplastic material, comprising at least one forming tool (5) for forming the semi-finished product (3) into a molded part (7) and / or at least one punching tool for punching out a molded part, and at least one removal tool (8) configured to correspond at least in sections to an inner contour and / or an outer contour of the molded part (7) for removing the molded part (7) together with the removal tool (8) from the forming tool (5), from the punching tool, and / or from a forming station (2) comprising the forming tool (5) and / or the punching tool, wherein the removal tool (8) has at least one suction opening (9) and at least one suction channel (10) connected to the at least one suction opening (9) for extracting air from a space between the molded part (7) and the removal tool (8).characterized in that the at least one removal tool (8) is assigned a tempering device (14) for tempering the removal tool (8), in particular in at least one area of the removal tool (8) designed to correspond to the inner contour of the molded part (7).

2. Forming device according to claim 1, characterized in that the removal tool (8) has an electrical heating system and / or at least one heat transfer channel (22) for the flow of a heat transfer medium (17) for tempering the removal tool (8), and that, preferably, the tempering device (14) for tempering, in particular, - 2 - for cooling and / or heating the heat transfer medium (17) st.

3. Forming device according to claim 2, characterized in that a control and / or regulation (20) for specifying a temperature-time and / or temperature-distance curve of the removal tool (8) is assigned to the temperature control device (14).

4. Forming device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the at least one suction channel (10) is connected to a suction device (11), in particular comprising a blower connected to the suction side of the suction channel (10), for sucking air out of the suction channel (10).

5. Forming device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the removal tool (8) is designed as a removal mandrel for insertion into the molded part (7), preferably for at least substantially completely filling the internal volume of the molded part (7). 6.Forming device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that at least two, preferably at least three, in particular at least four, removal tools (8) for removing molded parts (7) one after the other from the at least one forming tool (5), from the punching tool and / or from the forming station (2) are assigned to the at least one forming tool (5) and / or punching tool.

7. Forming device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the sK. J / KJ 230183WO September 5, 2024 - 3 - The forming device (1) is a thermoforming machine for thermoforming a semi-finished product (3) made of a thermoplastic film and / or sheet, and / or the thermoplastic material of the semi-finished product and / or the molded part is semi-crystalline or crystalline polyethylene terephthalate (C-PET).

8. A method for forming a semi-finished product (3) formed from at least one thermoplastic material, preferably with a forming device (5) according to one of claims 1 to 7, - in which the semi-finished product (3) is formed into a molded part (7) in at least one forming tool (5) and / or a molded part is punched out in at least one punching tool, - in which the molded part (7) is removed from the forming tool (5) together with at least one removal tool (8) designed to correspond at least in sections to an inner contour and / or an outer contour of the molded part (7),from the punching tool and / or from a forming station (2) comprising the forming tool (5) and / or the punching tool, - in which, for the removal of the molded part (7), air is sucked out of a space between the molded part (7) and the removal tool (8) via at least one suction opening (9) and at least one suction channel (10) connected to the at least one suction opening (9), and - in which the at least one removal tool (8), in particular in at least one region of the removal tool (8) designed to correspond to the inner contour and / or the outer contour of the molded part (7), is temperature-controlled via a temperature-control device (14).

9. Method according to claim 8, - in which a heat transfer medium (17) flows through a heat transfer channel (22) of the at least one removal tool (8) to temperature-control the removal tool (8), and K, J / KJ 230183WO September 5, 2024 - 4 - -in which, preferably, the heat transfer medium (17) is tempered, preferably cooled and / or heated, in the tempering device (14) wird und -in which, further preferably, a temperature-time and / or temperature-path curve of the removal tool (8) is predetermined by the tempering of the heat transfer medium (17) via a control and / or regulation (20) wird.

10. Method according to claim 8 or 9, - in which the at least one removal tool (8) in the form of a removal mandrel is used for insertion into the molded part (7) and / or - in which the removal tool (8) at least substantially fills the internal volume of the molded part (7) by insertion into the molded part (7).

11. Method according to one of claims 8 to 10, - in which, in order to suck the molded part (7) onto the removal tool (8), air is sucked out of the at least one suction channel (10) via a suction device (11), in particular in the form of a blower.Method according to one of claims 8 to 11, - in which shaped parts (7) are successively formed in the at least one forming tool (5) and / or shaped parts (7) are successively punched out in the at least one punching tool, and - in which the successively formed shaped parts (7) are successively removed from the at least one forming tool (5), from the at least one punching tool and / or from the forming station by at least two, preferably at least three, in particular at least four, different removal tools (8).

13. Method according to one of claims 8 to 12, K. J / KJ 230183WO September 5, 2024 - 5 - -in which the semi-finished products (3) are formed in at least one forming tool (5) of a forming device (1) in the form of a thermoforming machine and / or the molded parts (7) of a forming device (1) are punched out in at least one punching tool of a forming device (1) in the form of a thermoforming machine and / or - in which semi-finished products (3) and / or molded parts are formed and / or formed from a semi-crystalline or crystalline polyethylene terephthalate (C-PET). werden.

14. Method according to one of claims 8 to 13, - in which the plastic of the molded parts (7) crystallizes at least partially, preferably at least substantially completely, through the removal tool (8) and / or - in which the crystallization takes place in a predetermined manner by tempering the removal tool (8).

15. Method according to claim 14, - in which the crystallization takes place according to a predetermined temperature-time and / or temperature-distance curve and / or - in which the molded part (7) is passed on from the removal tool after reaching a predetermined degree of crystallization. J / KJ 230183WO September 5, 2024

Images