Three Reasons to Use Acrylic Plastic for Fabrication

27 April 2020
 Categories: Industrial & Manufacturing, Blog

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Unlike other types of plastic, acrylic plastic is tough and transparent. Its chemical name is polymethyl methacrylate or PMMA. It has been in the market for some years, and is popular because it is shatter resistant and also tough. If you are looking for the ideal type of plastic to use for parts that need a transparent and non-brittle replacement for glass, PMMA is the ideal choice. Here are three reasons why acrylic plastic is better than other options when it comes to the sheet fabrication process.

Easy to Shape and Fabricate

When acrylic is heated to more than 100 degrees, it can be moulded and formed into any given shape. Acrylic plastic can be made into bottles, figurines and tubes among other things. The material can also be stretched out to make sheets. The sheets resemble glass and are ideal for skylights and aquarium parts. You can also saw and drill the metal the same way that wood and soft metals are sawed. Acrylic plastic is so versatile that it can also be used to make guitar parts and even furniture.

Does not Fade Easily

One of the major shortcomings of metal and other materials that are finished by painting is the way they are easily affected by the UV rays of the sunlight. Acrylic plastic behaves differently because when colour is incorporated into its designs, it does not fade away. Acrylic paint is not affected by the UV rays of the sun, which makes the plastic perfect for making outdoor signs. Additionally, the material has superior light-refracting qualities, which makes it perfect for signs. 

Does not Crack on Impact

Glass is the only other material that has the transparency offered by acrylic glass. However, glass is less popular for construction and other fabrication processes because it is too fragile. Acrylic is a super-plastic because it has a tensile strength of more than 5,000 kilos. When compared to ordinary glass, acrylic glass is at least 17 times more resistant to impact. It is this quality that makes acrylic glass a preferred material for the creation of bathroom glass.

Other qualities that make acrylic plastic a super material for fabrication include its light weight. Acrylic glass is lighter than glass and also highly transparent. All these are qualities that you will find very useful when creating strong and durable items. Remember that the quality of the plastic you get depends on the reliability of the manufacturer.