Clear parts are a small share of what we ship, but they generate a disproportionate number of questions because visual defects are unforgiving. Polycarbonate and acrylic are the two mainstream options and they fail in opposite directions.
Polycarbonate is around 200 times tougher in impact terms. It will take a hammer blow that shatters acrylic, which is why it owns machine guarding, safety screens and impact windows. Its weaknesses are scratch resistance and chemical resistance — it is attacked by alkalis, ammonia, and many solvents, and it stress-cracks under load in their presence. It also yellows under long ultraviolet exposure unless UV-stabilised.
Acrylic is harder, clearer, more UV stable and around half the price. It is also brittle, and impact is its failure mode. For a display panel, a guard that only sees occasional contact, or an outdoor sign, acrylic is the better and cheaper answer. For anything that could be hit, or that will be cleaned with solvent-based sanitiser, specify polycarbonate.
Need a material recommendation?
Send us the application and we will reply with two or three candidate grades and a price.
