Materials · Industrial plastics
Acrylic machining
Custom acrylic parts CNC machined to your drawing or sample: clear manifolds, sight windows, covers, lenses and more. Machined in our Aurora, Illinois shop.
Acrylic at a glance
- Full name
- Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)
- Also called
- Plexiglas®, Acrylite®, Lucite®, Perspex®
- Known for
- Glass-like clarity, with a harder face than other clear plastics
- Common in
- Lab, medical, display and fluid-handling equipment
- Forms
- Cast and extruded; clear, tinted and colored
Parts in acrylic
Acrylic parts we machine
The parts we see most often in acrylic, and why it suits each job. We machine any acrylic part to your drawing or sample, listed here or not.
- Manifolds photo
Manifolds
Clear manifolds for lab and medical equipment, so every passage is visible.
- Sight windows photo
Sight windows
Viewing windows that stay clear and resist scratching.
- Housings and covers photo
Housings and covers
Clear covers and housings that show the parts inside.
- Clear barriers photo
Clear barriers
Clear barriers and shields for counters and workstations.
- Lenses and light guides photo
Lenses and light guides
Clear parts that carry or spread light in displays and instruments.
- Clear prototypes photo
Clear prototypes
See-through versions of a part, so you can watch it work inside an assembly.
Need a different acrylic part? Send the drawing, or the old part, and we’ll quote it. Request a quote
Is acrylic right for the part?
Where acrylic works, and where another plastic may suit
General guidance on how acrylic behaves. If your drawing specifies an acrylic grade, we machine to it.
Where it works
- Clarity
- One of the clearest plastics, close to glass.
- Surface
- Harder and more scratch-resistant than most clear plastics.
- Weathering
- Stays clear outdoors without yellowing.
- Stiffness
- Rigid, so flat parts stay flat.
- Cost
- Usually the lower-cost choice for a clear part.
Where another plastic may suit
| If the part needs | Often used instead |
|---|---|
| Impact and knocks Acrylic is brittle and can crack or shatter when struck. Polycarbonate is far tougher. | |
| Solvents and alcohol-based cleaners Many solvents and alcohol-based cleaners craze acrylic. These resist far more chemicals. | |
| Heat Acrylic softens at fairly low temperatures. These keep their shape hotter. | |
| Sliding and wear parts Acrylic wears and chips in sliding contact. These run well against other surfaces. |
Grades
Acrylic grades
Acrylic comes cast or extruded, clear, tinted or colored, with impact-modified and coated grades. Name the grade on your drawing, or tell us how the part is used and we’ll suggest one.
| Grade | Typically used for |
|---|---|
| Cast | Most machined parts. Machines cleanly. |
| Extruded | Simpler parts, at a lower cost. |
| Impact-modified | Covers and barriers that get handled. |
| Tinted and colored | Light filtering, displays and color coding. |
| Abrasion-resistant coated | Windows that are cleaned often. |
Buyer questions
Acrylic FAQs
Something else? Call (630) 904-2525.
All plastics we machineYes. Plexiglas®, Acrylite®, Lucite® and Perspex® are brand names for acrylic (PMMA). If your drawing names any of them, we machine the part to that grade. CDS isn’t affiliated with the trademark owners.
Acrylic is clearer, harder on the face and usually costs less, so it suits windows, covers and manifolds that won’t take knocks. Where a part has to take impact, polycarbonate is the tougher choice. We machine both, and we’ll suggest suitable plastics for the part.
Cast acrylic machines more cleanly, so it’s our usual suggestion for parts with a lot of machining. Extruded acrylic costs less and suits simpler parts. If your drawing specifies one, we machine to it.
Yes. We supply acrylic sheet and rod, cut to size when you need it, through our material supply service.