Polycarbonate and Acrylic Polishing FAQ

The optical clarity is a critical feature for plastic products in many cases.

No single plastic polishing technique is fit for all applications.

WeProFab has full experience in choosing the best polishing method for you.

Buffing plastic is a popular method for almost all types of plastics which produces a smooth surface.

The actual clarity will depend on the approaches.

It is good and economical for large flat surfaces which don’t have very high optical clarity requirement, for example buffing Plexiglass or buffing acrylic.

Flame polishing is a polishing method which uses a flame gun to treat plastic surfaces to have an optically clear surface for some plastic materials.

Examples include flame polishing polycarbonate and flame polishing acrylic.

Vapor polishing is a plastic polishing method which uses a solvent vapor flowing over the surface of clear plastics, in order to produce a good result for the transparent finish.

Some examples include vapor polishing polycarbonate, vapor polishing Ultem, and vapor polishing acrylic.

Optical machining is a plastic machining method which produces a great transparent finish when producing a complicated surface profile.

For sure, it needs special equipment as well as a series of special tooling.

Plastic optical machining could produce the best optical surface for most plastic materials — for example, optical machining acrylic, optical machining polycarbonate, etc.

WeProFab has the plastic polishing capacity to polish acrylic, polycarbonate, ABS plastic, PET, Ultem, Nylon and almost all of the other plastics.

We can offer acrylic polishing services, which include flame polishing acrylic, buffing acrylic, vapor polishing acrylic, optical machining acrylic, etc.

Polished acrylic products are the most common clear parts.

We can do polycarbonate polishing, which includes vapor polishing polycarbonate, flame polishing polycarbonate, buffing polycarbonate, optical machining polycarbonate.

There are many applications such as polycarbonate screen lens, polycarbonate lens for prescription blue light blocking glasses, etc.

WeProFab can also polish other plastics such as polishing ABS plastic, polishing Ultem, polishing Nylon, polishing HDPE, polishing Polysulfone, polishing PVC, polishing Radel, etc.

Don’t hesitate to send us an email if you want to know more about polycarbonate and acrylic polishing.

Polycarbonate and Acrylic Polishing: The Ultimate FAQ Guide

How do you Buff Acrylic Sheet?

The first thing to do is determining whether the acrylic sheet you’re buffing is extruded or cast.

If it is extruded, you’ll have to be particular in considering the pressure you use in buffing it since it’s a type that easily melts, hence forming a sticky, viscous edge.

For best results, you need to have all the necessary tools and equipment including buffing disc, buffing pad, drilling machine and polishing paste.

The first step in this process involves the application of the paste gently on the surface using a buffing pad.

While at it, ensure that you apply light pressure and keep on checking the results.

If possible, depending on the progress, you can gradually exert more pressure and drill speed.

However, you need to be meticulous and also pay keen attention.

With little effort, you’ll notice that the surface becomes clear once again.

What are the Benefits of Flame Polishing Acrylic?

Flame polishing acrylic has the following benefits?

Flame polishing

• Provides a more natural appearance with a high gloss and clearest finish
• It is relatively fast compared to a wide range of abrasive techniques
• It gives a somewhat durable finish
• You can use it to get a perfect result even on materials with sloped surfaces.

Can Acrylic Polishing Repair Scratches?

Yes, in fact it is very easy to get scratches out of acrylic material.

The most important thing is making sure that you are using the right products.

It is a simple approach of intense sanding, buffing as well as polishing.

Why should you Polish Acrylic?

• To make it possible for light to pass through the material easily especially in applications which require ideal lighting
• To attain a shiny polished look as well as water clear finish suitable for respective applications
• To smooth out surface irregularities particularly for medical components since it makes sure that no debris stick on the surface, particularly during sensitive procedures.

Does Optical Machining Acrylic Produce better Surface Finish?

Not really.

Acrylic naturally does not yield a better surface finish with optical machining compared to other materials such as polycarbonate.

How do you Polish Acrylic Surfaces?

There are different techniques of polishing acrylic surfaces that you might need to use depending on the geometry of the part.

· Manual Polishing

It is done by hand polishing the material using a piece of cloth that has a special polishing paste.

You can as well do it by holding the component against the rotating polishing disk.

It is an ideal technique for polishing large material surfaces or sloping edges.

· Diamond Edge Polishing

It involves moving of edges on acrylic sheets over sharp and fast-rotating diamonds.

This method is exclusively for straight or sloping sides and never for rounded corners.

· Flame Polishing

It involves using a fire burning at a temperature of between 2700 and 3300°C to melt the material and making it clear.

How does Vapor Polishing Acrylic Work?

It works by using solvent vapor which apparently flows over the entire surface of the acrylic material.

While on it, it tends to produce a relatively more translucent finish.

