polish
Used to remove parting line burrs, minor scratches and local defects; for transparent parts, it is recommended to control the direction and level of polishing texture on the appearance surface.
Acrylic (PMMA)
Acrylic (PMMA)(acrylic) is a transparent engineering plastic with extremely high light transmittance and excellent surface finish.
Quote checklist: Upload your 3D model and, when available, a 2D drawing. Identify the required process, material, quantity, critical dimensions, finish, appearance standard, and target delivery date.
Key Material and Manufacturing Parameters
Engineering note: Values below are typical reference ranges. Final manufacturability, tolerances, material condition, surface finish, cost, and lead time depend on the drawing, geometry, quantity, and selected process.
Upload CAD files and mark critical features for an engineering review before production.
| Process | Injection Molding |
|---|---|
| Material | PMMA (acrylic/plexiglass) |
| Accuracy | ±0.10–0.20 mm (related to size range/mold/structure; it is recommended to mark tolerances for critical dimensions and confirm with DFM) |
| Minimum wall thickness | ≥1.0 mm (it is recommended to keep the wall thickness as uniform as possible; for transparent cosmetic parts, it is recommended to avoid sudden changes in thickness) |
| Appearance concerns | Weld marks/gate marks/flow marks/scratches are more obvious for transparent parts; it is recommended to define the allowable area of A side and gate |
| Draft angle | Recommend 1°–2°; it is recommended to be more conservative for transparent high-gloss appearance to avoid strains and drag marks |
| Fillets and transitions | Sharp corners are prone to stress concentration and whitening; it is recommended to add rounded corners and smooth transitions. |
| Finishing | Grinding, screen printing, laser engraving, polishing (transparent edge) |
| Typical lead time | Related to structure, quantity, mold and finishing; clear delivery and expedited options will be given after uploading the file |
Finishing
screen printing
Suitable for logos, scales and functional graphics; it is recommended to provide vector files and clarify the location, size and color requirements.
Laser engraving
Suitable for serial numbers, QR codes and wear-resistant logos; the laser engraving effect and contrast of transparent parts are related to the brand/surface condition, and you can make a sample to confirm first.
Polished (transparent edge)
Used to improve the light transmission and appearance of transparent edges, and reduce the foggy feeling after trimming and chamfering; suitable for window edges, light guide edges and decorative edges.
Why Choose PMMA (Injection Molding)
High transparency and strong appearance
Suitable for transparent shells, window panels and display structural parts; more friendly to products with "visible internal structures".
Good surface quality and stable texture
Injection molding can achieve better batch consistency; it is suitable for product parts with clear appearance standards and small batch production.
Suitable for screen printing and marking
Can achieve clear marking on transparent substrates; suitable for applications such as scales, logos, and panel graphics.
Transparent edges can be optimized
support Polished (transparent edge) Improves edge light transmission and appearance, suitable for enhancing the effect of lampshades, light guides and decorative edges.
Recommended Applications
- Transparent/translucent cosmetic parts: Window, transparent cover, mask, lampshade, light guide
- Clear appearance standards: Need stable surface texture and batch consistency
- Identification requirements: Panel screen printing, laser engraving number, QR code, etc.
- Small batch to mass production: Injection molding is better suited for replicable consistent delivery
It is not recommended to use it directly (it is recommended to change materials/processes)
- High impact/strong fall resistance: For more toughness requirements, PC or modified materials can be evaluated
- Long term high temperature environment: It is recommended to evaluate heat-resistant materials according to actual temperature conditions
- Extremely sensitive to weld lines and complex in structure: Priority needs to be given to DFM and gate/exhaust plan evaluation
- Very small batch of samples and no mold opening is planned: Can be verified with CNC/3D printing before converting to injection molding
Design and DFM advice
- The transparent appearance surface (Side A) shall be defined first: Please mark/note which surfaces must be "clean". We will optimize the plan based on the parting line, gate and ejection position.
- The wall thickness should be as uniform as possible: Transparent parts are more sensitive to shrinkage, ripples and stress whitening; avoid sudden changes in thickness, and use hollowing/ribs instead of thickening when necessary.
- Gate and weld mark management: The more complex the structure, the easier it is for weld marks to appear; it is recommended to arrange gates in the appearance-allowed area and leave space for exhaust and flow paths.
- Draft angle and surface protection: A more conservative draft angle is recommended for the exterior surface; avoid deep cavity straight walls causing strain and drag marks.
- Convert sharp corners to rounded corners: Sharp corners are prone to stress concentration and whitening. It is recommended to add rounded corners and transitions to improve strength and appearance stability.