Individual laser parts made of acrylic glass (PMMA)

Acrylic glass in laser cut

Configure your individual acrylic glass laser parts with just a few clicks online with our practical Laser-Part-Configurator.

What is acrylic glass?

Acrylic glass, or more precisely PolyMethylMethAcrylat (shorten PMMA) is often called generally as Plexiglas®. But this is not quite true, because Plexiglas® is merely a registered brand name for acrylic glass from Röhm GmbH (before Evonik Röhm GmbH) and there are countless other manufacturers, all of which have their own names for one and the same plastic. The PMMA is a thermoplastic material that is colorless, transparent in its natural form. By adding pigments, the range of acrylic glass is not limited to crystal clear plates. Acrylic glass is available in almost every imaginable color. So there are red, green or blue plates with a high translucency in transparent design, but also in opal design, which means that the plates still let light through, but you can not see through. In addition, acrylic sheets in opaque finish in almost all colors of the color spectrum are also available on the market.

Whether transparent, colored, opal or opaque - the essential properties of acrylic glass are retained. One of the most important properties of acrylic glass is probably the UV-resistance, which makes it possible to use the sheets indoors and outdoors, without the sheets becoming cloudy over time, bleaching or yellowing. In addition, acrylic sheets have a high surface hardness and are therefore relatively insensitive to scratching. There are even acrylic sheets with special surface coatings, which have an even better resistance to scratches. Acrylic glass is a fairly brittle plastic, so that it can break in the case of hard impacts. Also, acrylic glass is sensitive to contact with alcohols such as ethanol and shouldn't be cleaned with alcohol-based cleaners, as this can lead to stress cracking or even breakage of the plate.

What advantages does the lasering of acrylic glass offer?

Blanks on a panel saw for the horizontal blank are limited to rectangular formats. The laser cutting of acrylic glass, offers maximum flexibility with regard to the shape and thus also rounded corners, circles, triangles or a completely individual form of acrylic glass are possible. Moreover, laser shaving also involves the placement of holes, for example for stainless steel wall brackets, exactly possible up to a tenth of a millimeter without much extra effort.

Another advantage, which is particularly noticeable in transparent acrylic glass, is the cutting edge, which is crystal clear and transparent when it is cut with a laser. If acrylic sheets are cut with a saw, a saw-rough cut edge, caused by the saw blade, can not be prevented, so that it appears cloudy.

NOTE: Laser-engraved acrylic sheets, regardless of their thickness, color or finish, can not be bonded to solvent-based adhesives because they cause stress cracks on the laser cut edge.

Delivery program for laser parts made of acrylic glass from S-Polytec

Our modern CO2-laser-systems enable us to produce laser blanks made of acrylic glass with a maximum thickness of 10mm. The maximum dimensions of the laser bed are 1600mm x 1000mm. If larger formats are required, laser cutting of our acrylic sheets is no longer possible, so that we have to refer to our milling-service for individual shapes.

Our standard delivery program for laser-cut acrylic sheets

1. Laser parts made of transparent acrylic glass up to 1500mm length x 980mm width and 2mm - 10mm thickness
2. Laser parts made of coloured transparent acrylic glass up to 1500mm length x 980mm width and 3mm thickness
3. Acrylic glass parts in opal versions up to 1500mm length x 980mm width in 5mm thickness

On request we also offer:

1. Acrylic glass laser parts in any shape according to construction drawing
2. Laser engraving on transparent or opal acrylic glass
3. Laser parts made of colored transparent acrylic glass plates
4. and many more

Applications for laser parts made of acrylic glass

The typical applications of acrylic glass are extremely diverse due to the material properties. There is hardly any industry in which acrylic glass is not used. In most cases, conventional blanks are quite sufficient, as they are processed in further steps by the companies. In the automotive industry, for example, housings for headlights or turn signals are produced by thermal deformation. Likewise in the automotive sector, lasered acrylic sheets are often used as instrument covers or scratch-resistant display discs. In engineering, acrylic glass panels are used as viewing windows or transparent machine covers. But also in the lighting technology acrylic glass, especially with lasered acrylic glass indirect lighting, lighting elements and covers, as well as light displays made of opal acrylic glass, without being limited to a rectangular shape.

Typical examples for the use of laser parts made of acrylic glass

1. Signs for emergency lighting made of transparent acrylic glass with laser engraving
2. Company signs and door signs made of transparent, opal or colored acrylic glass
3. Indirectly illuminated shelves made of transparent acrylic glass for showcases and cabinets
4. Decorative items and lighting elements in individual form made of acrylic glass
5. Large-format neon signs in any shape are easily implemented with laser-cut acrylic glass
6. and many more

Cleaning of laser parts made of acrylic glass

Acrylic glass laser parts can be easily cleaned with conventional soapy water and a soft cloth to remove dirt or dust on the surfaces. On the other hand, strong cleaners or alcohol-containing cleaning agents are unsuitable and may damage the lasered blanks.

Recycling of laser parts made of acrylic glass

Acrylic glass can be excellently recycled and can be easily processed into regenerates and products made of recycled material provided that it is sorted according to type. Disposal in private households can be carried out easily via the recycling bags or recycling bins.