PMMA

What is PMMA?

PMMA is an abbreviation of the word Polymethylmethacrylate. This in turn came together from the words polymer and methyl methacrylate. It is a transparent plastic. The material is also called acrylate, oroglass, altoglass, perspex or plexiglass. Plexiglas will be more familiar to most. The material is used in many different ways as it brings several benefits. PMMA allows about 90 per cent of light to pass through. As a result, it is widely used as a replacement for glass. Unfortunately, there are also some minor drawbacks to the material.

Advantages

As highlighted earlier, PMMA brings several advantages, especially if you compare it to the alternative glass. Namely, the first advantage is that the material is simply a lot lighter. Another advantage is that it can easily be produced in different shapes. This also ensures that the material is so widely applicable. The material also glues well. The final and perhaps most important advantage is that, compared to ordinary glass, it lets more light through. PMMA therefore gives you a better light image.

Disadvantages

Where a material has several advantages, there are always some minor disadvantages. Namely, the material is slightly less hard, making it slightly more sensitive to scratches compared to glass. In addition, it is also less heat-resistant. This does not matter when used in combination with LED lighting, as LED lighting does not lose energy to heat. Finally, PMMA is flammable.

PMMA at TRALERT®

Within TRALERT®'s range of LED lighting, you can often come across PMMA. Since it is a replacement for glass, you come across the material in the light's lens. This is the case within various categories of LED lighting. For example, in the LED work lights but also in some LED warning lights. A final example is with the LED rear lights. Some TRALERT® rear lights are in fact equipped with ABS housing in addition to the PMMA lens.

At TRALERT®, PMMA lenses are continuously tested by the technical department. The lenses are compared with comparable products. The tests have shown that the lenses can withstand impacts and blows a lot better. Especially when compared to cheaper alternatives.