Skip to content

Acrylic / PMMA thermoforming

Acrylic (PMMA) thermoforming

Acrylic (PMMA) is the optically clearest plastic in thermoforming — glass-like transparency, deep gloss and a hard, scratch- and UV-resistant surface that stays clear outdoors for years. Indu Thermoformers forms acrylic sheet into skylights and domes, light covers, illuminated signage and displays, wherever clarity and finish are what matter most.

Optical clarity > 92%Scratch & UV resistantHigh-gloss surfaceWeatherable outdoors
Get a QuoteBrowse Products

The clearest, glossiest surface in thermoforming

PMMA transmits more light than glass, holds a deep gloss and keeps a hard, scratch- and UV-resistant face that does not yellow outdoors. Acrylic is a classic thermoforming material: heated evenly and drawn over a tool, it forms cleanly into domes, covers and shallow-to-medium-draw parts with an as-formed optical surface that needs no polishing or painting. We dry and heat it to grade, then vacuum- or pressure-form to hold clarity and detail.

Where clarity and gloss are the point

Acrylic suits anything that must look clear and stay clear: skylights, roof domes and barrel-vault rooflights; light covers, lenses and diffusers; illuminated signage, logos and 3D letters; retail displays and POS units; and machine sight windows and guards. Where a part faces heavy impact, polycarbonate is the tougher clear option — acrylic is harder and clearer, PC is more impact-resistant.

Parts we thermoform in acrylic (PMMA)

Skylights, roof domes & rooflightsLight covers, lenses & diffusersIlluminated signage, logos & 3D lettersRetail displays & POS unitsMachine sight windows & guardsDisplay cases & coversArchitectural & furniture panelsOptical & lighting components

Acrylic / PMMA grades & datasheets

PMMA General Purpose (optically clear)Polycarbonate (clear, high-impact)

Full technical specifications for each grade are below.

Grade specifications & datasheets

Typical properties as printed on the StellarEx technical datasheet for each grade — download the full TDS or request a quote.

GlazingAcrylic (PMMA)

StellarEx PMMA General Purpose

Optically clear, weatherable acrylic — the glass alternative for signage, lighting and glazing.

  • Optical clarity — 92% light transmission
  • Outstanding weather & UV resistance
  • Hard, rigid, scratch-resistant surface (Rockwell M80–M100)
  • About half the weight of glass, shatter-safe
  • Easily machined, thermoformed, cemented and polished

Applications: Illuminated signage, POP displays & lettering · Lighting diffusers, covers & fixtures · Skylights, rooflights & architectural glazing · Machine guards, sight windows & partitions · Sanitary ware — baths, basins & shower screens

Download TDSGet a quote →

Typical properties (as printed on TDS)

Light transmittance92 %ASTM D1003
Refractive index1.49—
Tensile strength55 – 76 MPaASTM D638
Flexural modulus2.4 – 3.4 GPaASTM D790
Hardness, RockwellM80 – M100ASTM D785
Notched Izod @ 23 °C16 J/mASTM D256
HDT @ 1.8 MPa65 – 100 °CASTM D648

Thickness: 1 – 12 mm  ·  Width: up to 2050 mm

GlazingPolycarbonate

StellarEx PC General Purpose

General-purpose polycarbonate — clear, virtually unbreakable glazing and fabrication grade with high heat resistance (Vicat 145 °C).

  • Virtually unbreakable — unnotched Izod does not break
  • High heat resistance — Vicat 145 °C
  • Clear glazing — 84–87% light transmission
  • UL 94 HB · EN 13501-1 B-s1,d0 · UL 746B RTI 130 °C
  • Halogen-free · RoHS · REACH compliant

Applications: Skylights, roof domes & barrel-vault rooflights · Machine guards & safety screens · Glazing, light covers & fabricated panels · Electrical & indoor engineering components · Deep-drawn covers & enclosures

Download TDSGet a quote →

Typical properties (as printed on TDS)

Density1.20 g/cm³ISO 1183
Yield stress> 60 MPaISO 527
Tensile modulus2300 MPaISO 527
Flexural strength90 MPaISO 178
Notched Izod70 kJ/m²ISO 180
Vicat softening (B/120)145 °CISO 306
HDT @ 1.8 MPa127 °CISO 75-2

Thickness: 1 – 12 mm  ·  Width: wide-web · custom

See all StellarEx grades on the Materials & grades page.

Why Indu for acrylic thermoforming

In-house sheet extrusion

We extrude the sheet we form — grade, colour and thickness controlled from the pellet, with no outside vendor in the loop.

Largest bed in India

Thin- and thick-gauge lines, including the largest thermoforming bed in the country for oversized parts.

Tooling in 2–4 weeks

Moulds and trim fixtures designed and cut in-house on 5-axis CNC — fast, and cheap to revise.

ISO 9001 & full docs

8-gate inspection with COA, MTC, FAIR and PPAP-level documentation on request.

Frequently asked questions

Can acrylic be thermoformed?

Yes — acrylic (PMMA) is a classic thermoforming material, used for skylights, domes, light covers and signage. It needs drying and even heating, and forms cleanly into shallow-to-medium draws with an optical, as-formed surface that needs no polishing.

Acrylic or polycarbonate — which should I use?

Acrylic is clearer, glossier, harder and more scratch- and UV-resistant, and lower cost; polycarbonate is far more impact-resistant but softer and pricier. Choose acrylic for optical clarity and outdoor gloss, polycarbonate where impact or safety is the priority.

Is acrylic suitable for outdoor signage and skylights?

Yes — PMMA is inherently UV-stable and weatherable, keeping its clarity, colour and gloss outdoors for years, which is why it is a standard for skylights, rooflights and illuminated signage.

Explore more

Skylights & Roof Domes →Signage & 3D Letters →Polycarbonate Thermoforming →Materials & Grades →

Let’s build it

Need a clear, high-gloss acrylic part?

Send your drawing — we reply with the right acrylic grade, forming approach and a costed quote, usually within 24 hours.

Get a QuoteSee the Product Library

ISO 9001:2015 certified · Most quotes back within 24 hours