Acrylic vs plexiglass

[Michel Robillard]

Hi everyone,
I would like to know if there's any difference between acrylic and plexiglass
Today a laser supplier told me that it's not good to VECTOR plexiglass because there's PVC in there.
He told me Plexiglass is not same that acrylic.
Someone knows about that???
Best regards everybody and thank you for your help.
This Forum is the best to find the good answers

Michel
Trotec Speedy 300

[Scott Shepherd]

Either he doesn't know what he's talking about or I don't. Plexiglas is a brand name for acrylic. They have many different products. The Plexiglas family is large, so he'd have to be a lot more specific. I've cut many sheets of Plexiglas acrylic sheet. There is no PVC in it.

[Martin Boekers]

Scott's right Plexiglas is a brand name, the problem occurs when folks call everything plexiglas
sort of like cellophane tape we call call it Scotch tape. Beware of the polycarbonates though
they get a bit nasty.

[Larry Bratton]

You might want to consider changing suppliers. He obviously doesn't know what he is talking about.

[ray hampton]

is there a different between plexiglass and Bakelite ? , do not answer this question

[Craig Matheny]

You are all right here is the break down...


Acrylic is manufactured in one of two ways. It is either extruded or cell cast. The extrusion method is a less expensive way to manufacture acrylic but presents two problems. Extruded acrylic is softer than cell cast acrylic, which means it is more susceptible to scratching. And extruded acrylic can have impurities in its surface. Cell cast acrylic has a harder surface because of the casting process. When acrylic is cell cast it is formed in a closed area, which reduces the chances of impurities becoming lodged in the material.



Plexiglas

Plexiglas is the original trade or brand name for this type of acrylic. Plexiglas is a cell cast acrylic, so it has fewer impurities (tiny ripples or embedded specks). The manufacturing costs are higher with cast acrylic, which is reflected in its higher price. The term Plexiglass is more commonly used for this type of acrylic






Read more: Acrylic Vs. Plexi Glass | eHow.com (http://www.ehow.com/about_7237550_acrylic-vs_-plexi-glass.html#ixzz22FtHdUEw) http://www.ehow.com/about_7237550_acrylic-vs_-plexi-glass.html#ixzz22FtHdUEw

[Andrea Weissenseel]

What about extruded Plexiglas ? ;)

Seriously, Scott had it on the point, Plexiglas is a trademark


Two brands, one product


Evonik Industries is a worldwide manufacturer of PMMA products sold under the PLEXIGLAS
®
trademark on the European, Asian, African and Australian continents and under the ACRYLITE
®
trademark in the Americas.

[Michel Robillard]

lollll, changing supplier??? he's a Rowmark distributor in my area, that's it. May be that's because he wants to sell Rowmark acrylics???

[Darren Seibert]

Michel,

CAUTION......I tried it "once". Plexiglass is very brittle and the smell is, I think, toxic. I tried vectoring snowflakes last year and that was the result I had. The price makes it tempting but I would strongly recommend against it and to go with cast acrylic instead. Hope this helps. Have a great day.

Darren

[Martin Boekers]

Michel,

CAUTION......I tried it "once". Plexiglass is very brittle and the smell is, I think, toxic. I tried vectoring snowflakes last year and that was the result I had. The price makes it tempting but I would strongly recommend against it and to go with cast acrylic instead. Hope this helps. Have a great day.

Darren


Are you sure it wasn't a Polycarbonite, like Lexan? I use Plexiglass from time to time and haven't had an issue with it.
If it turns yellow and gives fumes it isn't Plexi.

[Larry Bratton]

lollll, changing supplier??? he's a Rowmark distributor in my area, that's it. May be that's because he wants to sell Rowmark acrylics???

Regardless, he needs to know what he is saying to you and that is totally incorrect. Just because he is a Rowmark distributor obviously doesn't make him an expert. Unless he has other products in his inventory, he can't compete with the regular acrylic (non Rowmark) products anyway. You being in Canada though may be a game changer.

[Chuck Stone]

Are you sure it wasn't a Polycarbonite, like Lexan?

That was my immediate thought, too. I can't imagine a supplier not knowing that Plexi is a
trade name for acrylic.
Then again, 'acrylic' has become a catchall name for various polymer resin products in other areas.
Often you'll see cast polyester resins called 'acrylic'

[Michel Robillard]

we only use CAST acrylic or plexiglass here whatever the name
Thanks for the replies guys
I really appreciate as usual
Good luck everybody
Michel

[ray hampton]

That was my immediate thought, too. I can't imagine a supplier not knowing that Plexi is a
trade name for acrylic.
Then again, 'acrylic' has become a catchall name for various polymer resin products in other areas.
Often you'll see cast polyester resins called 'acrylic'

If we are talking about sheets of plexiglas and acrylic the name are type on a sticker than are hard to remeve

[Zvi Grinberg]

Acrylic sheets come in several ways.

Extruded - thses are the brittle smelli that cost less. They have one advantage over cast sheets - their thickness is constant accross the board

Cast- They are little more flexible, smell much less and cost a little more. Their thickness accross the board is approximate.

PlexiRaz - Yet another type, but I am not sure where/if available.
There is a ne type (local brand here is PlexiRaz) which has more flexiibility, and behaves almost like polycarbonate. It is cut excellent by lasers, quite smelly and costs more than cast.
This material is excellent for mechanical prototypes and final products that cannot tolerate the easy break of common materials. It does not break when bended or during insertion into narrow fitted slots. It can take more impact and friction. This is at a price of smell that results from the carbon elements that form this new material.

And of course just to emphasize - Plexiglass is a commercial name for a certain acrylic products line. It is not a specific product.

[Rodne Gold]

Plexiglas is registered to Degussa who produce mainly extruded sheet.. marketed by Evonik , anything with "Plexiglas" with the registration mark on the covering will almost be certain to be extruded. If it has PlexiglasS on it (double S on the end) It might be anything....