Laser cut acrylic parts quoted and delivered same day.^*

Being stronger than glass and its ability to withstand wide temperature variations acrylic does not break easily. However, acrylic cracks during structural failure instead of bending or warping, and thus there is little warning when it does break. Despite this, acrylic does not shatter like glass when it breaks, and the resulting shards are dull presenting little danger to those exposed to the edges.

This is a hard question to answer as it depends on the brand of acrylic used. Most plastics fail disastrously under UV light and will often yellow. However, American made Plexiglas, Lucite, and Acrylite do not deform or change color even when exposed to the sun.

While acrylic is strong, light, and cheap, it is not able to handle high temperatures. The melting point of acrylic is 160°C, and it should be noted that the material begins to deform at temperatures below this. Therefore, acrylic cannot be used in high-temperature environments.

Acrylic is plastic, and as such its life expectancy depends on the environment it is used in. Some acrylic has been known to last up to 30 years when left in the outdoors without showing signs of yellowing. If kept in a relatively safe environment, engineers can expect to get 50 years out of a part before signs of failure show.

Ponoko is able to get laser cut parts shipped in just 24 hours thanks to a carefully planned series of steps from design submission to shipping. The first stage involves user design submission that is completed all in-browser and ensures that the user’s design conforms to standards used by all Ponoko processes. Furthermore, Ponoko has a team of specialists who are not only able to efficiently operate the equipment but can also identify potential problems before they manifest in the final product. Daily shipments are sent out with several shipping providers to provide customers with their desired delivery timeframes.

One of the biggest challenges of moving a design from the alpha stage to the beta stage is finding a manufacturing process that is cost-effective and produces a product that is professional. While 3D printing can be cheap, low cost 3d prints are often also low in resolution. This means both the surface finish and strength are of a lower quality than could be achieved with laser cutting. Plastic injection moulding can produce high-quality parts, but its cost is only justified when used to make tens of thousands of parts. Laser cutting combines the speed of printer technology with the precision of CNCs, and can be used to create professional designs that not only look like the finished product but may end up actually being used at the end product (such as laser cut panels and engravings). Furthermore, Ponoko is able to offer production rates from single pieces all the way to tens of thousands enabling engineers to quickly scale their designs with ease.

Ponoko has more than a decade of experience in the laser cutting industry and is trusted by many thousands of engineers around the globe. Ponoko parts can be found in almost all environments ranging from the deep ocean all the way to the edge of space, and with key users including NASA, Google, and Intel, customers can be assured to receive the highest quality services possible. At Ponoko, we offer an incredibly wide range of materials including various types of wood, many different plastics, steel, copper, and brass. Furthermore, all of our engineered materials are carefully sourced from responsible suppliers with supply chains that can be trusted. Ponoko also prides itself on its ability to protect customer information and intellectual property and guarantee that any design sent to us is in the safest of hands.