Product Category
APC — 9 Product LinesABS / PC
/ PMMA
CNC Parts
9 product lines in ABS, polycarbonate (PC), and PMMA acrylic — transparent panels, protective covers, instrument windows, display parts, prototype parts, enclosures, electronic housings, light covers, and transparent cover plates. Optical polishing · Flame polishing (PMMA) · UL 94 V-0 PC option.
Optical & Impact Property Comparison
Grade
Light Trans.
Impact
Best For
PMMA
92% ◀
Low (~30 J/m)
Optics · Display
PC Clear
88%
250+ J/m ◀
Safety cover
ABS
Opaque
~100 J/m
Enclosure
92%
PMMA Light Trans.
250+J/m
PC Impact
9
Product Lines
92%
PMMA Light Trans.
UL94 V-0
PC Option
24hr
Quote
Transparent Panel ✦Protective Cover ✦Instrument Window ✦Display Part ✦Prototype Part ✦Enclosure ✦Electronic Housing ✦Light Cover ✦Transparent Cover ✦
Transparent Panel ✦Protective Cover ✦Instrument Window ✦Display Part ✦Prototype Part ✦Enclosure ✦Electronic Housing ✦Light Cover ✦Transparent Cover ✦
Full Product Range
9 ABS / PC / PMMA Parts Across
3 Application Categories
ABS · PC Clear · PC UL94 V-0 · Cast PMMA · Extruded PMMA · MOQ 1 piece
Product Categories
Transparent & Optical PartsQuote →
Five PMMA and PC transparent and optical parts — panels, instrument windows, display components, light covers, and transparent cover plates. Grade selection: PMMA for highest optical clarity (92% transmission), best UV stability (does not yellow outdoors), and best scratch resistance — but PMMA shatters on impact; PC for impact-resistant transparent parts where the cover may be struck or stressed — PC is 30× tougher than PMMA but yellows in UV exposure without UV-stabilising coating. Optical polishing (progressive abrasive to Ra ≤0.05μm) and flame polishing (PMMA only) available to restore optical clarity after machining.
APC-001/003/009
OPTICAL / 001/003/009 — FEATURED
Transparent Panels, Instrument Windows & Cover Plates
Cast PMMA (Plexiglas, Acrylite) and PC (Lexan, Makrolon) transparent panels, precision instrument windows and viewports, and transparent cover plates for machine guarding, process monitoring, and optical applications. PMMA flat panel: face flatness ±0.05mm (machined both faces, annealed); optical surfaces polished to Ra ≤0.4μm then flame-polished to optical clarity (92% light transmission maintained after machining with proper technique); sealed edge option — edge polished and sealed with UV-cure adhesive for clean appearance in display applications. PC viewport: face flatness ±0.05mm; bore or profile to drawing ±0.1mm; impact-resistant (PC withstands 250+ J/m Charpy — PMMA shatters at ~30 J/m); UV-stabilised PC specified for outdoor or UV-lamp-exposed applications to prevent yellowing. Instrument window: PMMA or PC to customer drawing; flatness ±0.05mm; profile ±0.1mm; surface polished for maximum optical clarity; protective film on both optical faces until installation. Cast PMMA preferred over extruded PMMA for all optical applications — lower internal stress, better flatness after machining, and higher optical clarity through-section.
Cast PMMA · PC Lexan/Makrolon · UV-stabilised PCGet Quote
APC-004
OPTICAL / 004
Display Parts
Cast PMMA display stands, exhibit holders, and retail display components. Optically clear; Ra ≤0.4μm polished face; profile ±0.1mm; edges flame-polished for jewellery-clear appearance. PMMA's superior optical clarity (92% transmission) and scratch resistance make it the standard material for retail display and museum exhibit applications where the plastic must disappear optically.
Cast PMMAGet Quote
Materials: Cast PMMA · PC Lexan/Makrolon · UV-stabilised PC · Opal PMMA
Request All 5 →
Enclosures & HousingsQuote →
Three ABS and PC enclosure and housing parts — protective covers and guards, machined enclosure bodies, and electronic product face panels and housings. ABS is the dominant enclosure material: excellent surface quality ready for painting, plating, and bonding; dimensional stability; easy machinability; and the established industrial colour (RAL 9005 black ABS is the standard for electronic enclosures). PC provides impact resistance where ABS would crack under mechanical stress, and UL 94 V-0 flame retardancy for electrical equipment housings with regulatory requirements.
