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Which type of plastic sheet do I need for my application?

What type of plastic sheets does USP carry? We carry a wide array of plastic materials. Plastic sheets are very versatile. The following sheets can be purchased and shipped immediately to you.

ABS Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene-This is haircell finish one side ABS sheet. It has good impact strength, formability, stiffness, excellent aesthetic qualities, toughness, and general purpose, low-cost material. Applications include aircraft interior trim, cassette holders, tote bins and trays, automotive parts, luggage, and more. ABS is an extremely versatile thermoplastic. It has good chemical and stress-cracking resistance. It also combines toughness with rigidity and creep resistance. The strength of ABS depends on temperature. ABS is easily thermoformed and lends itself to the remarkable reproduction of mold detail. Extruded ABS sheet can be easily heat formed using any conventional thermoplastic sheet forming equipment. The maximum working temperature is 185°F, and the forming temperature is 325 - 350°F. Black is UV resistant, while white and natural colors are not.

ACETAL (Delrin®) White Acetal-150 has excellent load-bearing qualities in both tension and compression. Acetal does not absorb much moisture and is resistant to a wide range of solvents. Both strong acids and oxidizing agents attack acetals. The service temperature range is -20 to 185°F, intermittent 200°F. High yield strength at elevated temperatures. It is an excellent material for bearings, gears, cams, and other small parts. Properties include low friction, high wear resistance, and ease of fabrication. It meets FDA standards and is USDA approved. It is not UV stabilized.

ACRYLIC This plastic sheet is completely transparent, flexible, and exhibits great resistance to breakage. Acrylic is an excellent material to use in place of glass for windows, skylights, doors, partitions, etc. It is lightweight, half the weight of glass, and virtually unaffected by nature. Acrylics' transparency, gloss, and dimensional shape are virtually unaffected by years of exposure to the elements, salt spray, or corrosive atmospheres. These materials withstand exposure to light from fluorescent lamps without darkening or deteriorating. They ultimately discolor, however, when exposed to high-intensity UV light below 265 nm. It can take temperatures from -40°F to 180°F (intermittent to 200°F). Fabrication is easy, as it can be sawed with fine tooth blades, drilled with plastic drills, sanded, and polished. Also, it can be cemented with Acrylic cement. It meets FDA standards, is UV stabilized, and has a UL 95 Flammability rating. The forming temperature is 350°F. Applications include inspection windows, sight gauges, windshields, meter faces, protective covers, safety shields, tanks, desktops, displays, trays, and chair pads.

CPVC (Chlorinated Polyvinyl Chloride) Boosts the working temperature of other rigid vinyl thermoplastics by 60°F with little change in corrosion resistance characteristics. CPVC safely handles many corrosive liquids. It is virtually immune to solvents or direct attack by inorganic reagents, aliphatic hydrocarbons, and alcohols. The forming temperature is 310-325°F, and the service temperature is 33-212°F. It is corrosion resistant, lightweight, has high tensile strength, is dielectric, non-combustible, and has low flow resistance. It is not UV stabilized.

NYLON With the ease of fabrication and many superior properties, Nylon has found wide application for bearings, bushings, washers, seals, gears, guides, rollers, wear plates, fasteners, insulators, forming dies, sleeves, liners, cooling fans, and many other parts. Properties include high wear and abrasion resistance, low coefficient of friction, and high strength-to-weight ratio. It has corrosion-resistant to alkalis and organic chemicals. It is non-abrasive to other materials, with noise-dampening characteristics, and is also a good electrical insulator. It is not UV stabilized, but it is USDA and FDA-compliant. The temperature range is -40°F to 225°F.

POLYCARBONATE Is a high-impact material with excellent properties that enable this material to be used where many others have failed. It is virtually unbreakable, making its products extremely safe in areas where parts may be exposed to high impact. It is UL listed for Burglar Resistance and complies with ANSI (Z97.1) for transparent safety glazing in buildings. It may be used in continuous service applications with temperatures ranging from -40°F to 240°F. Polycarbonate is UV stabilized, giving it effective resistance to sun exposure. It has performed well in outdoor applications for 5-7 years. Applications include greenhouses, patio roofs, window glazing, safety guards, chair mats, equipment enclosures, signs, and doors. Available in clear, frosted, and Lexan® Margard®.

POLYETHYLENE LDPE These sheets can be heat formed, shaped, and welded to fabricate ducts, hoods, and much more. They have excellent corrosion resistance to a wide range of items. Polyethylene is susceptible to stress cracking when exposed to ultraviolet and some chemicals. Wetting agents such as detergents accelerate stress cracking. It cannot be cemented but easily be welded with a plastic welder. LDPE can be cut with a wood saw and drilled with regular metal bits. Not UV stabilized but did meet FDA standards. The Low Density Polyethylene has a .92 density. Semi-rigid with good impact resistance and abrasion resistance. It is white translucent with working temps of 0-140°F. and a forming temperature of 245°F.

