01. Cutting
Sheets are set on the cutting machine to the required length and width. The source page states cutting tolerance can reach a tolerance confirmed after material, thickness, part geometry and drawing review.
Bending & Thermoforming
Line bending, drape forming and 3D contour work — curves that would need tooling in other materials.
Both materials soften predictably with heat, which makes curved and folded parts far cheaper in plastic than in glass or metal. We line bend, drape form and produce 3D contour parts to drawing.
One point worth knowing before you specify: polycarbonate must be dried before forming. It absorbs moisture from the air, and forming undried sheet produces bubbles and silvery streaks that cannot be repaired afterwards.
Specification
| Property | Specification |
|---|---|
| Line bending | Single and multiple folds, sharp internal radius |
| Drape forming | Curves and arcs over a former |
| 3D contour forming | Compound curvature, produced on our CNC centres |
| Cold curving | Solid PC to approx. 150× thickness; multiwall to 175× |
| Pre-drying | Polycarbonate dried before forming as standard |
| Tolerance | the order-specific CNC tolerance confirmed after material, thickness, part geometry and drawing review on machined features |
Typical applications
- Curved machine guards and covers
- Formed display stands and retail fixtures
- Point-of-sale holders and dispensers
- Equipment housings and enclosures
- Curved signage and architectural features
Sheet Fabrication Processes
Jiangsu Xinjincheng provides diversified secondary processing to customer drawings and technical requirements.
02. Drilling
Hole diameter and position follow the customer drawing; routing equipment is used to reduce cracking risk in acrylic.
03. Bending and Thermoforming
Polycarbonate can be cold-bent at room temperature where the design permits, or hot-bent for formed parts.
04. CNC Routing and Engraving
Parts are machined to drawings, including chamfers, bevels, rounded edges and countersinks.
05. Edge and Slot Milling
Dedicated cutters produce specified edges and internal grooves to the drawing geometry.
06. Screen and UV Printing
Front or reverse printing, surface treatment and colour work can be applied to sheet components from customer artwork.
07. Polishing
Buff-wheel, flame or laser processes can be selected to improve edge clarity and finish.
08. Laser Processing
Laser engraving, cutting and marking are available where compatible with the selected sheet material.
Minimum order and lead time
Plastura’s Jiangsu fabrication team quotes polycarbonate bending service from the drawing. State the sheet material, thickness, finished dimensions, tolerance, edge finish, file format, and quantity. Standard stock sizes and colours normally run in 7–10 days; non-standard extrusion in 12–18 days; allow another 3–7 days for CNC work. The published starting point is 100 m² or 1 tonne, quoted in USD on FOB, CIF or DDP terms. See MOQ, lead time and shipping for planning details.
Questions buyers ask
Can you form to my 3D CAD model?
Yes. Send STEP or IGES and we will confirm what is achievable — some geometry needs tooling, which we will quote separately rather than hiding in the part price.
Why does formed polycarbonate sometimes bubble?
Undried sheet. Polycarbonate absorbs atmospheric moisture, which turns to steam at forming temperature. We pre-dry as standard; a supplier who does not will produce streaked parts.
Is cold curving cheaper than thermoforming?
Much cheaper, since there is no heat, tooling or forming time — but it is limited to gentle single-axis curves. Anything tighter or compound needs forming.
Request a quote MOQ & shipping
Further reading
- Bonding and gluing polycarbonate without crazing the joint: how to glue polycarbonate
Where to look next
Related pages
CNC & Laser Cutting
Profiles, cut-outs, holes and engraving from your DXF, DWG or STEP files — 22 machines.
Solid Polycarbonate Sheet
The general-purpose grade — around 200× the impact strength of glass, and it will not shatter.
Cut to Size Polycarbonate & Acrylic
Panels at your finished dimensions, cut at the factory — no local sawing, no offcut waste, no freight on scrap.
Custom Specifications
Non-standard thickness, width, colour and construction — what we can make, and what we cannot.