The Versatile Possibilities in Acrylic Bending

In a world of creative designs, anything that evokes magnificence with a defined functionality would be appreciated for the aesthetics and practicality it offers. Acrylic products are one such innovation that has acclaimed wide popularity for the past few decades. Although acrylic sheets were earlier used as safety glasses, over time, it was recognized as a versatile material with a wide range of applications. The Acrylic Fabricators in Dubai extend a versatile range of acrylic products range from which the clients can choose their desired properties of acrylic. We are an acrylic company in Dubai that considers the popular choices and offers acrylic sheets for a variety of projects.

In recent years, a wide variety of innovations in acrylic designs have been carried out. In the current scenario, people shop for acrylic particularly, cast acrylic as it is a popular choice in various sectors of business. Unlike glass materials, acrylic can be bent into various shapes and forms to fulfill a range of features. The process of bending acrylic into various forms is globally addressed as acrylic bending and it has already acclaimed popularity for the variety of applications it offers.

In this blog, we’ll be discussing the versatile possibilities of acrylic sheet bending in creating new products that can meet the desires of a wide sector of businesses. Let us discuss the popular industrial acrylic bending tools and DIY acrylic bending machines.

Acrylic Bending

The acrylic sheet is bent by heating it, which allows the heated area to become thermoformable, allowing it to be bent and twisted into the required shape. Acrylic bending provides endless possibilities because heat softens it without even discoloring the colored acrylic.  This enables you to make a stunning DIY acrylic product range, such as a clear side table, a tinted acrylic box cabinet, a well-organized cosmetic box, and a useful laptop or tablet holder. The acrylic bending machines used in DIY acrylic bending are a conventional oven and a hair dryer, with which acrylic may be easily bent into desired shapes. However, if you need more precise detailing, there are acrylic bending machines for sale that offers precise measurements. Depending on the thickness of the acrylic, you can regulate the heat duration, temperature settings, and distance of the target material from the heat source in an acrylic bending machine to ensure scratch resistance and impact resistance. The bending would be done in the opposite direction of the heat source. However, if at any instance, a scratch happens on an acrylic sheet or plexiglass, the most advantageous feature of this product is that we can easily remove scratches from acrylic sheets. The easiness of acrylic scratch removal is proportional to the degree of damage that has impacted it. 

Acrylic Line Bending Machine

The line bending technique is used to bend an acrylic sheet into a sharp curve. The radius of the bend can be controlled by adjusting the width of the heated area. By cutting a V-groove into the acrylic before bending, you may obtain an incredibly intense and exact bend. Nichrome wire, infrared rods, and broad strips serve as the heating components. The most prevalent method of forming acrylic is through thermoforming, which involves heating the target material over its glass transition temperature and applying appropriate pressures and loads while hot to accomplish the desired design and then cooling the acrylic sheet in a fixture. The component is then cooled while the load is applied, and the shape is thus preserved with an exquisite surface finish. The acrylic line bending technique is the perfect method to manufacture huge acrylic aquariums and acrylic canopies of various shapes, of which the round acrylic canopy roofing type is highly in demand.

The acrylic bending temperature varies greatly depending on the quality of the acrylic plastic sheet. Temperature settings are usually in a range of minimum temperature of 230 F to a maximum temperature of 360°F (110 to 182°C), excluding stretched acrylic which is developed at 220° F (104°C) or slightly lower.

In most circumstances, the forming temperature for a certain extruded acrylic and the required shape must be carefully controlled: if it is too low, the shape may not be kept due to excessive residual stresses, which can also cause crazing; if it is too high, the acrylic may even deform and rip. The cost of operation in thermoforming thick aquarium panels is too high since it necessitates the use of a massive oven for a prolonged period while operating on a very strict temperature schedule. If the oven temperatures are permitted to rise above 315°F for a long period, the acrylic surface finish will be damaged.

Manual Acrylic Bending Machine 

The acrylic bending machine DA is a powerful floor model automatic machine capable of bending a wide range of plastic sheets and acrylic sheets in a variety of shapes and sizes.  This automatic plastic bending machine is designed to produce high volumes of work while reducing production time and facilitating work performance while retaining final quality. The machine has an automatic feeding system and a computerized counter. It is possible to generate many bending lines at the same time using a single-sided heating approach. The model has two independent heat resistors with precise temperature settings. This acrylic bending technique has great architectural applications where it can be used to design acrylic nameplates, outdoor signboards, stand elements, advertising light boxes, artware making, and billboards.

Bending Acrylic with Heat Gun

Bending acrylic with heat guns is a common industrial as well as DIY method. There are a wide variety of heat guns that you can make use of, namely: electric heat guns, industrial heat guns, and gas heat guns. Depending on the type of heat gun, the temperature settings may vary. The common procedure in acrylic bending with a heat gun is as mentioned here. We need to mark the points for bending on the acrylic sheet before clamping it on the acrylic bending jig. Once the points are determined, we need to set the acrylic between the two wooden scraps, of which one is the jig, and clamp them all together with the vise. While heating the acrylic sheet with the heat gun, make sure you apply the pressure evenly so that the acrylic will bend as per the design requirements. Apply the heat from side to side and gently bend the acrylic into the desired shape. It is always recommended to use safety gloves while performing this bending process.

DIY Acrylic Bending

If you have access to acrylic bending machines or filament or heating coil, you can also use some DIY techniques for acrylic bending. Some of the common acrylic bending tools used are hair dryers, convection ovens, and adjustable paint burners. Since, these techniques lack the efficiency of industrial machines, in DIY acrylic sheet bending, the sheet becomes flexible over a broader region. The bent acrylic is then later used for creating crafts or showpieces. To add appeal to the structures, they are then made aesthetically fascinating by adding colors to them with acrylic painting techniques.

Acrylic Bending with Hair Dryer

When using a hair dryer to bend your acrylic sheet, place heat output at least 5 centimeters away from the acrylic sheet surface. Slide the hair dryer down the fold line softly and lightly to ensure that it is evenly heated. Pull gently on the border of the acrylic sheet to test its flexibility regularly. When bending acrylic, run a batten down the fold line to achieve the straightest fold possible. Place a wood batten beside the line of the fold so that you can precisely heat the plastic sheet and produce the finest achievable fold.

Acrylic Sheet Bending with Convection Oven

Depending on the applications you need, acrylic bending can be facilitated to make acrylic tubes and acrylic bowls too. While bending large acrylic tubes requires industrial machines, smaller-scale tubes can be achieved using convection ovens. Take the following precautions while bending acrylic in an oven. Place the acrylic sheet on a flat level, heat-resistant tray rather than on the grid. Preheat the tray in the oven and allow it to heat up progressively. After reaching the desired temperature, keep the acrylic sheet in the oven itself for 4 to 5 minutes. Sheets with thinner thicknesses (up to 5 mm) will bend more quickly. To achieve a sharp fold, place the acrylic sheet on the heat-resistant tray and bend it along the desired structure. Keep the acrylic sheet in the desired form until it has completely cooled. It will now remain in the desired shape without springing back.

Wrapping Up

Acrylic bending is an advanced, yet simpler method of acrylic manufacturing and designing where the user can create desirable acrylic models with impactful strength and durability. Although there are a few DIY techniques with which acrylic bending can be accomplished, industrial acrylic bending machines are the best choices for precise detailing. If ever a quest arise in you about the best acrylic bending services in Dubai, always rely on the Pleasant Plastic that provides professional acrylic bending services.