plexi glass

[clatek]

Can we use regular plexi glass?

[Jason Kixmiller]

I would suggest not using plexi...it shatters with impact and is generally much harder to machine (depending on your application). If at all possible, try to use a product such as Lexan (very flexible and strong).

Lexan is a brandname...here is some information: http://www.gelexan.com/gelexan/features.html

there are other brands that offer the same features. Good luck!

[artdutra04]

The official name of PlexiGlas is acrylic. Try to avoid using acrylic on your robot at all costs; as up until a few years ago it was actually illegal to be used on a FRC robot. What you really want to use is called polycarbonate. The best known brand name of polycarbonate is Lexan. Polycarbonate it very strong, is used in some bullet-proof applications, and is nearly indestructible. Polycarbonate can be cut, drilled, heat-bent, machined, and much more. Spray paint takes well to polycarbonate, as long as you didn't paint the protective layer. :yikes:

http://www.team228.org/images/2005/paint%20blooper.JPG

Polycarbonate also costs a lot more, which is why FIRST made acrylic legal to use. But in the long run, if you don't want to worry about having parts shatter, use polycarbonate. ;)

[Leo 1529]

lexan is definately the way to go...we are covering our whole robot with it this year....its going to look like a see through refrigerator...

[KenWittlief]

What others have said -plexiglass is very difficult to work with. It melts around your saw blade, and if a drill bit snags the piece will shatter on you.

Lexan is just the opposite - it is SO nice to work with.

[Veselin Kolev]

I have still seen polycarbonate shatter, but it was under extreme circumstances. Otherwise yes, polycarbonate is very good for robotics. It is almost like sheetmetal, you can shear it, bend it, punch it, heat it and curve it. This all comes at the price of polycarbonate being more expensive than acrylic.

[KenWittlief]

I few years back we wanted to test polycarbonate to see how rugged it was. We took a piece of 3/8" lexan, about 4" square and pounded a 1/2" diameter cold chisel through the center of it. We were able to chisel a hole completely through without cracking or breaking the piece.

I was very impressed! (so was the lexan :^)

[Kirk]

Check out this thread. http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41571

Kirk

[warcommander200]

if you really want to go with a plexi glass like thing you should try to see if you can get some carbon fiber. it is as stong as steel and much liter but make sure before you cut it that not the type that you need a mask for because it becomes airborn. also it is very hard to get hold of. my team is using it this year to great afect.

[Hutch]

Just in case there aren't enough reasons to NOT use plexiglass (acrylic) - when it's cut, it produces ammonia... not fun.

[scitecteach]

How do you order laxan?

[BrianBSL]

How do you order laxan?

You can get it through a local plastic supplier, or several places online (including McMaster) sell it. You can just search for "lexan" on McMaster and it will translate that to polycarbonate for you.

[Dick Linn]

You might check this link to find a supplier in your area http://www.sheffieldplastics.com/distributor_form.cfm It's another brand of polycarbonate.

Check your local yellow pages. Loew's or Home Depot sometimes has the thinner stuff in the area where they have storm doors and windows, but you may get a better price from a plastics distributor.

[Jonathan Norris]

With lexan all you need is 1/16" sheet for your robot, we are lucky to have GE Plastics sponsor us and the 1/16" stuff will save us a lot of weight. Oh and we can't break or shatter it, the most damage we could see is a little bending :p.