Most of our clients are surprised that PVC is available in sheet form. They are generally all familiar with PVC Pipe and its uses, but didn’t think they could get the same material in sheet or rod. PVC or Poly-Vinyl-Chloride is a tough and chemical resistant material. We do stock a large variety of PVC grades in both sheet and rod.
PVC sheet is a standard industrial plastic material. The most common color of this material is a dark gray. Although it is also available in white and clear. Other grades of PVC are also available including: materials that meet the FM4910 ratings, forming grades, multiple styles of textured surfaces, high heat, PVC/Acrylic Alloys (AKA Kydex®), CPVC, Aircraft and FAA grades (including Boltaron’s FAR 25.853 ‘a’ and ‘d’ rated materials), ASTM D-1784 certified materials and many more.
PVC sheet – standard Type 1 grade is a tough, machinable, bondable material, that is very chemical resistant and has a UL 94 V-0 rating. This exceptional flame rating combined with excellent bonding and machining make PVC Sheet a perfect plastic ‘building block’ for hundreds of applications.
Many Grades of PVC Sheet Available
The specialty grades are numerous, over 50 different materials, and the world leader in these materials is Boltaron. Since 1954 they have been leading the field of PVC product production and innovation.
PVC Sheet – Type 1 is stocked from .062″ – 3.0″ thick sheet, PVC Rod is also available from .250″ – 9.0″ diameter. White PVC sheet and some Clear PVC sheets are also available from stock.
Standard sheet size is 48″ X 96″, however we cut this material to size, to blanks or parts. Type 1 Gray PVC Rod is stocked in 5 foot and 10 foot lengths, and can be purchased by the foot. Foamed PVC sheet, sometimes called Sintra® or Komatex® is stocked in several thicknesses in white and black. Other colors and grades available with special order.
With the incredible width and breadth of PVC sheet products available, please contact us for data sheets on specific Boltaron® products. Email us or call us, 866-832-9315
Is Lexan® the same as Makrolon® or Tuffak® Polycarbonate?
The short answer is no, are they very similar, yes. The reason is that both Lexan® and Makrolon® are brand names, along with Hyzod®, Cyrolon®, Zelux®, Paltuf®, Tuffak®, Ensicar®, Unicar®, Texin®, Apex® and many more. Lexan® is a brand name for SABIC (Saudi Basic Industries Corporation) which acquired the entire General Electric Plastics division several years ago. Makrolon® (formerly Hyzod®) is a trade name for Covestro (formerly Bayer MaterialSciences).
These materials are all Polycarbonate which is a very tough, high impact plastic material. The base resins are very similar, however, the end product varies quite a bit depending on the manufacturer. The Covestro Bayer Makrolon® GP-V material does meet the UL 94 V-0 flame retardant certification (at .220″ thick), and the Makrolon® GP is UL 94 HB rated.
How do I tell the difference between Lexan® and Makrolon®?
It would be impossible to tell the difference between brands by just looking, unless it still has the masking on, it would take some testing. The majority of both brands of materials are available in a very clear, UV stabilized glazing grade and look identical to the naked eye. This material is excellent for replacing window glass and is virtually unbreakable.
Industrial Plastic Supply stocks the Covestro (Bayer) Makrolon® GP Polycarbonate materials in stock and ready for shipment. We have chosen to carry the Covestro Makrolon® Polycarbonate because of its superior quality, physical properties and ratings. You will find these materials available as sheet and rod here. If you have further questions, or would like to see the data sheet on Makrolon® Polycarbonate and/or Lexan® Polycarbonate for comparison, please give us a call: 866-832-9315 or email: request@indplastic.com
This post is part of our effort to answer as many questions for you as possible, and to assist you in choosing the proper material for your applications, this is another very popular question we hear.
Yes, Lexan® and Makrolon® are both Polycarbonate materials. And we believe that the Covestro Makrolon® is the best Polycarbonate sheet available in the market place.
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