Care of Materials

Introduction: This document has been prepared specifically for our web-site. It’s purpose is to provide practical advice in the handling of polycarbonate parts that have been provided by Valley Plastics to be used in a variety of applications.

Our goal is to aid in the reduction of material damage that can occur during normal handling of Polycarbonate products.

We advise that all employees that handle polycarbonate parts be properly trained as to the correct handling procedure.

About Polycarbonate

For the purpose of this document, we will be discussing only 2 types.

1] General Purpose, Clear
2] Abrasion Resistant

You will notice that both come to you with a protective film on them. It is advised that you leave this film on throughout the assembly process as much as possible.

General Purpose

Clear Standard GP polycarbonate sheet has a relatively soft surface finish that can be scratched easily. Extreme care should be used at all times during handling and cleaning to avoid damaging product.

Abrasion Resistant

The Abrasion Resistant has a very thin coating on them. It should be noted that; although the coating is intended to withstand most cleaning procedures, it can still be damaged by impact, scraping, or poor handling.

Here are a few Do’s and Don’ts with regard to Polycarbonate.

Clean rag in circular motion	Anti-static cleaner	Register Check applicator

Do's...

• Always use a clean, soft, cloth for cleaning and polishing
• Always be sure the cloth is damp
• Use light pressure in a circular motion, flip cloth, and dry to remove streaks
• Use Isopropyl Alcohol to remove oil, grease, or tape residue
• Use anti-static cleaner to remove dust
• Always re-apply protective film when necessary
• Stack parts only with protective film on
• Cover any exposed racks, table and cart surfaces with a soft protective material
• Although the film masking will provide basic protection, it can be torn if not handled properly

Don'ts...

• Use a dry cloth
• Rub back and forth while cleaning
• Use a dirty or contaminated cloth.
• If cloth is dropped on the floor or set on a dirty table surface, it should not be used again....Discard it and get a new one.
• Any small abrasive picked up by the cloth can damage the material during polishing
• Slide parts on any surface
• Stack parts while un-protected
• If removal of the protective film is required, replace it with new film as soon as possible.

Supply Sources:

• Cotton Cleaning Rags: Stock # All WT-5,

  Bay Rag,
  San Jose, Ca.
  408 287-2511

• Anti-Static Cleaner, Brillianize:

  Laird Plastics,
  Santa Clara, Ca.
  1 800 882-4246

• Re-masking film. Register Check, 5 mil.

  Ernst Dorn Co.
  Sunnyvale, Ca.
  408 245-3630