Category Archives: Technical

Polycarbonate at times can be tricky to thermoform.  Below are some common problems and helpful hints to eliminate these problems: Webbing Webbing is a common problem caused by an excess of material. The excess is often a result of over stretching during the heating process. Often something as simple as reducing the heating cycle can […]

This article will discuss Brake Forming and Strip Heating of Polycarbonate Sheet. Brake forming is done with a metal brake press. It is done cold and no pre-drying of the polycarbonate sheet is required. Brake forming alone is not recommended above 0.118 inches (3 mm) because the sheet may crack or fail due to induced […]

This blog post discusses drilling holes in Polycarbonate sheet. It identifies many of the best practices to drill high quality holes without causing stress in the sheet, which could lead to part failure. Hole Diameter Feed Rate (in/rev) Drill speed (rpm) 1/8″ 0.001 1750 1/4″ 0.002 1500 1/2″ 0.004 500 For information, we have written […]

All materials change dimension with temperature. Plastics, in this case polycarbonate, tend to expand and contract more with temperature fluctuations than non-plastics, like metals or glass. To avoid buckling or deformation of the sheet during elevated temperatures, it is necessary to compensate by calculating the linear thermal expansion of Polycarbonate sheet. If the polycarbonate is […]

Cold Forming polycarbonate sheet is any forming formed below 300 F (149 C). Barrel vault skylights and some face shields are cold formed. In order for the part to maintain its shape a permanent frame must be used to hold the edges in place. As in all forming of plastics, inducing stress often leads to […]

This week we will continue our discussion on forming Polycarbonate sheet focusing on Low Temperature Thermoforming. Low temperature thermoforming takes place between 350 F (177 C) and 370 F (188 C). This type of thermoforming is used for parts that may require high optical quality or have minimal shape change. Unlike high temperature forming, a […]

Here at Highline Polycarbonate we are committed to providing useful information in support of the products that we sell. This blog post is the first in a series of posts on how to form polycarbonate sheet into practical shapes for commercial use. This short series will cover high-temperature thermoforming, low-temperature thermoforming, cold forming, brake forming […]