APC-002/006/007
ENCLOSURE / 002/006/007 — FEATURED
Protective Covers, Enclosures & Electronic Housings
ABS and PC machined protective covers and machine guards (profile ±0.1mm; PC for impact-critical covers; ABS for standard guards), machined enclosure bodies and structural shells (ABS profile ±0.1mm; paint-ready surface Ra ≤1.6μm; tapped holes M2–M12 to drawing), and electronic product face panels and housings (ABS or PC; profile ±0.1mm; surface suitable for pad printing, laser engraving, and spray painting; UL 94 V-0 PC grades for equipment requiring flame retardancy certification without intumescent paint). ABS advantages for enclosures: best surface finish for painting of the three materials (low porosity, good paint adhesion without primer in most cases); excellent dimensional stability over time; easy to bond with ABS cement, epoxy, and cyanoacrylate; available in black, white, and custom RAL colours; easy to machine and self-finish with sandpaper prior to painting. PC advantages for enclosures where ABS is specified but inadequate: UL 94 V-0 without additives; higher impact resistance (PC protective cover does not shatter on impact where ABS would crack); service temperature 120°C vs ABS 80°C for hot environments.
ABS · PC · PC/ABS BlendGet Quote
Materials: ABS Black/White · PC · PC UL94 V-0 · PC/ABS Blend
Request All 3 →
Prototype & Sample PartsQuote →
ABS, PC, and PMMA prototype and sample parts — functional and appearance prototypes for product development, customer samples, dimensional validation reference parts, and appearance approval samples. ABS is the default prototype material (excellent machinability, best surface for painting and finishing, closest dimensional properties to injection-moulded ABS end-product). PC prototypes for structural validation where impact performance needs to be assessed. PMMA prototypes for appearance models requiring optical clarity. MOQ 1 piece; fast turnaround 3–7 days for simple parts.
APC-005
PROTOTYPE / 005 — FEATURED
Prototype, Sample & Validation Parts
ABS, PC, and PMMA prototype and functional sample parts for product development. CNC machined prototypes are the fastest and most accurate way to produce single-piece or small-batch plastic parts before committing to injection moulding tooling. CNC prototype advantages over 3D printed prototypes: far better surface finish (Ra ≤1.6μm standard, vs 3D print Ra 12.5–50μm); isotropic mechanical properties (same strength in all directions, vs 3D print layer delamination weakness); exact material properties of the production material (ABS prototype has identical chemical, mechanical, and thermal properties to injection-moulded ABS end-product); tighter dimensional tolerance (±0.1mm CNC vs ±0.2–0.5mm FDM); and superior surface quality for painting and appearance approval. All three materials available for prototyping: ABS (standard, best paint surface, closest to injection moulded), PC (impact and temperature validation), PMMA (optical clarity and appearance validation). Profile ±0.1mm; painting, pad printing, and laser engraving available as secondary services. MOQ 1 piece; 3–7 working day standard turnaround; 1–2 day express available.
ABS · PC · PMMA · PC/ABS BlendGet Quote
Lead time: 3–7 days standard · 1–2 days express · MOQ 1 piece
Request Prototype →Manufacturing Capability
Optical Finishing for PMMA and PC Parts
💎
Machining — Sharp Tooling Required
Optical PMMA and PC machined with sharp, polished carbide or diamond tooling at high cutting speed and very low feed rate on finishing passes. Dull tools produce micro-scratch haze that cannot be removed by polishing alone. We replace tooling before it dulls on optical parts — tool condition is the most important factor in achieving optical clarity after machining.
Sharp carbide/diamondLow feed finishing
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Flame Polishing — PMMA Clear Edges
Flame polishing passes a clean propane flame briefly over the PMMA surface — melting the top 10–20μm to heal machining micro-scratches and produce fire-polished optical clarity on edges and flat faces. Only works on PMMA — PC bubbles and yellows under flame. We offer flame polishing on all clear PMMA parts as a standard optional process. Flame-polished PMMA edges have the glass-clear appearance required for display and retail applications.
PMMA onlyGlass-clear edges
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Protective Film — No Contact Until Install
All optical PMMA and PC panels supplied with protective polyethylene film on both optical faces. The protective film must not be removed until final installation to prevent scratching — PMMA scratches easily, and even fingerprints can reduce optical clarity on polished surfaces. We include handling instructions with all optical parts. For PMMA displays: wear cotton gloves when handling unprotected optical faces.
PE film both facesCotton glove handling
Precision Specifications
Tolerances & Grade Reference — ABS · PC · PMMA
📐
Tolerances by Feature
Profile (all)
±0.1 mm
Flatness optical
±0.05 mm
Bore (ABS/PC)
H8
Surface std
Ra ≤0.8 μm
Surface optical
Ra ≤0.4 μm
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Grade Reference
PMMA Light Trans.
