Explore frequently asked questions about thermoformed packaging, packaging design and manufacturing, ISO Class 8 cleanroom thermoforming, quality control, and more. 

Above: Medical component handling tray for shipping and assembly 

What Is Plastics Thermoforming?

Plastics thermoforming is a process where roll-fed thin-gauge plastic sheet is heated to a forming temperature, shaped in a mold using vacuum and air pressure, and then trimmed to create rigid packaging. Thermoformed packaging protects, organizes, and enhances product handling across industries.

Thermoformed packaging solutions:

• Clamshells, blisters, and insert trays for consumer and retail packaging

• Dunnage trays for automotive, electronic, and industrial applications

• Medical packaging for contamination-sensitive medical devices and components

Above: Some of Dordan's plastic thermoforming machines convert roll-fed material into rigid packaging

What Materials Are Used in Thermoforming?

Dordan thermoforms a broad selection of plastic materials, including:

• Post-consumer & post-industrial RPET

• PETG, APET, PVC, PS, HIPS, ABS, HDPE, LDPE

• FDA-approved and medical-grade plastics

• Anti-static / ESD materials

• Bio-based and compostable materials

• Freezer-grade and flocked plastics

• Custom color-matched materials

All materials are sourced to meet your performance, regulatory, and sustainability goals. Learn more about our sustainable packaging options. 

Above: Black RHIPS dunnage tray protects and transports products and components

What Is Thermoform Design?

Dordan uses Siemens NX Solid Modeling to create detailed thermoform packaging designs, optimized for manufacturability and end-use performance.

Our engineers can reverse-engineer physical products, import customer CAD files, provide photorealistic renderings and drawings, deliver functional prototypes, and develop the production tooling.  

All designs are managed under our ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 13485:2016 certified quality management system, ensuring traceability, revision control, and design retention.

Above: Basic medical device tray engineering drawing

What Is Thermoform Tooling?

Thermoform tooling is what is used to form malleable plastic into rigid containers. Both prototype and production tooling is machined from a single block of aluminum in Dordan's tool shop. Assist plugs, die build-ups, trim headers, and EOAT are all designed and built in house, allowing for a reduction in translation errors for better quality control. All tools are maintained in a temperature-controlled warehouse and remain proprietary, customer-owned assets.

Above: CNC machine cuts a solid block of aluminum into a 3-up, thermoform tool

What Are Dordan’s Standard Thermoforming Capabilities?

• 14 inline thin-gauge plastic thermoforming machines

• Interchangeable tooling for scheduling flexibility

• Robotic part stripping, stacking, and automated optical inspection

• SOP-based production workflows and quality control

• Real-time job analysis to support continuous improvement

Above: Robot strips plastic trays from the web after thermoforming and die cutting

What Is ISO Class 8 Cleanroom Thermoforming?

Dordan's ISO Class 8 cleanroom is a fully enclosed, hard wall facility used to manufacture medical packaging. This environment ensures compliance with regulatory requirements for medical trays and blisters, procedure kits, and handling trays. 

Features include:

• Advanced Keifel thermoformers for forming, cutting, and stacking

• Real-time particulate monitoring per ISO Class 8 standards

• Controlled airflow, gowning protocols, and material staging rooms

Above: Dordan's cleanroom thermoforming medical packaging for critical devices and components

What Is Thermoform Quality Control?

Our Quality Management System (QMS) is certified to:

• ISO 9001:2015 – Total quality control across all packaging types

• ISO 13485:2016 – Specialized QMS for medical packaging design and production

Every job includes SOP-driven inspections, material verification and traceability, optical inspection and CPK reporting, and continuous process improvement.

Where Is Dordan Located?

Dordan is located in Woodstock, Illinois, just outside Chicago. We are a 50,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility with 14 inline plastics thermoforming machines, ISO Class 8 cleanroom manufacturing, an in-house tool and die shop, and warehouse support for vendor-managed inventory.