THE WORLD OF SHEETS: THERE IS MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

Published: 14/07/2020

THE WORLD OF SHEETS: THERE IS MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

When we think about extruded flat plastic sheets, we must consider that the two-dimensional structure is only the first step, or one of the different shapes, that can be obtained from them.

The world of thin and thick sheets is extremely versatile and multi-shaped thanks to thermoforming technology, which allows you to transform something that is born flat, 2D, into a 3D shape.

We are facing here something that has not yet been completely expressed. It is like the chrysalis which eventually turns into a butterfly.

Aside from the shapes that can be obtained by forming it, there is a fantastic additional world made up of mechanical decorations and surface prints, that consistently expands the creative possibilities.

It is therefore possible to start from a thin or thicker sheet and, during the cooling phase after the extrusion phase, to add to the surface (one or both) different relief or embossed motifs.

This occurs through metal rollers (roll mill) with a surface engraved with specific technical or aesthetic solutions.

A transparent extruded sheet thus becomes translucent due to the defractions of the image provided by the geometrical shape of the surface.

Another possible solution is to decorate the surface (usually one of the two) with thin films (films compatible with the main polymer matrix) printed with compatible inks, copying practically any design of any traditional, natural, material on the plate surface.

Stone, wood, cork, carbon fibers are just some examples of this versatility.
The most intriguing and magical decoration however derives from the addition of a photoluminescent film.
A solution that remains one of the most fascinating for designers. (see here)

 

Materials

All these solutions can be obtained with different amorphous materials such as: PS, PMMA,PC and ABS.

These products are interesting because they provide transparency to objects.
Transparency that can be combined, enriched, with additional shapes or matt opacity.
Some solutions can be purely aesthetic, others functional.

We at 2Mila Srl, as raw material suppliers of granulated Polycarbonate for extrusion, have cooperated several times with various designers, to create innovative solutions based on extruded sheets and providing advice on the wide variety of obtainable options thanks to the combination: raw material-technology-surface finishing.

Polycarbonate, among other amorphous materials, is appreciated for its intrinsic additional safety in terms of self-extinguishing, high impact resistance and greater heat resistance, without sacrificing transparency.

The 2Mila extrusion PC, for films and compact plates, is the PC 007UL.
A product also highly appreciated by the segment of multi-wall, insulating structural sheets, for use in the construction sector (roofs and cladding), including some interior design applications.

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