To make transparent CNC machined prototyping components, the most widely used two materials are PC and PMMA (also known as Acrylic). How to decide which clear material suit you best?
1. PC is less transparent than PMMA
PC material is not totally transparent. If you look closely, you will find that it is purple in color. In order to boost their transparency, PC prototypes need to be submerged in a potion, a process known as fumigation.
However, the PMMA material is nearly 100% transparent. PMMA prototypes themselves are transparent after sanding without any further post-treatment.
2. PC is harder than PMMA
As PC material is harder, it takes a longer time to sand and polish PC prototypes. Technicians even cannot polish some narrow areas hardly. Therefore, it is much easier to produce transparent prototypes in the softer PMMA material.
Often we say in the prototyping industry that the transparency of PC prototypes is achieved through fumigation, while that of PMMA is through sanding.
Generally speaking, PMMA is a better choice for making transparent prototypes even when you plan to use transparent PC material in mass production.
