If you specify Polycarbonate (PC) for vacuum formed prototype and short run parts, a handful of properties decide whether the part survives forming and service. These are the values worth checking on every data sheet.
Use it as a working checklist when you write your next enquiry.
This category covers a family of products rather than a single item. In practice a buyer defines vacuum formed prototype and short run parts by three things: the base resin, the format or dimension, and the performance or certification level it has to meet. Typical options in this category include single cavity prototype tools; gauge 1.0 to 6.0 mm; low cost machined or printed tooling. Materials most often specified are High Density Polyethylene, Polycarbonate, Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol, Polypropylene, and the choice between them changes stiffness, temperature resistance, chemical behaviour and price.
In the industrial equipment sector the decision is usually driven by thick gauge capability and flare and fire rating, with paintability as a secondary requirement. Typical end uses include equipment covers, kiosk shells, machine housings.
These figures are typical for commercial grades and should be confirmed against the supplier's certificate for your specific lot.
| Material | Density | Tensile strength | Service temperature |
|---|---|---|---|
| High Density Polyethylene | 0.94-0.97 g/cm³ | 20-32 MPa | -50°C to 80°C |
| Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol | 1.27 g/cm³ | 45-55 MPa | -40°C to 70°C |
| Polypropylene | 0.90-0.91 g/cm³ | 25-40 MPa | -10°C to 100°C |
Polycarbonate is frequently the default selection here: PC replaces glass where impact safety matters, but it needs a hard coat for abrasion resistance.
The table below summarises the values that usually decide the material choice.
Density 1.20 g/cm³, tensile strength 55-70 MPa, continuous service temperature -40°C to 120°C and melt range 260-300°C are the four values to circle on the data sheet. Everything else is secondary for most industrial equipment projects.
Beyond the base resin, most suppliers offer UV stabilised, food contact, flame retardant, anti-static and recycled content versions of the same product. Ask which additive package is included, because it is often the difference between a part that lasts three years and one that lasts ten.
Processing method drives both cost and performance, so it should be fixed early in the design.
Secondary operations such as printing, welding, machining and assembly are often cheaper to do in the same factory, and they reduce the risk of mismatch between components.
Use this checklist when comparing two or three supplier quotations.
Send this list to your supplier with the drawing and you will receive comparable quotations from every factory you contact.
Yes. Standard samples are normally free of charge and shipped within three working days; custom samples are charged at cost and credited against the first production order.
Colour is controlled with a masterbatch reference approved by the customer, and every production lot is checked against the approved sample under standard lighting before shipment.
A new tool typically takes 25 to 45 days depending on cavity count and complexity, followed by T1 samples within one week. Existing tools can usually start production within 10 to 15 days of order confirmation.
For standard sizes and colours the minimum is usually one pallet or one production run; for custom tooling the economic minimum depends on the tooling cost amortised over the expected volume. Send us your annual volume and we will calculate the break even point.
We can provide ISO 9001 quality system documentation, material certificates, RoHS and REACH statements, and where applicable food contact, flame retardancy or drinking water approvals. Tell us your target market and we will match the document set.
If you are planning a new industrial equipment project, send us your drawing, annual volume and target properties, and we will come back with a material proposal, a tooling plan and a budget quotation.
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