Polycarbonate
Transparent, impact-resistant thermoplastic with excellent optical clarity. Polycarbonate is used for lenses, light guides, protective covers, and transparent enclosures.
About Polycarbonate
Polycarbonate (PC) is the material of choice when optical clarity and extreme impact resistance must coexist. With 250× the impact resistance of glass and 90% light transmission, polycarbonate is used for safety guards, lenses, and transparent enclosures that must survive abuse.
FabRapid CNC machines and injection molds polycarbonate for optical lenses, protective shields, light guides, medical device housings, and transparent enclosures. Machined polycarbonate can achieve excellent optical clarity with proper toolpath strategies and polishing.
Polycarbonate is available in general-purpose, UV-stabilized, medical-grade (ISO 10993), and flame-retardant grades. It can be thermoformed, bonded with solvents or adhesives, and coated with hard-coat for scratch resistance.
Material Properties
Compatible Manufacturing Processes
Polycarbonate can be processed using these manufacturing methods.
Available Surface Finishes
Surface treatments compatible with Polycarbonate.
Common Applications
Design Guidelines for Polycarbonate
Polish machined surfaces with progressively finer abrasives to restore optical clarity
Minimum wall thickness: 1.0 mm — polycarbonate machines cleanly with good edge definition
Avoid contact with solvents (acetone, MEK, toluene) — polycarbonate stress-cracks in their presence
For injection molding, dry material to < 0.02% moisture to prevent splay marks and bubbles
Polycarbonate FAQ
No. Polycarbonate has relatively low surface hardness and scratches easily compared to glass or acrylic. Hard-coat treatments can improve scratch resistance by 10-20×. For applications requiring both impact resistance and scratch resistance, specify hard-coated polycarbonate.
Standard polycarbonate yellows with UV exposure. UV-stabilized grades (e.g., Makrolon UV) are available that maintain clarity and mechanical properties for 10+ years of outdoor exposure. Always specify UV-stabilized PC for outdoor applications.
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