Acrylic

Acrylic

Acrylic, commonly known as PMMA or Plexiglas, is a highly versatile thermoplastic material renowned for its glass-like qualities, including remarkable clarity, brilliance, and both transparency and translucency. What sets acrylic apart is that it offers these attributes while weighing only half as much as traditional glass and boasting up to 10 times the impact resistance. This makes acrylic an exceptional choice for a wide range of applications, where visual appeal and durability are paramount. Beyond its transparent nature, acrylic can be found in a spectrum of vibrant colors, mirrored finishes, and opaque variations, making it highly adaptable to diverse design needs.

What is the difference between cast and extruded acrylic sheet?

One of the key decisions when working with acrylic is choosing between cast and extruded acrylic sheet materials. Extruded acrylic sheets are often more cost-effective, thanks to their ability to be custom manufactured to specific lengths, reducing waste during the cutting process. They are also relatively straightforward to bond using solvent cement and are easy to thermoform due to their lower melting point. Conversely, cast acrylic sheets are labor-intensive to create, making them a more premium option. However, they offer superior chemical resistance and enhanced machining capabilities. Cast acrylic is known for its lightweight and rigid characteristics, making it less prone to chipping, melting, or bending, rendering it ideal for use in larger structures and installations.

Common Brands

Acrylic has an array of popular brands, with Plexiglas being one of the most recognized, though it’s important to note that Plexiglas is just one brand of acrylic. Other notable brands include Excelon, FABBACK, Futurplast, OPTIX, OPTIX-L, and Polycast.

How Cope Uses Acrylic

At Cope, we harness the potential of graphic materials in diverse applications that extend beyond signage. Acrylic’s versatility is showcased in automotive trim, displays, lenses, light fixtures, and POP displays. Furthermore, acrylic’s significance has grown since the COVID-19 pandemic, where it was widely utilized for safety partitions, desktop barriers, and various shields and sneeze guards. These acrylic solutions played a crucial role in mitigating the spread of the virus in public spaces and workplaces, emphasizing the adaptability and significance of this remarkable material.

Applications
  • Automotive trim
  • Displays
  • Lenses
  • Light fixtures
  • Machine Guards
  • Medical Face Shields
  • POP
  • Signage
  • Temporary Partitions
Features/Properties
  • Clarity
  • Dimensional Stability
  • Surface hardness
  • Weatherability