Thermoforming & Vacuum Formed Products worked example

Energy Per Sheet with former connected load of 6 kW: a worked example

This worked example runs the energy per sheet numbers for a tougher week than the baseline: former connected load of 6 kW instead of the typical 12 kW. Energy Per Sheet is the electricity cost tied to forming a single sheet on a vacuum or pressure thermoformer, where quartz and ceramic heater banks dominate the connected load.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Former connected load (heaters, vacuum pump, motors): 6 kW (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 12)
  • Production runtime for the batch: 8 hr (held at the documented default)
  • Electricity rate: 0.12 $ / kWh (held at the documented default)
  • Formed sheets produced in the batch: 1,000 units (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Energy cost = connected load × runtime × energy rate.
  • Energy cost works out to 5.76 $ / unit at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Energy used works out to 48 kWh at these inputs.
  • Cost per piece works out to 0.01 $ / piece at these inputs.
  • Hourly cost works out to 0.72 $ / hr at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where former connected load sits at 12 kW and the headline result is 11.52 $ / unit, this scenario comes in 50% below the baseline at 5.76 $ / unit.
  • Use it when quoting a new formed-part program, comparing machine efficiency, or building an energy-per-part baseline before a heater or insulation upgrade. A result at this level usually justifies acting on the stressed input before touching anything else, because every other figure in the table is downstream of it.

Results at a glance

  • Energy cost: 5.76 $ / unit (headline result)
  • Energy used: 48 kWh
  • Cost per piece: 0.01 $ / piece
  • Hourly cost: 0.72 $ / hr

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Energy Per Sheet calculator, set former connected load to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.