Material Help

[dlubbe]

Hello,

I looking for some ideas for a moldable clear plastic that's strong...
Here are some of the requirements:

Must be clear
must be able to withstand a load of 350lbs
cheaper the better
No heat requirements
must be lightweight

Please, any suggestions are great. Thanks a bunch.

 

[ornerynorsk]

Some additional details of the part in regard to the 350 lb load . . . .

Lightweight - relative to what

It is better to have enough ideas for some of them to be wrong, than to be always right by having no ideas at all.

 

[dlubbe]

It's a rectangular shape roughly 72"x18"x2" and I would like to keep it between 25-30 lbs, if possible...

 

[ornerynorsk]

Basically a large sheet or pan? Is there any framing or support structure to help distribute the 350 load? Is the load static or dynamic? Any impact? Indoor/outdoor use? Weathering/ageing considerations? Environmentals such as rain, humidity, smog, chemical exposure?

There are a lot of factors which will influence material selection.

It is better to have enough ideas for some of them to be wrong, than to be always right by having no ideas at all.

 

[dlubbe]

I can't share my CAD model with you unfortunately but it will be used to lift humans that are lying on it. I've run some static studies using various plastics but none were transparent. I don't have an extensive background in plastics either...

This will be cleaned on a regular basis so it would need to be chemical resistant. Thanks for bringing that to my attention.

This will be used indoors mainly.

Do you know of a common materials library? One that includes all physical properties?

 

[ornerynorsk]

You might actually want to speak with some molders that have in-house engineering support. They'll be happy to sign a non-disclosure so that all critical details can be adequately shared so that you get the very best possible fit of material to the application.

Introducing the human load factor now becomes a very critical design point, not that your other requirements become secondary, but end-user or client safety definitely comes to the forefront.

It is better to have enough ideas for some of them to be wrong, than to be always right by having no ideas at all.

 

[TmF0304]

In my opinion, your best bet would be to contact some plastic manufacturers and ask them for their advice. If you call enough companies, you will find one that can either A) supply you with what you're looking for or B) point you in the right direction. If that doesn't work, all it cost you was some time on the phone...

Tyler
Monster Bins

http://monsterbins.com/