The surface needs to be clean before you begin this particular procedure.

The ultimate result of vapor polishing on acrylic is dependent on how ideal the initial machine was before polishing.

What are the Benefits of Optical Machining Polycarbonate?

• It enables you to attain comparatively less turnaround time than other types of materials
• Provides easier prototype testing, which is important in determining whether or not it is suitable for your needs or for the market.
• It saves a considerable quantity of materials which would otherwise have been wasted.
• It guarantees consistency as far as the production of high quality is concerned, which is vital since it enhances customers’ confidence.
• It increases workflow since it makes it possible for the contractor/engineer to make appropriate modifications to meet the required standards.

How Can you Polish Acrylic Edges?

 Polished edges of acrylic

First of all, ensure that you leave the protective film on for as long as you can.

Then you can choose to wet-sand the surface using sandpaper to smoothen the edges to enable you to make a start towards attaining a polished finish.

As you sand the edges, always stars with sandpapers with lower grit as you gradually turn to those with higher grit.

You will now have a smooth polished edge. So you can use a wide range of recommended pastes, waxes and other solutions make the edges fantastically bright.

If you can get access to and use a buffing wheel the better since it will enable you to attain an opulent finishing touch.

Can you Polish Acrylic with Dremel?

Yes, all you need to do may be running the Dremel at the lowest speed and always ensuring that the surface is lubricated during polishing.

Can Acrylic Polishing improve Light Transmittance and Clarity?

Of course, yes.

Indeed, the actual essence for polishing acrylic is to help in enhancing and attaining the best clarity and light transmittance in acrylic.

What is Direct Machine Acrylic Polishing?

It refers to a polishing technique which uses specialty tooling for producing polished finishes directly from a machine tool.

It is regarded as the most technical method but can nonetheless produce complex surface profiles with close to flawless finishes.

Can you Sand Acrylic Sheet?

Yes. The best way of sanding acrylic sheet is by wet-sanding it gradually using low grit sandpaper to high grit sandpaper until the surface appears smooth and free from scratches.

Can Polycarbonate Polishing Remove Scratches?

Yes. All you need to do is use the specific recommended non-abrasive agents to do the task, and you will be able to remove the scratches from the surface of polycarbonate material.

How Can You Sand the Edge of Polycarbonate?

• Use a 240 grit sandpaper for sanding the edge thoroughly
• Then use a 600 grit sandpaper to wet-sand the edge of the surface once again.
• Take small butane torch and apply a few pastes on the edges that you have already wet-sand. While at it only allows a small amount of heat grazes the polycarbonate.
• After a few passes, you’ll notice that the edge is starting to turn clear. Therefore, allow material to cool for approximately 10-20 seconds then continue giving more passes.
• Then you can use a Dremel polish pad and some clear plastic polish to complete your project.

Can you Flame Polish Polycarbonate?

Yes, you can flame polish polycarbonate especially as a way of enhancing the aesthetic appeal of its final products.

However, you need to ensure that the material is fully dry before starting this project.

Can Polycarbonate Polishing Remove Yellowing?

Yes, it is possible and very easy to use polishing as a way of removing yellowing from polycarbonate material.

What are the Benefits of Polishing Polycarbonate?

 Polishing polycarbonate

• It helps in transforming the matte finish into an optically clear finish also known as a high gloss finish
• It is essential when it comes smoothening out tool marks and unwanted elements, especially in medical blood pumps hence enhancing the efficiency of the pump.
• It provides a glossy or professional appearance to the finished parts.
• It helps in enhancing the efficiency of various components such as LEDs which characteristically require light to pass unobstructed.
• It helps in improving various applications of polycarbonate by enabling a greater view of the different interior with liquid presence.

How do you Vapor Polish Polycarbonate?

There is a special chemical vapor that which you apply.

This chemical vapor is highly reactive to the chemistry of the polycarbonate surface.

So what happens is that this chemical vapor is attained by heating the solvent to boiling point.

The vapor is sprayed across the entire surface of the polycarbonate material.

The material then melts at the surface filling all the scratches and voids in less than a minute then quickly solidifies when the vapor is no longer present.

Can you Buff Polycarbonate?

Yes. But in most cases, it is ideal when using on exterior surfaces, especially in larger polycarbonate components.

Why is Annealing Cycle Important in Polycarbonate Vapor Polishing?

Characteristically, polycarbonate is a material that is sensitive to stress and has excellent resistance to impact.

But aspects such as over-tightening screws can lead to stress which ultimately makes the surface to crack.

Therefore, if you want to attain a more stable and stress-free component, it is always ideal to be specific when it comes to the annealing cycle after machining.

Vapor polishing always needs an annealing cycle after the process, or else stress cracking will occur in service.