What types of plastic materials does Hill Plastics work with?
Hill Plastics processes a wide range of thermoplastic sheet materials including ABS, High-Temperature ABS, UV-Resistant ASA/ABS, HDPE, PETG, Polystyrene, KYDEX, and Decorative Foil Laminated materials. Material selection is guided by your application's requirements for impact resistance, tensile strength, chemical resistance, temperature tolerance, and environmental exposure, ensuring the best performance at the most cost-effective price point.
What industries does Hill Plastics serve?
Hill Plastics serves a broad range of industries including aerospace and aviation, telecommunications, medical devices and healthcare, industrial equipment and OEM manufacturing, defense and military, point-of-purchase retail display, marine, electronics, oil and gas, and transportation. With 45 years of experience, we have built trusted relationships with engineers and purchasing agents across all these sectors throughout the United States.
What is thermoforming, and how does it differ from vacuum forming?
Thermoforming is a broad process where plastic sheets are heated to a pliable forming temperature and shaped over a mold. Vacuum forming is a specific type of thermoforming where a vacuum removes the air between the mold and the heated plastic sheet, pulling it tightly against the mold surface. Hill Plastics uses both processes across eight machines to produce custom enclosures, trays, radome covers, displays, and OEM parts with precision and repeatability.
How long does prototype tooling take to produce?
For most projects, a wood or polyurethane master pattern can be CNC-milled and ready in just a few weeks, depending on design complexity. Once the master pattern is mounted on a mold base, thermoformed prototypes can follow shortly after. This fast, low-cost approach lets you physically evaluate the part's fit and function—and make any necessary adjustments—before committing to full aluminum production tooling.
What is the minimum and maximum production quantity Hill Plastics can handle?
Hill Plastics accommodates orders of virtually any size, from single prototypes and short development runs to large-volume production of thousands of parts. Our 4'x7' rotary thermoforming machine operates at cycle speeds 2.5 times faster than standard single-station machines, making high-volume production highly cost-effective. Our 20,000+ square foot facility, eight thermoforming machines, and experienced staff ensure capacity for both small custom jobs and large recurring production orders.
Does Hill Plastics offer design assistance and material consultation?
Yes. Our sales and engineering team—Brad Hill and Cody Hill—provides full design assistance, including product design review, proper tooling design recommendations, and material selection guidance. We evaluate cost, impact requirements, durability, tensile strength, chemical resistance, and environmental factors to recommend the best material for your application. We take your concept or product requirements and develop a turnkey solution from prototype through finished production parts.
What fabrication operations can Hill Plastics perform beyond thermoforming?
In addition to thermoforming, Hill Plastics offers a comprehensive range of secondary fabrication operations including CNC trimming, precision drilling, heat bending, bonding, riveting, threaded insert installation, edge finishing, and assembly. These services are performed using two 5'x10' CNC trimming centers, routing machinery, punch presses, and table and panel saws, delivering fully finished, assembly-ready components that meet your exact drawing specifications.
Can Hill Plastics ship fabricated plastic parts to New York and other locations across the US?
Absolutely. Hill Plastics manufactures and ships custom thermoformed and fabricated plastic parts to clients throughout the United States, including New York. Operating from our 20,000+ square foot facility in Lewisville, Texas, we have decades of experience fulfilling orders for OEM manufacturers, aerospace companies, telecom providers, and industrial clients across the country—ensuring timely delivery, competitive pricing, and quality-controlled parts at every production stage.