Acrylite Acrylic Sheet Fabrication - Curbellplastics.com

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Tubular Rod HeatersTo heat sheet thickerthan 1/8" (3mm), usea tubular-rod heater witha heating rod like theheating element of anelectric stove. Powerthe heater with avariable transformer.Place a reflector,preferably of splitaluminum conduit forits good reflectivity,beneath the rod. For shorter heating cycles, mountheaters above and below the sheet. Use water-cooledsupports to avoid marks on the acrylic.ProceduresBe sure to follow the manufacturer’s safetyrecommendations for equipment and materials usedwith ACRYLITE FF sheet.Bending with a Straight Nichrome Wire HeaterRadiant Quartz Tube Heaters2Quartz tube heaters are among the most efficientsources of radiant energy. They look like a thinfluorescent light bulb. These units provide capability tobend ACRYLITE FF sheet 1/4" (6mm) thick or greater.The heater consists of a coiled resistance wire housedin a quartz-coated glass tube.Use a reflector with a quartz tube heater for mostefficient heating. For short heating cycles, mountheaters above and below the sheet. Power theheater(s) with a variable transformer.Cooling JigsUse a cooling jig likethe one shown at leftto assure that yourbend is at the properangle and to preventthe piece from“springing back” into itsoriginal shape. This isan all-purpose jig for90° bends - you canmodify it to suit thepart. A cooling jigwhich exposes bothsides of the heatedsheet to air will accelerate cooling and reduce stresses.Heat the material until it bends easily. Experience willteach you how long to heat each part. Don’t overheat orlay ACRYLITE FF sheet directly on the heating element- doing so will blister and/or mark the sheet.Bend the heated part to the desired shape and quicklyplace it in a cooling jig. To retain the bend while you doother work, secure the part in the jig with weights orclamps. Cooling timenormally equalsheating time.When line bendingwith only one heatingelement, be sure tobend away from theheated side. Forexample, if thenichrome wire is on thebottom, bend upwards.Line Bending with Coiled Resistance WireFollow the procedures above for nichrome resistancewire line bending. Flip the piece over while heating toprevent uneven stresses in the bend area.Long Line BendsWhen a bend line exceeds 24 inches in length, there isa tendency for the part to bow across the bend. This canalso happen when a bend is made close to the edge ofa sheet. To minimize bowing, restrict the width of theheated area or, v-groove the sheet along the desiredbend line, as shown at right. When a line bend exceeds36" in length, the part tends to bend unevenly (slightwave) along the bend due to shrinkage. To minimize thistendency, make the bend perpendicular to the manufacturingdirection. You can tell manufacturing directionwhen the label or masking paper is still attached to thesheet. If there is a label, manufacturing direction is from
top to bottom as you read it. If masking paper is still onthe sheet, manufacturing direction is from top to bottomas you read the words on the masking.Sharp Line BendsFor sharp line bendswith no deflection, it isa good idea to v-groovethe sheet, as shown atleft. Use a v-rabbetrouter bit or a table saw,making two opposed45° cuts. V-grooving thesheet reduces thematerial cross sectionat the point of bending,reducing stresses andmaking bending easier. A wire heater beneath the cutwill help create a sharp angle bend without deflectionsor bowing.Bending with a Tubular HeaterBend the part as outlined above for a nichrome wireheater. The ACRYLITE FF sheet should be at least halfan inch from the rod to avoid overheating.Bending with Quartz Tube HeatersBend the part as outlined above for a nichrome wireheater. The ACRYLITE FF sheet should be at least ahalf inch from the tube to avoid overheating.Gentle BendingBy changing the distance between supports, the workercan increase or decrease the width of the heated area,thus varying the curvature of the bend. In this way, thepart can be bent with a gentle curve instead of a rightanglebend.Trouble ShootingProblem Cause SolutionBubbling Overheating Lower heat;or BlisteringReverse or turnover work.Increase sheetheaterdistanceWet materialPre-dry sheetWrinkling Narrow heating Widen heated areaIncrease bendradius (bendradius at leasttwice sheetthickness)Bending part Bend awaythe wrong way from heated sideMark-off Surface contact Avoid overheating(stray marksCover jig with felton sheetReduce areas ofsurface) contact incooling jigBow Effect Stresses from Use straightheated and nichrome wireunheated to decreaseareas width of heatedareaDesign reversecurve incooling jigHeat entirepart in ovenUse a v-groovebend lineInherentBend sheetshrinkage perpendicularin sheet to direction ofmanufacture -see foregoingdrawingEquipment and Materials SuppliersThe suppliers listed below offer materials and equipmentsuitable for use with ACRYLITE FF sheet. AuthorizedACRYLITE Sheet Distributors may also offer materialsand equipment.Variable TransformersSuperior Electric Company383 Middle StreetBristol, CT 06010860-585-4500Fax: 860-589-2136www.superiorelectric.comStaco Energy Products301 Gaddis Blvd.Dayton, OH 45403937-253-1191Fax: 937-253-1723www.stacoenergy.com3
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Page 4 and 5: Additional Technical Information an
Page 6 and 7: If using a table saw, be sure it co
Page 8 and 9: Saw Blade Dampeners/StiffenersSaw b
Page 10 and 11: Equipment and Materials SuppliersCo
Page 12 and 13: 2. The cutting edge must be ground
Page 14 and 15: Figure 2: Spindle Speed recommendat
Page 16 and 17: Drilling Large HolesTo drill a hole
Page 18 and 19: For additional information contact:
Page 20 and 21: Router BitsRouter bits may be made
Page 22 and 23: Circle RoutingCircles of varying di
Page 24 and 25: edge. Cutter diameter is normally d
Page 26 and 27: Equipment and Materials SuppliersTh
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Page 33: FabricationTECHBRIEF#7 Line Bending
Page 40: For additional information contact:
Page 45 and 46: FabricationTECHBRIEF#10 Thermoformi
Page 47 and 48: Mold DesignMold MaterialsMolds for
Page 49 and 50: The following table summarizes the
Page 51 and 52: Drape FormingIn this process a heat
Page 53 and 54: Vacuum snap-back forming is very si
Page 55 and 56: Trouble ShootingProblem Cause Solut
Page 60: Degussa, CYRO Industries, 379 Inter
Page 63 and 64: FabricationTECHBRIEF#13 Laser Machi
Page 65 and 66: a non-adhesive “laser cuttable”

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