Fabricating and forming sheet

Durability, Sustainability, Flexibility

Contents

Fabricating and forming sheet 1

Generalhealthandsafetyprecautions 1

Storingandhandling 1

Cleaning 2

Sawing,routing,andlasercutting 2

Tipsforcutting 3

Drilling 5

Shearing,punching,anddiecutting 5

Bonding,fastening,andwelding 7

Tipsforbonding 11

Forming 12

Tipsforthermoforming 15

Decorating 16

Summaryoffabricatingandforming 18

Note: Conversion of metric/U.S. customary values may have been rounded off and therefore may not be exact.

Fabricating and forming sheet

EastmanSpectarcopolyester14471,alsoknownasPETG,

isaplasticresinspecificallydesignedforthicksheet

applications.ItisproducedinpelletformbyEastman

ChemicalCompany,andconvertedintosheetbyvarious

commercialextruders.

General health and safety precautionsSafetyAlwaysexercisegood,safeshoppracticeswhenfabricating

orformingsheetofEastmanSpectarcopolyesterand

otherplasticmaterials.Heatgeneratedduringsawing,

machining,finishing,andthermoformingoperationscan

burnunprotectedskin.Flyingparticlesandcontactwith

chemicalsandvaporsarealsoareasofconcern.Besureto

adherestrictlytoallinstructionsinMaterialSafetyData

Sheets(MSDS)providedbyequipmentandmaterial

suppliers.Inaddition,keeptoolssharpandingood

workingorderforsafeoperationandhigh-qualitywork.

VentilationItisalwaysgoodshoppracticetoworkinawell-ventilated

area,particularlywhensolventbonding,cementing,orlaser

cutting.Providelocalizedexhaustventingintheworkarea.

Protective equipment Alwaysuseappropriatesafetyequipment(goggles,gloves,

hearingprotection,etc.)whenhandlingplasticsheetand

operatingshopequipment.

Storing and handling Sheet stockHeavy-gaugeplasticsheetisgenerallyshippedincorrugated

cases,onpallets,orascontinuousrolls.Storelargesheet

flatwithmaskingintact.Sheetstoredonedgeinstorage

racksshouldhaveasupported,slightlyangledbackboard

(A-frame)topreventsheetfromwarping.Besurestorage

areasareclean,dry,cool,andwell-ventilated.Whenpossible,

rotateinventoriesonafirst-in/first-out(FIFO)basis.

MaskingSheetofEastmanSpectarcopolyesterisprotectedwith

amaskofpolyethylenefilm.Wheneverpossible,leavethe

maskingintactduringfabrication.Useolderstockfirst.

Also,avoidanyunsupportedoverhangofthesheetduring

storage.

Removeanymaskingadhesiveresidueonthesheetwith

aclean,softclothdampenedwitha50:50mixtureof

isopropylalcoholandwater.Ifthesheethasastaticcharge

afterremovingthemasking,wipethesheetwithaclean

clothslightlydampenedwithwatertohelpremovethe

charge.

Handling formed partsFormedpartswillcontinuetocoolaftertheyareremoved

fromthemold.Topreventdeformation,itisimportantto

providepropersupportduringcooling.Also,avoidany

unsupportedoverhangoftheflatsheetorformedparts.

Topreventdishing(becomingconcave),supportpartsalong

theiredges,facedown,untilcompletelycooled.Donot

nest-stackformedparts.

General handling and storage recommendationsWeargloveswhenhandlinglargesheetstopreventcuts.

Keepmaskinginplaceforaslongaspossible.

Keeptabletopscleantoavoidscratchingthesheet.

Storesheetsflat,asdelivered,topreventwarpage.If

verticalstorageisnecessary,itisbesttostorethesheet

andformedpartsataslightanglewithfullsupport

underneath.

Supportlarge,formedpanelsbytheiredges,facedown,

whilecooling.

Storematerialindoorsinadry,cool,well-ventilatedarea.

UsetheFIFOmethodtorotateinventory.

Donotuseaknifeorscrapertoremovemasking.

Donotstoreplasticsheetnearradiators,steampipes,or

indirectsunlight.

1

CleaningDust and dirtRemovedustanddirtfromsheetofEastmanSpectar

copolyesterwithasoftcottonclothandasolutionofmild

soaporliquiddetergentinwater.A50:50solutionof

isopropylalcoholandwateralsoworkswell.Remove

greaseandresiduefromtapeorpapermaskingwith

naphthafollowedbyawaterwash.Alwaysuseasoft,

dampclothandblotdry.Rubbingwithadryclothcan

scratchthematerialandcreateastaticcharge.Neveruse

scrapersorsqueegeesonSpectarsheet.Seeadditional

cleaninginstructionsonpage16.

Do NotUse a squeegee.Use strong solvents.Rub with a dry cloth.

Sawing, routing, and laser cuttingGeneral recommendationsIfpossible,leavetheoriginalmaskingonthesheetduring

cuttingoperations.Inaddition,coverworkingsurfaceswith

asoft,cleanclothtopreventscratching.

Usesharp,cleanblades,holdingthesheetsecurelyinplace.

Bringthebladetofullspeedbeforestartingthecutand

usecompressedairtocoolthebladeandremovechips.

Wearpropersafetyequipmentincludingsafetyglasses,

gloves,andprotectiveclothingasrequiredbyapplicable

regulations.

Saw and cutter typesMostsawscommonlyusedforwoodormetalshould

satisfactorilycutsheetofEastmanSpectarcopolyester.