POLYETHYLENE HDPE Rigidity and tensile strength of the HDPE resins are considerably higher than those of LDPE & MDPE materials. Impact strength is slightly lower, as is expected in a stiffer material. These sheets can be heat formed, shaped, and welded to fabricate ducts, hoods, and much more. They have excellent corrosion resistance to a wide range of items. HDPE cannot be cemented but is easily welded with a plastic welder. It can be cut with a wood saw and drilled with regular metal bits. Not UV stabilized but meets FDA standards. The High Density Polyethylene has a density of 0.95. Rigid, good impact, and abrasion resistance. It is white translucent with a working temperature of -60°F to 180°F and a forming temperature of 295°F.

POLYPROPYLENE Offers a good balance of thermal, chemical, and electrical properties with moderate strength. It possesses a good strength-to-weight ratio. Due to its hard, high gloss surface, PP is ideally suited to environments with bacteria build-up that can interfere with the flow. These sheets can be heat formed, shaped, and welded to fabricate ducts, hoods, and much more. They have excellent corrosion resistance to a wide range of items. They cannot be cemented but are easily welded with a plastic welder. PP can be cut with a wood saw and drilled with regular metal bits. Not UV stabilized but is USDA approved and meets FDA standards. Polypropylene has a .90 density, rigid with fair impact resistance and very good abrasion resistance. It is white-tan, translucent with working temperatures of 32°F to 210°F and a forming temperature of 310-325°F.

POLYURETHANE Has a high load-bearing capacity and excellent tear resistance. It is also abrasion, oil, and solvent resistant, with high resistance to sunlight and weather conditions. It has a broad temperature range from -90°F to 180°F. It provides superior sound-dampening properties in relation to rubber and plastics and is also great for electrical insulating properties. Applications include gaskets, seals, gears, wheels, bearings, bumpers, drive belts, valve seats, noise damper, chute-hopper liners, slurry transfer, mallets heads, and solvent lines. Available in yellow & black.

POLYVINYL CHLORIDE (PVC) This PVC sheet has excellent corrosion resistance and weather resistance. The working temperature is 33°F to 160°F. and the forming temperatures of 245°F. It is a good electrical and thermal insulator and is self-extinguishing per UL Test 94. PVC applications are almost unlimited. It's the most widely used member of the vinyl family. It is excellent for corrosion-resistant tanks, ducts, fume hoods, and pipe. Ideal for self-supporting tanks, fabricated parts, tank linings, and spacers. It is not UV stabilized and has a tolerance of +or 10%. Not FDA-approved materials. Colors available: Gray PVC Type 1 Sheet, White PVC, & Clear PVC.

PVC EXPANDED SHEET This Sintra PVC sheet is a moderately expanded high-density polyvinyl chloride (PVC) sheet. It is a lightweight plastic material that can be easily cut, sawed, drilled, and fabricated. The sheet is an excellent material for model exhibits and displays. For interior signage only. It can be painted and silk-screened. Its characteristics include foamed PVC sheet material that is approx half the weight of solid PVC; durable and hard-wearing under many adverse conditions and resist most chemicals and water, with its porous interior and hard, smooth surface; it can be painted, printed, silk-screened, laminated, etc.; easy to clean and has an attractive surface, and is fire retardant. Good sound dampening-UL 94 flammability class 94 V-O-945; USDA approved. Colors available: white, black, gray, and beige.

STYRENE Use this high-impact styrene sheet for models, prototypes, signs, displays, enclosures, and more. It can be drilled, threaded, sawed, sheared, punched, and machined. It can also be painted and has excellent forming properties (vacuum pressure). It is non-toxic, odorless, dimensionally stable, has low water absorption, and is heat and electronically sealable. Maximum heat resistance is 180°F, and the forming temperature is -325°F to 350°F. Styrene meets FDA standards but is not UV stabilized.

Teflon® TFEHas a virtually universal chemical inertness; of commercial chemicals, only molten alkali metals and gaseous fluorine at high temps and pressure attack Teflon®. The operating temperature range is -20°F to 500°F. It has the lowest coefficient of any solid. It has no slip-stick characteristics; static and dynamic coefficients are equal. Nothing sticks with any strength to unheated surfaces. Both virgin and mechanical grades are UV stabilized. Virgin material meets FDA standards and is USDA approved.

UHMW This Ultra High Molecular Weight (UHMW) Polyethylene bar has exceptionally high abrasion and impact resistance properties. It will outwear all other materials, including metals, nylons, urethanes, and fluoroplastics. In corrosion resistance, it has the same qualities as other polyethylene plastics. The operating temperature range is from -60°F to 200°F. Because it resists wear, friction and corrosion, it cuts maintenance costs and energy consumption and extends equipment life. Applications include guide rails, wear plates, rollers, conveyor augers, bin and hopper lines, chutes, bearings, bushings, and gears. Its properties include: low coefficient of friction, self-lubrication, non-adherent surface, FDA and USDA concurrence for contact with foods, drugs, etc.

Title: Which type of plastic sheet do I need for my application?
Description: The different styles, applications, and temperature ranges for plastic sheet are necessary in determining the right plastic for your project. We give a brief description and application use for each type of plastic sheet we have in our inventory.
Published: 5/16/2003
Last Edited: 1/16/2023

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The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by United States Plastic Corp. and while we endeavor to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.

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