Acrylic is an environmentally friendly material and is widely used as a replacement for glass in many applications. Acrylic is clear and has excellent toughness and visual clarity, two properties that are important for a material that is meant to replace glass. Acrylic plastic is less prone to shatter than glass in addition to weighing less than it. There are different types of acrylic formed through different methods, the most popular of which are cast and extruded acrylic.
What is Cast Acrylic?
Cast acrylic is most widely used in Chinese acrylic product production factories. Cast acrylic is formed by melting the plastic monomer, mixing it with an initiator, and then pouring it into molds. Cast acrylic in the form of sheets and rods are poured into stationary molds while those to be formed as tubes are poured into rotating molds.
Features of Cast Acrylic
1. Visual clarity Cast acrylic is used as a substitute for glass in the production of windows for houses and vehicles due to its exceptional visual clarity and transparency.
2. Impact resistance Cast acrylic is many times tougher than glass. It can endure much more shock than glass can without shattering. This makes it usable as a substitute for glass, especially in high-impact applications.
3. Lightweight Cast acrylic is up to two times lighter than glass which can produce big gains in terms of transportation and weldability.
4. MachinabilityCast acrylic is a highly machinable material which makes it a great choice for the manufacture of machined plastic parts.
5. Chemical resistance Cast acrylic is resistant to a wide variety of chemicals which makes it suitable for use in the packaging of different products ranging from food to pharmaceuticals.
Applications Of Cast Acrylic
Cast acrylic is used as a replacement for glass in windows and other transparent barriers. It is also used as a container for cosmetic and food products. It can be used in the manufacture of aquariums as well as plaques and trophies.
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What Is Extruded Acrylic Material?
Extruded acrylic is formed by feeding the mixture of the plastic monomer with a catalyst into rollers to spread it out into sheets. Extruded acrylic is unlike cast acrylic in that it is formed as sheets and not in rods.
Features of Extruded Acrylic
1. Inexpensive This is one of the main features of extruded acrylic. It is also one of the reasons why one may want to consider using extruded acrylic instead of cast acrylic. Extrusion of acrylic is a process that is easier to carry out and also faster than casting. This brings down the cost of production and makes extruded acrylic a good choice when one is on a tight budget.
2. Optical clarity Like cast acrylic, extruded acrylic is also extremely clear and with good transparency making it a good substitute for glass. Cast acrylic however offers greater visual acuity than extruded acrylic.
3. WorkabilityExtruded acrylic is thermoformable which means it can be softened by heating and then formed into various shapes. It is also more easily flame polished than cast acrylic which allows the surface to be given a smooth smooth, crack-free finish.
4. Consistency Due to the process of manufacturing extruded acrylic, the thickness remains the same from one end to the other. This improves the dimensional stability of the material. It is also difficult for dirt and other particles to contaminate extruded acrylic during its formation process. It should be noted that extruded acrylic develops a yellowish coloration after a while. This coloration occurs more quickly in products that are used out of doors under direct sunlight.
Applications of Extruded Acrylic
Extruded acrylic is used for producing windows and skylights. It can also be used to make signposts and advertisement displays. It can also be used in the manufacture of parts for electrical appliances.
Differences between Cast and Extruded Acrylic
1. Cast acrylic exhibits greater resistance to chemical action than extruded acrylic.
2. Due to the limitations of its manufacturing process, extruded acrylic sheets can only be produced with a limited thickness. This means it cannot be used for extremely high-impact-resistant applications like bulletproof shields. Cast acrylic on the other hand can be molded to any thickness of choice.
3. A cast acrylic sheet can have large discrepancies in its thickness, with a variance of up to 15% in some cases. The variance in extruded acrylic is however limited to just 5%.
Polystyrene
Polystyrene is one of the most widely used plastics on the planet. Polystyrene is produced in two major forms. One is the normal, regular plastic form while the other is a foam form that is commonly used for packing products.
Features of Polystyrene
1. Buoyancy Polystyrene is an exceptionally lightweight and buoyant material, which makes it a great choice for flotation devices and floating boards for swimming pools.
2. Cost Polystyrene is extremely cheap and easy to produce which is why it is one of the most used plastics on earth.
3. Versatility Polystyrene is extremely versatile and can be used in several different applications. Polystyrene foam is one of the most popular materials for cushioning packaged products.
4. Thermoplasticity Polystyrene is a thermoplastic and can always be melted down to form another product. This is an overall good thing for the planet as it helps to reduce the number of plastics in circulation.
5. Chemical reaction Polystyrene is a chemically inert plastic, which means it does not react readily with other materials. This makes it a good choice for the packaging of food.
Applications of Polystyrene
Polystyrene is used in a wide variety of industries from knobs on the handle of doors to benign used to manufacture children’s toys. They can also be used to create light fixtures and the foam form can be used to package items.
Choosing A Material For Production
Your choice of material should be based on your purpose and the requirements for your product. For example, a product that will not benefit from high resistance to impact may be produced with cheaper polystyrene rather than cast acrylic. When in doubt, however, reach out to a professional acrylic supplier to get informed advice on the best material to use for your product.