Theseincludecircularsaws,bandsaws,sabersaws,jigsaws,

hacksaws,orhandsaws.However,circularsawsandband

sawsusuallyproducesmoother,cleaner,fastercuts.

Routingisalsoacommontechnique.

Forthehighestqualitycut,useatriple-chipstylecarbide-

tippedbladecommonlyusedforplastics.SeveralSpectar

sheetscanbestackedandcuttogetherbutonlyifthe

stackisheldsecurelytopreventmovementfromsheetto

sheet.Otherwise,chippingandirregularcutsmayresult.

Useaslowandconsistentfeedrate.

Blade characteristics Circular saws

Numberofteeth2to4teethper25mm(perinch).

Bladethickness2.5mm(3#@in.)forsinglesheetsin

thicknessesof1to10mm(0.040to0.375in.);3-mm

(l-in.)bladeshouldbeusedforcuttingthickersheet.

Bladetoothrakeangle05.

Depthofcutforbestresults,allowthebladeto

protrudethroughthepiecebynomorethan3mm

(lin.).Thiswillminimizethechanceofcreatinga

chippededge.

Forcircularsaws,thefollowingbladespeedsare

recommended.

Blade diameter, mm (in.) Blade speed, rpm

100(3.54)Trimmingsaw,usewoodcombinationblade

10,000

180(7d) 5,000

200(8) 4,300

250(10) 3,400

300(12) 2,900

350(14) 2,500

Band saws

Numberofteeth8to14teethper25mm(perinch)

forgeneralcutting;18to24per25mm(perinch)fora

smoother,cleaneredge.

Bladewidthforintricatecutsandtighterturns,

6to10mm(dtomin.)issuggested.Forstraightcuts,

largerturns,12to25mm(ato1in.)issuggested.

Bladespeedapproximately760mm(2,500ft)

perminute.

Saber saws and jigsaws

Alwaysholdyourworksecurelyinplace.Thisisespecially

importantwhenusingasabersaworjigsaw.Excessive

vibrationcancausecrackingand/orpossibleinjury.

Abladewith6to10teethper25mm(perinch)works

wellwiththeorbitalactionsettingatzero.

Ascroll-typebladewith12to20teethper25mm

(perinch)canbeusedtoachieveagoodedgefinishon

intricatecuts.

2

Handsaws and hacksaws

AlthoughnotcommonlyusedonsheetofEastman

Spectarcopolyester,handsawsandhacksawscanwork

satisfactorilyifusedcarefullyandwithlittlepressure.Use

sharpbladesthatrangefrom6to18teethper25mm

(perinch),dependingonthedesiredfinish.Asalways,

securelysupportthesheettoavoidflexing.

Routers

Routingwithsharp,two-flute,carbide-tippedstraight

cuttersproducesverysmoothedges.Twistedtwo-fluted

cuttersworkexceptionallywell.Alsospiral-cutrouterbits

havebeenfoundtoworksuccessfully,dependingonthe

application.Itisespeciallyusefulfortrimmingedgesofflat

orformedparts,orpartstoolargeorirregularinshapeto

cutwithabandsaw.Portable,overarm,andsmalltable

routersworkequallywell.

Userouterspeedsof18,00032,000rpmtoproduce

good,cleanedges.

Feedthesheetintotherouterslowlytoavoidexcessive

frictionalheating,shattering,orchipping.

Useasuitablejigtosupportthesheetduringrouting.

Usecompressedairtocoolthebitandtoaidinchip

removal.

Laser cutting

EastmanSpectarcopolyestercanbelasercutusingthe

sameequipmentasthatusedforcuttingacrylic.Typically

lowerpowersettingsandslowercuttingratesarerequired

whencuttingSpectarsheetvs.acrylicsheet.Itisalso

recommendedthatacuttingtablewithgoodvacuum

ventilationbeutilizedtoremovetheby-productscreated

duringthecuttingprocess.ThisappliesforbothSpectar

andacrylicsheet.

Eastmaniscurrentlyworkingwithlaserequipmentto

betterunderstandthelasercuttingsystemwhenworking

withSpectarsheet.PleasecontactEastmantechnical

serviceforfurtherupdates.

Tips for cutting Eastmansrecommendationsarebasedonexperience

workingwithsheetofEastmanSpectarcopolyester.They

canbeusedasastartingpointorasguidelinesforcutting

theseproducts.

Usetoolsdesignedforplastic.

Usesharpblades:Jigsawsshouldbeequippedwitha

scroll-typebladefordetailworkandacoarse-toothed

bladeforbetterchipremovalonheavierwork.Forcircular

saws,acarbide-tipped,triple-chiptoothpatternis

recommended.

Holdsheetfirmlywhilecuttingtominimizevibration,

especiallyforthinnergauges(

Operation Type of equipment Recommendations

Trimming

Routerbitsd-inchminimum,single-ordouble-flutedup-spiralbitsarerecommended,34flutedforlargerbits(i.e.,Onsrud#52-624).

Routerblades4-Wingcarbidetip,slottingcutter(i.e.,WhitesidePart#6700B),>20Krpm,slow/medcutspeed

Jigsaw Recommend10teeth/inchforsmoothestcut

Bandsaw Recommendminimumof6teeth/inch

Circularsaw(3.54-diameter)

Carbide,triple-chiptoothcutrecommendedifcanfind,otherwiseuseawoodcombinationblade(i.e.,Makita),2mm-rake,>10Krpm.

Circularsaw,7-diameter 60-toothcarbide-tippedblade,triple-chiptoothcutifpossible

Rot