Bullet Resistant Plastics - What are the Pros and Cons of PolyCarbonate and Acrylic?
Bullet Resistant Platics, including polycarbonate and acrylic, are our specialty at Protective Structures, Ltd. (PSL). Bullet resistant plastics, (often referred to as bullet resistant plexiglass ) are commonly used in a variety of applications and are desirable for many reasons. Banking, check cashing facilities, fast food restaurants and drive thru windows are just a few of the many applications for Bullet Resistant Plastics.
When speaking about Bullet Resistant Plastics, one is typically dealing with Acrylic or PolyCarbonate [Many people refer to plexiglass (plexi-glass) as a bullet resistant plastic. However, plexiglass is not a bullet resistant plastic]. Polycarbonate and acrylic have their own specific benefits and drawbacks. On the whole, polycarbonate has several more advantages over acrylic and PSL prefers to use polycarbonate when it comes to bullet resistant plastics.
The most common and most widely used bullet resistant plastic is Acrylic. Acrylic, with polished edges, is crystal clear and can be cut, shaped, notched, drilled and fastened, giving the customer a multitude of options when bullet resistant plastics are required.
Acrylic is available in abrasion resistant (AR) or non-abrasion resistant (Non-AR). AR acrylic has a coating which makes the finish less susceptible to scratches from cleaning. Non-AR acrylic does not have this scratch resistant coating but offers equal protection and is more affordable.
Bullet resistant acrylic is a popular choice for bullet resistant plastics due to its pricing and to its various functional possibilities. Bullet resistant acrylic, unlike polycarbonate, is a spalling and ricochet material, but it will not shatter into dangerously small pieces as would glass.
The strongest of all bullet resistant plastics is bullet resistant polycarbonate.
Polycarbonate, in its initial state, is not a bullet resistant plastic until laminated in layers. Polycarbonate an ideal bullet resistant plastic, like acrylic, due to the multitude of options in design and application. One key advantage of bullet resistant polycarbonate is that it encaptures the bullet instead of deflecting it, making it a non-ricochet bullet resistant plastic product ideal for lobbies or areas open to the public. Polycarbonate is also a no-spall product and will not expel shards or shrapnel when penetrated.
These two attributes of polycarbonate make it the bullet resistant plastic of choice for the banking industry or any application where customers can be hurt by ricochet or spall. Unlike acrylic, all bullet resistant polycarbonate has an abrasion resistant coating on the outside sheets. Polycarbonate can also be laminated with glass for exterior applications.
Protective Structures is here to help you with all of your bullet resistant plastic needs . Call us at any time with questions. We will be glad to assist you. We thank you for visiting our website and encourage you to visit often and learn more about bullet resistant plastics.
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