Robot plexiglass/plastic

[Phyrxes]

We have ordered from http://www.eplastics.com/ in the past but generally make one large order a year to save on shipping anything that can't be rolled up and shipped in a tube.

[Gdeaver]

Clear PETG is known as the poor man's polycarb. Not as good as poly carb but should be acceptable for some robot apps.

[thefro526]

Has anyone ever tried applying automotive style window tint to Acrylic sheet and then seeing if it will shatter like an un-tinted sheet?

My gut tells me that the tint should help hold the broken shards of Acrylic together should they crack, I'm just wondering if this is actually true...

[Andy Baker]

Originally Posted by Burt65

// spam post deleted //

Anyone using acrylic or plexiglas on a FIRST Robotics Competition robot is just asking for trouble, as it shatters. MANY people refer to the clear plastic (polycarbonate) used on these robots as plexiglas, which is incorrect, as stated many times in this thread.

Here is a very simple way to tell the difference between two pieces of clear plastic, of which one is acrylic and the other is polycarbonate: look at the outside edge of the plastic sheet. If the outside edge has a blue tint, then it is polycarbonate. If this same edge is white or frosty-clear, then it is acrylic.

Then, put the acrylic back up on the shelf (or throw it away*) and next take the polycarbonate in your arms and give it a big hug.

Here is a pretty good discussion we had about this same topic a few years ago.

Sincerely,
Andy Baker

* I'm actually serious about this. There is no need to have any trace of sheet acrylic in a robot-building shop. If you just put it back up on the shelf, you might as well write on it with a sharpie marker "Don't use this acrylic stuff - it shatters!!!"

[Phyrxes]

Originally Posted by thefro526

Has anyone ever tried applying automotive style window tint to Acrylic sheet and then seeing if it will shatter like an un-tinted sheet?

My gut tells me that the tint should help hold the broken shards of Acrylic together should they crack, I'm just wondering if this is actually true...

So do it yourself laminate, possibly on both sides, to contain the plastic should it take an impact? Not sure its worth it even for display purposes as it will still likely get dropped by a student carrying it.

[Brandon Holley]

Originally Posted by thefro526

Has anyone ever tried applying automotive style window tint to Acrylic sheet and then seeing if it will shatter like an un-tinted sheet?

My gut tells me that the tint should help hold the broken shards of Acrylic together should they crack, I'm just wondering if this is actually true...

Just curious as to what the point would be? If you are going to put tint on to a sheet of plastic anyway, why not just use PC?

-Brando

[Chris is me]

Originally Posted by Gdeaver

Clear PETG is known as the poor man's polycarb. Not as good as poly carb but should be acceptable for some robot apps.

It's at least easier to laser cut, which can be useful in some applications.

[Andy Baker]

Originally Posted by Andy Baker

Here is a very simple way to tell the difference between two pieces of clear plastic, of which one is acrylic and the other is polycarbonate: look at the outside edge of the plastic sheet. If the outside edge has a blue tint, then it is polycarbonate. If this same edge is white or frosty-clear, then it is acrylic.

I should add, being the capitalistic guy that I am, you can now buy 2 ft. x 2 ft. square sheets of polycarbonate plastic from AndyMark in these thicknesses:

• 1/8"
• 3/32"
• 1/16"
• 1/32"

Thank you,
Andy B.

[Taylor]

Originally Posted by Andy Baker

I should add, being the capitalistic guy that I am, you can now buy 2 ft. x 2 ft. square sheets of polycarbonate plastic from AndyMark in these thicknesses:

• 1/8"
• 3/32"
• 1/16"
• 1/32"

Thank you,
Andy B.

It would be very cool if these items were made available through FIRST Choice.

[Madison]

We often prototype with acrylic -- it's much cheaper and easier to laser cut, so we can throw things together quickly. It's very rare -- though not unheard of -- that acrylic ends up on our finished robots, though.