92%
Highest optical clarity. Best UV resistance. Scratch-resistant. Brittle (~30 J/m impact). Flame-polishable.
PC Impact
250+J/m
30× tougher than PMMA. 88% light transmission. UL 94 V-0 grades. 120°C service. UV yellowing without coating.
ABS Service Temp
80°C
Best paint/bond/plate surface. Good dimensional stability. Opaque. Standard for enclosures and housings.
PMMA vs PC
Clarity vs Impact
PMMA for best optics; PC for impact safety. We confirm grade at DFM based on application and risk level.
Our Advantage
Why Engineers Choose Our ABS / PC / PMMA Parts
Cast
Cast PMMA — Not Extruded for Optics
We specify cast PMMA (Plexiglas, Acrylite, Perspex cast) for all optical applications — not extruded PMMA. Cast PMMA has lower internal stress, better flatness after machining, and higher optical clarity through the cross-section. Extruded PMMA has anisotropic internal stress that causes distortion when machined — visible as optical waviness in flat panels.
🔥
Flame Polishing — PMMA Standard Service
Flame polishing is offered as a standard optional process on all clear PMMA parts. We do not offer flame polishing on PC — PC bubbles and produces visible damage under flame. Flame polishing restores optical clarity to machined PMMA edges and faces that would otherwise require time-consuming progressive wet sanding.
PC?
PMMA vs PC Advisory at DFM
We confirm PMMA vs PC at DFM based on impact risk, UV exposure, and optical requirement. Safety-critical covers that could be struck or broken should be PC (30× tougher). Display and optical applications without impact risk should be PMMA (best clarity). We do not substitute one for the other without customer approval.
ABS
ABS — Best Surface for Painting
ABS produces the best paint-ready surface of the three grades — smooth, low-porosity, and compatible with most industrial paints without primer. We supply ABS enclosure parts with Ra ≤1.6μm surface finish ready for spray painting, pad printing, and laser engraving. PC requires adhesion promoter for most paints; PMMA has limited paint compatibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
ABS / PC / PMMA — Common Questions
PMMA (acrylic): 92% light transmission (highest), best UV stability, best scratch resistance, brittle (~30 J/m). Flame-polishable. Use for display, optical windows, light covers. PC (polycarbonate): 88% clear, 250+ J/m impact (30× PMMA), UL 94 V-0 grades, 120°C service. UV yellows without coating. Use for impact-critical covers and safety shields. ABS: opaque, best paint/bond/plate surface, 80°C, excellent machinability. Use for enclosures, housings, prototypes.
(1) Sharp, polished carbide tooling — dull tools produce haze. (2) High cutting speed, very low feed rate on finishing pass. (3) Progressive wet sanding 800→1200→2000 grit removes machining marks. (4) Flame polishing — propane flame briefly passed over PMMA surface melts top 10–20μm, healing scratches to optical clarity. Only for PMMA — PC bubbles. (5) Protective PE film on all optical faces until installation.
Profile: ±0.1mm. Optical flatness: ±0.05mm. Bore (ABS/PC): H8. Surface standard: Ra ≤0.8μm. Surface optical: Ra ≤0.4μm. Cast PMMA achieves better flatness than extruded PMMA — cast specified for all optical applications. PC panels may require annealing before precision machining to relieve residual stress and prevent distortion.
MOQ: 1 piece. Standard lead times: simple flat panels: 3–7 days. Enclosures and 3D profiles: 7–14 days. Optical polishing: add 2–3 days. Express 1–2 day turnaround for prototypes on request. Cast PMMA, PC (clear, black, UV-stabilised), and ABS (black, white) from stock.
Structured data embedded · Eligible for Google FAQ rich results
Get a Quote
Send Your Drawing.
Get a Quote.
Every enquiry includes a DFM review — tolerance feasibility, material confirmation, and process approach confirmed before production starts. MOQ 1 piece.
24hr
Quote Response
MOQ 1
Prototypes OK
ISO
9001:2015
📐
DFM Review on Every Enquiry
Tolerance feasibility, fixturing strategy, and material confirmation. Specific, actionable feedback — not generic pushback.
🎯
First Article Inspection — Standard
FAI report on every new run. Material certs and surface treatment certs included with every shipment.
🔄
Same Process: Prototype to Production
Process plan from your prototype applies to production batches. No re-qualification when you scale.
⚙
3 / 4 / 5-Axis CNC + Turning
Complex structural parts, shafts, housings, and transmission components. Metals and engineering plastics.
ISO 9001:2015
3/4/5-Axis Milling
CNC Turning
CMM Inspection
Global Delivery