Polycarbonate Injection Expertise
Polycarbonate (PC) injection moulding demands specialised knowledge in material handling, process control, and mould design. At Moulding Injection, we process all major PC grades from Covestro (Makrolon), SABIC (Lexan), and Trinseo (Calibre) for applications requiring exceptional optical clarity, impact resistance, or heat performance.
PC offers 250x the impact resistance of glass, 92% light transmission, and heat deflection to 130°C—making it the material of choice for demanding transparent or structural applications across automotive, medical, and lighting industries.
Material Grades & Selection
We process optical-grade PC (Makrolon LED2245) for lighting lenses, medical-grade PC (Makrolon Rx2530) for sterilisable devices, flame-retardant PC (Lexan 940) rated UL94 V-0 for electronics, and glass-filled PC (Lexan 3413R, 20% GF) for structural components. Our applications engineers help select the optimal grade based on your requirements.
Processing Expertise
PC requires precise control: melt temperature 280-320°C, mould temperature 80-120°C, material drying at 120°C for 4+ hours. Our electric presses provide the shot-to-shot consistency critical for optical parts. Hot runner systems with valve gates eliminate gate vestige on visible surfaces.
For transparent parts, we use proprietary purging protocols and cleanroom-grade material handling to prevent black specks and contamination. Nitrogen blanket drying prevents material degradation.
Quality Assurance
ISO 9001:2015 certified. Optical parts inspected under polarized light for stress birefringence. Dimensional CMM inspection. Impact testing per ISO 180. Flame testing per UL94. Full material traceability with CoA documentation.
Applications
Automotive lighting (headlamp lenses, light guides), medical devices (surgical instrument handles, diagnostic cartridges), electronics (LED diffusers, display covers), safety equipment (visors, machine guards), and architectural elements (skylights, partitions).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can polycarbonate parts be sterilised?
Yes, medical-grade PC (Makrolon Rx series) withstands steam autoclaving at 134°C, gamma radiation (25-50 kGy), and EtO sterilisation. We validate sterilisation compatibility during development.
How does PC compare to PMMA for transparent parts?
PC offers 30x better impact resistance than PMMA and higher temperature resistance. PMMA provides slightly better optical clarity (92% vs 88% transmission) and scratch resistance. We recommend PC for safety-critical or high-temperature applications.
Technical Specifications
Material: PC (multiple grades) | Processing: 280-320°C | Clarity: up to 92% transmission | Impact: 600-850 J/m | HDT: 130-145°C | Press: 50-450 tons | Tolerances: ±0.05mm