vormitavad

Vormitavad is an Estonian adjective meaning capable of being shaped or formed, often translated as formable or moldable in English. The term is used to describe materials or substances that can be given a desired shape under external forces, heat, or chemical change. The form vormitavad is used in plural constructions, as in vormitavad materjalid (formable materials).

In technical and industrial contexts, vormitavad materials include many polymers and plastics, ductile metals, and certain ceramics before they are cured or sintered. Forming processes associated with vormitavad materials include injection molding, extrusion, bending, pressing, casting, rolling, and thermoforming. In crafts and everyday use, clay, dough, and similar substances are classic examples of formable materials.

The formability of a material depends on properties such as plasticity, ductility, viscosity, and temperature, as well as time and moisture conditions. Some materials are formable only within a specific temperature range or under certain chemical conditions; others become formable during an active process and then harden or set afterward. Formability is a key consideration in design, manufacturing planning, and quality control, influencing choice of material and processing method.

Etymology and grammar: vormitav is the base adjective meaning capable of forming, from Estonian vormima “to shape.” The participial form vormitav and its plural vormitavad are used to modify nouns, aligning with standard Estonian noun-adjective agreement.