Cast Acrylic Sheet

Our cast acrylic sheets provide exceptional optical clarity, UV resistance, and easy machinability.

General Purpose Acrylic Sheets

Description

Cast acrylic sheets, also referred to as optically glass-like plexiglass, are manufactured from a continuous cast process with extremely high optical clarity thermoplastic material.

Acrylic is used in a wide variety of applications because it can be easily thermoformed and machined, making it an extremely versatile material suitable for a wide range of applications. Compared to all other types of transparent thermoplastics, acrylic has outstanding resistance to the damaging effects of sunlight and outdoor weathering. Most commercial acrylics have been UV stabilized for good weatherability and resistance to sunlight exposure.

The Key Features and Benefits of Cast Acrylic Sheets

Optical Clarity: Cast acrylic offers extremely high light transmission and clarity, greater than 92% light transmission. This makes it ideal for applications like aquariums, displays, and lighting fixtures.
UV Resistance : UV additives make cell cast acrylic highly resistant to ultraviolet light and solar radiation compared to other thermoplastics. It stands up very well in outdoor applications.
High Strength: Cell cast acrylic has higher tensile and flexural strength than standard extruded acrylic. It has over 12 times the impact strength of glass.
Thermal Stability: The cell cast manufacturing process results in low internal stresses and high dimensional stability over temperature changes. It can withstand 120-170°F continuously.
Ease of Fabrication: Cell cast acrylics can be readily machined, thermoformed, and fabricated to create custom enclosures, displays and more.

Why Use Cast Acrylic VS Extruded Acrylic ?

Continuous Service Temperature: 180° F (Cast Acrylic Sheet) vs. 160° F (Extruded Acrylic Sheet)
Formability Temperature Range: 340° F to 380° F (Cast Acrylic Sheet) vs 290° F to 320° F (Extruded Acrylic Sheet)
Cast acrylic has a higher molecular weight, therefore it will cut, drill and rout cleaner.
Ease of Machining: When machining cast acrylic, shavings will flake off whereas extruded acrylic shavings may gum up on the tool.
Glue-joint effectiveness: It offers stronger glue joints with cast acrylic sheets and performs better in laser cutting.
Higher optical clarity: Cast acrylic typically has light transmission of 90-93% and above and extruded acrylic sheet ranges 85-90% light transmission. This can make a noticeable clarity difference.
Better UV resistance: Additives cast acrylic sheet provides increased protection from yellowing degradation.