---
title: "Polycarbonate Machining | Clear, Impact-Resistant PC Parts | OpenSpindle"
description: "Get quotes for custom polycarbonate (PC, Lexan, Makrolon) parts from independent machine shops. Clear, impact-resistant sheet machined, routed, and cut. Upload a drawing."
canonical: https://openspindle.com/materials/polycarbonate
---

# Custom polycarbonate parts from independent machine shops

Polycarbonate is the toughest clear plastic in common use: it takes impacts that shatter acrylic or glass while staying optically transparent. Upload a drawing and hear back from shops that machine and cut PC sheet every day.

## Polycarbonate shops on OpenSpindle

Real shops that machine and cut polycarbonate. See their equipment and talk to the person making your part.

[Browse all polycarbonate shops](https://openspindle.com/manufacturers?material=Polycarbonate)

## Polycarbonate grades shops run most

The grade sets clarity, stability, and how the part behaves outdoors or under load. These are the ones you will see quoted; if yours is not here, ask when you request a quote.

### Standard clear / optical

General-purpose transparent PC (Lexan, Makrolon). Excellent impact resistance and roughly 88% light transmission. The default for guards, glazing, and light management.

**Best for:** Machine guards, lenses, light pipes, sight windows

### Machine grade (stress-relieved)

Extruded or cast sheet that is annealed to relieve internal stress, so it machines to tighter tolerances without cracking or crazing. Costs more than standard sheet.

**Best for:** Precision machined parts and tight-tolerance features

### Glass-filled PC

Glass fiber raises stiffness, dimensional stability, and creep resistance while lowering thermal expansion. It is opaque and more abrasive on tooling than clear PC.

**Best for:** Structural brackets, gears, load-bearing components

### FR / flame-retardant

Formulated to meet UL 94 V-0 or V-2 flammability ratings. Common in electrical enclosures and transit parts where a flame rating is required.

**Best for:** Electrical enclosures, transit, safety-rated housings

### UV-stabilized

Additives or a coextruded cap resist yellowing and embrittlement from sunlight. Use it for anything installed outdoors, since uncoated PC degrades in UV.

**Best for:** Outdoor glazing, signage, exterior guards

## Material Properties

Representative values for standard clear polycarbonate. Exact numbers vary by grade and supplier.

| Property | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Density | 1.20 g/cm³ (0.043 lb/in³) |
| Tensile strength | ~9-10 ksi (62-70 MPa) |
| Max continuous service temp | ~115-120 °C (240-250 °F) |
| Impact resistance (notched Izod) | Very high, among the toughest clear plastics |
| Light transmission | ~88% (standard clear) |
| Moisture absorption | Low, ~0.15% |
| Machinability | Good with sharp tooling and coolant; anneal to relieve stress |

Polycarbonate is heat-sensitive: dull tooling or high spindle speeds can gum or melt the surface. Annealing before and between machining relieves internal stress and prevents cracking or crazing on toleranced parts.

## Processes That Run This Material

- [CNC Machining](https://openspindle.com/capabilities/cnc-machining.md) -- Milled manifolds, guards, and prismatic parts from PC sheet and plate.
- [CNC Routing](https://openspindle.com/capabilities/cnc-routing.md) -- Flat panels, windows, and profiles cut from large-format polycarbonate sheet.
- [Laser Cutting](https://openspindle.com/capabilities/laser-cutting.md) -- A CO2 laser cuts thin PC, but the edge tends to discolor and yellow, so machining or routing gives clearer edges.
- [Waterjet Cutting](https://openspindle.com/capabilities/waterjet-cutting.md) -- Cold cutting for thicker polycarbonate with no heat-affected or melted edge.

## Finishes

Polycarbonate ships as-machined; there is no plating or anodizing. The choices are edge clarity and how you protect the scratch-prone surface.

- **As-machined (clear)** -- No finish. Cut and milled edges are translucent and slightly frosted. Fine for guards, fixtures, and non-cosmetic parts.
- **Flame or vapor polishing** -- Polishes machined edges back to optical clarity for lenses, light pipes, and viewing windows. Adds cost and is applied to accessible edges.
- **Hardcoat / abrasion-resistant film** -- Polycarbonate scratches easily; sheet is available with a hardcoat cap or protective film that resists scratching and, on some grades, UV.
- **Masking-preserved surface** -- Sheet ships with protective masking on both faces. Leaving it on through machining keeps the cosmetic surfaces free of handling marks.

Polycarbonate does not plate or anodize. If a part needs a scratch-resistant or optical face, specify a hardcoat sheet or edge polishing with your drawing.

