TECANAT® Plate

TECANAT® PC is unfilled polycarbonate in machinable rod and plate. It is the amorphous engineering plastic to reach for when a part needs toughness and optical clarity at the same time: notched Izod impact strength around 2.0 ft-lb/in, tensile strength about 9,100 psi, a tensile modulus near 340,000 psi and a glass transition temperature of 149°C, with continuous service to roughly 250°F and short excursions to 275°F. Natural stock is transparent because of the polymer's low crystallinity; black is opaque and otherwise comparable. Water absorption is 0.15% in 24 hours and 0.35% at saturation, it insulates well electrically, and it stays tough at low temperature.

Typical machined parts are machine guards, sight windows, viewing ports, manifolds, insulators, terminal strips, light covers, fixtures and prototype housings for machinery, electronics, food and beverage equipment and automotive work. Flammability is UL94 HB. It machines cleanly, polishes back to clarity and, unusually for an engineering plastic, bonds and thermally welds readily; it also cold-forms and line-bends. The limitations are real: polycarbonate is notch sensitive, so avoid sharp internal corners and relieve machining stress before service, and it is prone to environmental stress cracking on contact with solvents, alkalis and some cutting fluids and threadlockers. Abrasion resistance is modest compared with acetal or PET.