Cold Forming Acrylic Sheet

Cold forming is possible.

Cold forming acrylic sheet.

Line bending or thermoforming a brasion resistant acrylic sheet is not recommended. Hln supplies leeds plastic fabrication moulding specialists. Tighter radii may result in crazing or cracking of the coating. Uk educational supply center centre mindsets online sells variously sized 3mm thick sample sheets of eastman s spectar copolyester at not completely outlandish prices.

Heat source small projects with bends that are close together will need upon heat source which can be easily aimed at small areas. Acrylic oven baking sheet aluminum foil timer felt for handling the acrylic and to prevent scratches tools for forming tools for forming may include. Other materials inches inch f acrylic sheet 0000410 aluminum 0000129 plate glass 0000050 for indoor applications where temperatures normally remain the same 20 degrees f acrylic sheet does not generally require special considerations for expansion and contraction other than providing for a snug rather than tight fit since its movement. To reduce the length of the forming cycle pre dry the sheet in a spare oven and transfer it directly into the forming oven at 176 f 80 c after the drying period.

Never heat acrylic sheet in a kitchen oven. I can t recommend for. To calculate the minimum bend radius of curvature multiply the thickness of the sheet to be used by 330. Release mechanism for hanging plexiglas acrylic sheets in heating ovens.

The recommended radius of curvature should be a value greater than 180 times the thickness of the sheet for plexiglas g sheet and 300 times the thickness for plexiglas mc sheet see table below. For thicker sheets it will take longer and for thinner sheets it will take less time. This article uses a sheet about 1 4 thick so all times are about 10 to 15 minutes per step. A mold any object shape you can press the acrylic into to give it shape mallet and or a peen for shaping caution i ve only tried this in an electric oven.

It is important to provide sufficient clamping of the sheet during the forming process. This device can reduce appreciably the labor required for clamping and unclamping sheets preparatory to forming. Cold forming plexiglas sheet can be cold formed bent at room temperature in a smooth arc and held to a radius by forcing the material into a curved channel support. Twenty four hours at 176 f 80 c dries most sheets.

Modify the timing as necessary. It can also shorten the time required to transport the heated sheet from the oven to the forming equipment thus minimizing the possibility of cold forming. Spectar supposedly looks and handles much like acrylic but with the surprising property that it can be cold formed without breaking or whitening and exhibits a memory effect holding a cold bend until reheated.