## Applications

- Machine guards & safety shields
- Light pipes & lenses
- Manifolds & sight glasses
- Enclosures
- Face shields & glazing
- Medical device components

Polycarbonate shows up wherever a part must be clear and survive impact, heat, or repeated handling.

## How It Compares

How polycarbonate stacks up against the other engineering plastics shops quote most.

### Acrylic

- Acrylic is clearer, more scratch-resistant, and polishes to a brighter edge
- Acrylic is brittle and cracks under impact; polycarbonate is far tougher and bends before it breaks
- Polycarbonate has a higher service temperature but yellows in UV unless stabilized

**Verdict:** Choose acrylic for the clearest, most scratch-resistant look. Choose polycarbonate when the part has to take impacts without shattering.

### [Delrin](https://openspindle.com/materials/delrin.md)

- Delrin (acetal) is stiffer, lower friction, and machines to tighter tolerances, but it is opaque
- Polycarbonate is transparent and much more impact-resistant
- Delrin resists creep and wear better for moving mechanical parts

**Verdict:** Choose Delrin for stiff, low-friction mechanical parts. Choose polycarbonate when you need clarity and impact resistance.

### [Nylon](https://openspindle.com/materials/nylon.md)

- Nylon is tougher in fatigue and abrasion and is a common bearing and wear material
- Nylon is opaque and absorbs moisture, which swells the part and moves dimensions
- Polycarbonate is transparent, dimensionally stable, and absorbs almost no moisture

**Verdict:** Choose nylon for wear and bearing parts. Choose polycarbonate for clear, dimensionally stable, impact-resistant parts.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What is the difference between polycarbonate and acrylic?

Both are clear plastics, but they trade off differently. Acrylic (PMMA) is clearer, more scratch-resistant, and polishes to a brighter edge, but it is brittle and cracks under impact. Polycarbonate is far tougher, bending rather than shattering, and handles higher temperatures, at the cost of easier scratching and UV yellowing unless it is stabilized.

### How impact-resistant is polycarbonate?

Polycarbonate is one of the toughest transparent materials available, with notched Izod impact strength far above acrylic or glass. It is the material used in bullet-resistant glazing, machine guards, and face shields precisely because it absorbs impact and deforms instead of breaking. That toughness is the main reason to choose PC over acrylic.

### Can polycarbonate be machined to tight tolerances?

Yes, with the right setup. PC machines well with sharp tooling, high rake angles, and coolant to keep it from overheating and gumming. Because the sheet holds internal stress, shops anneal it before and often between machining operations to prevent cracking or crazing and to hold tighter tolerances. Machine grade (pre-annealed) stock helps here.

### Should I laser cut or machine polycarbonate?

A CO2 laser cuts thin PC quickly, but the cut edge tends to discolor and yellow from the heat, so it is best where the edge is hidden or cosmetics do not matter. CNC machining, routing, or waterjet gives clearer, cooler edges. For an optical-quality edge, machine or route the part and then flame or vapor polish it.

### Does polycarbonate scratch easily?

Yes, bare polycarbonate scratches more easily than acrylic or glass. For parts that need a durable surface, order sheet with an abrasion-resistant hardcoat, which also often adds UV protection. Leaving the protective masking on through machining and handling keeps the cosmetic faces clean.

### Is polycarbonate suitable for outdoor use?

Only if it is UV-stabilized. Uncoated PC yellows and gets brittle under sustained sunlight. UV-stabilized or coextruded UV-cap grades resist that degradation and are the right choice for outdoor glazing, signage, and exterior guards. Note the exposure when you request a quote so the shop specs the correct grade.

### What file formats should I send for a polycarbonate part?

STEP, IGES, X_T, DWG, DXF, or a dimensioned PDF. Include the grade (for example clear, FR, or UV-stabilized), sheet thickness, critical dimensions and tolerances, quantity, and any edge polishing or hardcoat requirement.

## Related Materials

- [Delrin](https://openspindle.com/materials/delrin.md)
- [Nylon](https://openspindle.com/materials/nylon.md)
- [PEEK](https://openspindle.com/materials/peek.md)
- [G10 / FR4](https://openspindle.com/materials/g10-fr4.md)
- [Aluminum](https://openspindle.com/materials/aluminum.md)
- [Stainless Steel](https://openspindle.com/materials/stainless-steel.md)

## Get polycarbonate part quotes

Upload a drawing once and compare quotes from independent shops that machine, route, and cut polycarbonate.