Tail light housing materials and adhesives

[dooron]

I am trying to find the plastic. polycarbonate/acrylic?material that the tail light housings of modern vehicles are made from and the suitable adhesive for these. I think that they are some kind of acrylic.

 

[patprimmer]

Polycarbonate (PC)and acrylic which is actually poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) are 2 quite different materials, however both can be glued with solvents such as methylene chloride.

PLEASE NOTE. Methylene chloride is considered castionogenic, and may be banned in some areas, and should always be handled with caution.

The tail light lenses are most likely PMMA, but quite possibly PC. The housings if a seperate moulding, are quite possibly PC/ABS, or even ABS

Regards
pat

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[Chris1001]

I believe ASA polymer has been used as a housing material successfully in this application. I would also consider PC/ABS or perhaps "high heat ABS" resins. These are certainly bondable to other plastics. I think acrylate adhesives are suitable. I would talk to an adhesive manufacturer, bespoke adhesives are available.

The application of glues & paints to plastics can reveal cracking of parts with high levels of moulded-in-strain. I'd look to follow polymer supplier guidleines.

Solvent bonding, as with Pat Primer's sugestion, is viable but I know to my cost some of these solvents do pack a punch.
If you investigate this further, look to modify the viscosity of the home made glue by adding polymer to the brew. In addition to Methylene Chloride consider the solvent MEK.