FAQ
1. What are my material choices?
We are able to process ABS, Polystyrene, HDPE, Acrylic (PLEXIGLASS), PETG, Polycarbonate (LEXAN), Acetal (DELRIN), Polyamid (NYLON) and other materials ranging from .030-.500" (.75-13mm) in thickness. Our house materials are .118" (3mm) ABS in black, light gray, cream, and ultra white. We also stock flame retardant ABS (black and white only). These materials are excellent choices for a wide range of enclosures and parts. They offer a good balance of strength and impact resistance. A lightly textured finish hides scratches and is smooth enought to allow for fine screen prints. Our house ABS grades are custom made from DOW's Magumn 555 and 5200 resins and are UL listed. Material data sheets: Standard ABS (UL94-HB) Flame Retardant ABS (UL94-V0) Our clear and engineering grade materials: Plexiglas (clear, smoked) PETG (clear) Lexan (clear, smoked, colored) Delrin (natural) Nylon (natural) For environmental and employee health reasons we do not process materials that contain PVC or glass fibers.
2. What about rounded edges?
The standard finish provided by our CNC routers is a 90 degrees, dull edge. Upon request, we can apply a .06" (1.5mm) radius to all machined edges. All edges that are formed by a thermo-bend have a radius which equals the thickness of the material.
3. Can I have a logo or other information printed on the product?
We offer digital printing. Digital printing provides near photo quality imaging. We will need your artwork in PDF format and true to scale.
4. What about custom colors or finishes?
We carry a wide range of different materials and a variety of colors and finishes. However, we can apply a Polyurethane coating to obtain a specified color or texture. This is often the case when parts have to match other components, such as a sheet metal enclosure. POLANE T by SHERWIN WILLIAMS offers excellent adhesion to plastics and can be color and texture matched to a customer's specifications. The coating also provides increased abrasion and chemical resistance.
5. How are the parts welded together?
We apply a solvent to the inside of all seams and bend lines using specialty solvent dispensers. The solvent temporarily dissolves the polymer and allows the contacting surfaces to bond. During the curing period, the liquid will permeate through the polymer and then dissipate out into the environment leaving a weld consisting only of the original polymer. For part repairs or bonds with other materials, epoxy based 2-part bonders can be used. To permanently attach customer components or to make in-field repairs, we recommend Loctite Plastix Bonder.
