material research arcrylic

Acrylic is a rigid plastic with a high degree of transparency. It is resistant to inorganic acids and alkalis but is attacked by a wide range of organic solvents. Acrylic's clarity and stability make it very suitable for the manufacture of burets and in sheet form it may be cemented to produce tanks, trays, racks etc. Acrylic may be used at temperatures up to 70°C continuously and to 90°C for short periods. 10mm thick Acrylic provides an effective barrier for Beta Radiation Protection. Dynalab Corp's acrylic fabrication shop fabricates thousands of catalog and custom acrylic products.

Excellent resistance (no attack) to Mineral Oils.

Good resistance (minor attack) to Dilute Acids, Aldehydes and Aliphatic Hydrocarbons.

Limited resistance (moderate attack and suitable for short term use only) to Bases.

Poor resistance Poor resistance (not recommended for use) with Concentrated Acids, Alcohols, Esters, Aromatic and Halogenated Hydrocarbons, Ketones, Vegetable Oils and Oxidizing.

Nearly crystal clear, Acrylic is an excellent choice for display cases, vitrines, and point of purchase items.

Thicker Acrylic material can shield against beta radiation.

Available in a wide array of forms and colors.

Machineable and heat-bendable.

Acrylic can be solvent bonded.

Extruded acrylic can be flame polished to obtain a glass-like finish.

Applications include aquariums, picture frames, shelves, and cabinets.

Maximum Temperature: 194°F 90°C
Minimum Temperature: -76°F -60°C

Autoclavable: No

Melting Point: 212°F 100°C
Tensile Strength: 7,000 psi

Hardness: R120

UV Resistance: Good
Clear
Rigid

Specific Gravity: 1.18

http://www.dynalabcorp.com/technical_info_acrylic.asp

i have chosen to research this material as it is a plastic that i can use for the light output that has a high level of transperancy. it has a melting point at 100 degrees celcius and it comes in sheets

my first prototype

these are some photos for the prototype that i am making right now. this prototype light is made from sheet aluminum and it is cut in a computer aided machine (CAM) machine. the sheet that looks like a plus folds into a box while the other more complicated looking sheet is the bottom of the light once folded. the box will be riveted using brackets and the bottom of the box will have small screws so the bottom plate can come off if the battery needs to be replaced after time.

week 3 term 2

on tuesday, we all did materials research and on wednesday, we blogged. on friday, we are going to be doing some practical work on our prototypes

bottom and top plate for prototype

this is the bottom plate that has been drawn on the computer. i can cut this shape out directly from the computer using the cam machine (computer aided machine). the cam machine is designed to engrave or cut out sheet metals, sheet plastics, etch pcb boards etc.

week 2 term 2

this week, i have done a 18242 sheet. after that, i started taking apart a solar garden light. we will name what the components will do. on friday, we are blogging and mabye doing some practical

solar garden lamp

after the 18242 sheet was completed, i have started pulling a shop-bought solar garden lamp apart to get out the circuit and its components. i am doing this because i am making a small aliminium solar powered lamp using the circuit that i got from the solar garden lamp. this circuit uses the transistor oscilator circuit to convert the voltage form 1.2V to 3V. my aliminium light will be in the shape of a small box and there will be 2 led's alongside the solar panel. this light will be my first prototype

week 1 term 2

i have had a holiday break and it was 2 weeks long. cool. this week i have pulled apart a solar garden light. i am going to use the parts inside to make a prototype light. we are also doing some more designing on our final design