Superior CNC Acrylic Parts Manufacturer In China
Acrylic is a lightweight material that’s optically transparent, UV-resistant, impact-resistant, and easy to process. It’s commonly used in various instruments, equipment, and decorative lighting fixtures.
DSR boasts a wide range of CNC machines, including 4- and 5-axis machining centers and mill-turn lathes. These machines enable us to complete your orders with maximum speed and material efficiency. Our CNC lathes can be combined with laser cutting, enabling cutting thicknesses up to 0.5 inches with typical tolerances of 1/64 inch, meeting most acrylic part requirements.
Our engineers, with over 15 years of experience, can provide in-house engineering design. If the required part is too large, our craftsmen can break it down into multiple components and then bond or fasten them together after machining. This not only expands our processing capabilities but also significantly reduces costs.
If you require a one-off part, prototype, or small-batch acrylic part, please contact DSR for a quote. We offer competitive pricing that’s competitive with competitors.
Different CNC Acrylic Service DSR can Provide
Acrylic has moderate hardness, but is also brittle, prone to cracking, and prone to melting and sticking to the tool. Therefore, specialized tools, cutting methods, and post-processing are often used.
The most common method uses a high-speed spindle and single- or double-edge end mills. It can perform grooving, drilling, contour cutting, chamfering, and more. Requirements: High speed (15,000–30,000 rpm) with a small depth of cut and high feed rate to avoid melting.
Uses small tools or engraving knives to carve patterns or hollow out patterns on acrylic surfaces. This is commonly used for advertising, display boards, and handicrafts. Any custom engraving design is highly acceptable.
Used to create cylindrical acrylic parts (such as lampshades, tubes, and lenses). Sharp tools and high speeds are required to avoid edge chipping. DSR can provide any custom design, size, and thickness of acrylic parts. Forward your specific details, and we can work on it immediately.
After CNC cutting, the surface will have knife marks or a matte finish, requiring polishing: Flame polishing (fastest, but may cause internal stress), mechanical polishing (sandpaper + polishing paste, suitable for high demands), chemical polishing (solvent vapor treatment, high transparency, suitable for optical parts).
Requires a specialized plastic drill bit (with a large rake angle to avoid chipping). Drill at a low feed rate and intermittently to prevent thermal melting.
Advantages of DSR CNC Acrylic Service
CNC control can achieve accuracy of ±0.05 mm or even higher, making it suitable for parts with demanding requirements (such as optical and medical components). Part dimensional consistency is excellent during mass production, eliminating manual errors.
High-speed milling combined with diamond tools can directly produce a mirror-like finish. Combined with polishing (flame polishing or chemical polishing), it can achieve near-glass transparency.
CNC three-, four-, and five-axis machines can process curved surfaces, hollows, and special-shaped structures. Capable of performing a variety of processes, including engraving, cutting, drilling, grooving, and chamfering.
Including industrial parts, optical components, and medical devices.
CNC machining is a cutting process, minimizes material waste. Suitable for customized, small-batch production at a more reasonable cost.
CAD/CAM direct-drive machining enables rapid transition from design to product. Modifying the design only requires adjusting the program, shortening the R&D cycle.
Applications of DSR CNC acrylic machining
Electronic product housings (such as transparent protective cases); panels, indicator boards; insulating parts (acrylic has certain insulating properties).
Transparent observation windows; equipment protective covers, safety covers; precision jigs, positioning fixtures.
Medical device housings, transparent protective covers; laboratory containers, drip plates, transparent brackets; small medical device components.
Automotive lampshades, transparent dashboard panels, motorcycle windshields, and transparent ship portholes.
Comparison of three acrylic processing technologies: CNC, laser cutting, and injection molding.
CNC machining
High precision (±0.05 mm or higher); capable of processing complex 3D structures (curved surfaces, cutouts, lenses); mirror-like surfaces (with diamond cutting tools/polishing); highly flexible, suitable for customization and small batches.
Disadvantages: Slow processing speed; High cost; High tool/parameter requirements; prone to edge chipping or melting.
Suitable for optical components, medical devices, precision parts, handicrafts, and high-end display items.
Laser cutting
Fast and efficient; suitable for large-scale cutting; Smooth cuts, no tool required; Relatively low cost.
Disadvantages:
Only 2D cutting is possible. Curved surfaces; cutting thick plates can easily burn; cut edges may turn yellow/black due to melting.
Suitable for advertising signs, display stands, decorative panels, and large-scale 2D cutting.
Injection molding
Lowest mass production cost (low per-piece cost); fast molding speed, suitable for large-scale production; excellent surface finish (determined by mold quality).
Disadvantages: High initial mold costs; long mold development cycle, unsuitable for small batches; difficult shape modification (requiring re-molding).
Suitable for high-volume products (lampshades, housings, transparent parts), consumer electronics, and automotive lighting.
Based on the manufacturing method, they are generally divided into two categories:
Cast acrylic sheet: A monomer liquid is cast and polymerized in a mold.
Extruded acrylic sheet: Resin pellets are extruded at high temperatures.
For this reason, the last sheet is more recommended, as its surface quality and processing stability are far superior to the extruded sheet.
By appearance, it can be classified into: transparent acrylic, milky/frosted acrylic, colored acrylic, mirror acrylic, and fluorescent acrylic.
By performance, it can be classified into flame-retardant acrylic, UV-resistant acrylic, impact-resistant acrylic (modified PMMA), and optical-grade acrylic.
CNC machining of acrylic (PMMA):
Optimal optical properties (high transparency, high polish); beautiful finished surface, suitable for display and crafts; low cost.
Disadvantages: Brittleness, poor impact resistance, and prone to cracking during machining.
CNC machining of polycarbonate (PC):
High strength and toughness; excellent impact resistance, suitable for structural and safety components; high temperature resistance; excellent mechanical properties.
Disadvantages: Slightly lower transparency, making it difficult to achieve optical clarity during machining, and the material is relatively expensive.
If you’re looking for optical effects/visual clarity, choose acrylic (PMMA).
If you’re looking for mechanical strength/safety/impact resistance, choose polycarbonate (PC).
In some applications, it can.
Advantages of acrylic as a glass replacement:
Lighter weight, greater impact resistance, high light transmittance, easy processing and molding, and excellent weather resistance.
Disadvantages of acrylic compared to glass:
Low hardness, easy scratching, poor high-temperature resistance, relatively high cost, and slightly lower chemical stability.
Therefore, acrylic can be an excellent alternative to glass in applications requiring lightness, safety, and aesthetics.
However, glass remains more suitable in terms of high-temperature resistance, wear resistance, and load-bearing properties.
