CLASSIFICATIONS

Plastics cover a broad field of organic synthetic resin and may

be divided into two main classifications: thermoplastics and
thermosetting plastics.

a. Thermoplastics—may be softened by heat and can be

dissolved in various organic solvents. Acrylic plastic
is commonly used as a transparent thermoplastic
material for windows, canopies, etc

b. Thermosetting plastics—do not soften appreciably

under heat but may char and blister at temperatures
of 240–260 °C (400–500 °F). Once the plastic becomes hard, additional
heat
does not change it back into a liquid as it would with
a thermoplastic.
OF PLASTICS
STORAGE AND
Because transparent thermoplastic sheets
soften and deform when heated, store them in
a cool, dry place, away from heating coils,
radiators, or steam pipes.

Keep the fumes in paint spray booths or paint

storage areas away from plastics. Most
acrylics have adhesive papers on both sides
of sheets to protect and prevent scratches.
HANDLING
Remove all the masking paper and adhesive from it, before
heating any transparent plastic material. If the sheet is dirty
or dusty, wash it with clean water and soap, and rinse well.
Thoroughly dry it with soft, absorbent paper towels to blot it.
HEATING
Heated acrylic plastic will form almost without any pressure, so the molds can be
very simple to build. Molds made of pressed wood, plywood, or plaster are
sufficient to form simple curves, but you may need reinforced plastic or plaster to
shape complex curves or composites.
 
Using the damaged part itself, a mold can be made to a complex part. Tape the
pieces together if the part is broken, wax or grease the inside so that the plaster will
not stick to it and support the whole part in sand. Use plaster to fill the part and
allow it to harden, then remove it from the mold. Smooth out any rough parts, cover
them with soft cloth and the new part will be ready to form.
Simple Curve forming
Remove all the masking paper and adhesive from it, before
heating any transparent plastic material. If the sheet is dirty or
dusty, wash it with clean water and soap, and rinse well.
Thoroughly dry it with soft, absorbent paper towels to blot it.
compound-curve forming
Compound-curve forming is normally applied to parts such as
canopies, complex wing tips or light coverings. Four methods
are commonly used, with each requiring specialized equipment.
These methods include the forming of stretch, male and female
die, vacuum and vacuum with female dies.
Stretch forming
Preheated acrylic sheets with stretch forming are stretched
mechanically in a manner similar to that used for simple curved
pieces.
Male and female die forming
The forming of male and female die requires costly male and
female diets. The heated sheet of plastic is placed between the
dies, then pressed together. This produces a part that is
accurately formed on both the inner and outer surfaces and is
removed after cooling from the dies.
vacuum forming without forms
Many canopies of aircraft without molds are formed by vacuum
pressure. In this process a clamp is placed over a vacuum box
with an opening of the desired shape and the heated sheet of
plastic is clamped in place. When the air in the box is evacuated,
the outside air pressure forces the hot plastic through the
opening and forms a concave canopy bubble.
FORMS
Several types of saws can be used with
transparent plastics but for straight cutting,
circular saws are the best.
To prevent an acrylic sheet from overheating,
feed it slowly into the saw blade.

Band saws are recommended when curving the

cuts when cutting acrylic sheets. By band
sawing a piece within 1/6-inch of the desired
size, close control of size and shape can be
accomplished.
SAWING
Unlike soft metal, acrylic plastic is a very
poor heat conductor and provision must be
made for heat removal when drilled. Deep
holes require cooling, and water-soluble
cutting oil is a good coolant, as it tends not
to attack the plastic.
 
A back-up material such as wood scrap
should be used when drilling plastics to
prevent damage when the drill breaks
through the underside of the part
DRILLING
a process by which two materials join together to
form a structure as strong as the original. With
plastics materials, cement is softened and held
under pressure until both parts have joined at
molecular level.

application of cement
Acrylic plastics may be joined by the use of a
clear liquid solvent, ethylene dichloride. It softens
the material and forms a coil between the two
pieces, allowing the molecules to be thoroughly
intermingled between the surfaces
CEMENTING
Whenever possible, replace, rather than repair,
extensively damaged transparent plastic. A carefully
patched part is not the equal of a new section, either
optically or structurally. At the first sign of crack
development, drill a small hole with a # 30 or a 1⁄8-
inch drill at the extreme ends of the cracks.

This serves to localize the cracks and to prevent

further splitting by distributing the strain over a
large area. If the cracks are small, stopping them
with drilled holes usually suffices until replacement
or more permanent repairs can be made.
REPAIRS
Clean the plastic by washing it with
plenty of water and mild soap, using a
clean, soft, grit-free cloth, sponge, or
bare hands. Do not use gasoline,
alcohol, benzene, acetone, carbon
tetrachloride, fire extinguisher or
deicing fluids, lacquer thinners, or
window cleaning sprays. These soften
the plastic and cause crazing
CLEANING
Use material equivalent to that originally used by the
manufacturer of the aircraft for replacement panels.
There are many types of transparent plastics on the
market. Their properties vary greatly, particularly
expansion characteristics, brittleness under low
temperatures, resistance to discoloration when exposed
to sunlight, surface checking, etc.
WINDSHIELD
INSTALLATION