MATERIALS & MANUFACTURING

Home Materials Processes Find a Solution Cost Explorer

MakeMethod · Educational manufacturing decision support · Validate all technical and commercial assumptions with suppliers.

Back to materials

Plastic · Material Overview

PC

Polycarbonate — Tough, often transparent engineering thermoplastic used where impact resistance and clarity matter.

PlasticFlame-retardant gradesHazLoc enclosure candidate

Specialty tags

Screening hints only. Certifications (medical, food-contact, flame, HazLoc) apply to specific grades and finished equipment — verify with supplier documentation.

Flame-retardant grades. FR formulations exist for many polymers — UL/IEC ratings apply to the finished grade and geometry.
HazLoc enclosure candidate. Sometimes considered for industrial / hazardous-location enclosures. HazLoc is a certified equipment rating, not a material label alone.

Advantages

High toughness potential
Useful optical clarity in many grades
Good dimensional stability vs some commodity plastics

Limitations

Higher relative resin cost
Sensitive to some chemicals and stress cracking
Processing windows can be demanding

Compatible Processes

Injection Molding

Melt resin pellets and inject into a closed mold to produce repeatable parts.

Thermoforming

Heat plastic sheet, form it over or into a tool, cool, then trim.

CNC Machining

Remove material from solid stock using computer-controlled cutting tools.

Extrusion

Force material through a die to create continuous profiles later cut to length.

FDM 3D Printing

Deposit thermoplastic filament in layers to build a part without dedicated molds.

Evaluate for my product