Steps to choosing the right masking
There are generally five steps purchasing managers should use to choose the right masking for their fabrication operations. Nearly every acrylic fabrication job will require some sort of cutting or shaping. Purchasing managers need to know what these cutting operations are and how they affect the masking buying decision. They need to know if the acrylic sheet will be thermoformed. What type of finishing operation will be required to complete the part is an important consideration. Other aspects to consider when buying acrylic sheet is its expected shelf life and product availability, and finally the actual cost of the masking product should be used to balance the purchasing equation.

Cutting acrylic sheet
Gang cutting square and rectangular shapes is very common and can determine the efficiency of a job. Mono films don't generally perform well in this area, often times welding together or delaminating. Paper masking can result in gumming and premature tool wear, while multi-layer corona treated and PMR masking work very well. CNC routers will cut any of these products, but paper masking may shred, and mono films may delaminate and wrap the tool.

Thermoforming
Paper masking and mono films must be removed before thermoforming. This may actually result in increased damage and expensive post-cleaning operations. PMR works very well in shallow draw and line bending applications while multi-layer poly masking shines, allowing deeper draws and intricate shaping.

Finishing
Finishing methods can be an important consideration when choosing the right masking for a fabrication job using acrylic sheet. Operations such as flame polishing, gluing, sanding and joining all have different affects on masking. For instance, flame polishing will create problems for processors who use poly masking. The masking has a tendency to melt and char along the edge. PMR, however, may be used for these type of operations with proper preparation. Mono films may feather when used on joiners, or melt when sanded mechanically, thus fabricators can expect better results with PMR and multi-layer poly.

Shelf life
Purchasing must decide whether to consider shelf life as part of their decision making process. Many masking products are adversely affected by time and ambient conditions such as humidity and temperature. Paper masking is the most vulnerable product to these ever-changing conditions becoming more and more difficult to remove as shelf life and exposure increases. Corona treated poly masking on the other hand may actually disipate over time, becoming looser. PMR and multi-layer poly masking are not affected by these conditions and do not experience degradation, providing managers with flexibility and security.

Price
Paper masking has historically carried a premium due to its high cost. In some cases, paper masking cost to serve is 10 times that of poly masking limiting the use of the product. Acrylic sheet manufacturers have long recognized this disparity and have worked closely with masking vendors to engineer products which are not only more affordable, but are also designed to provide better performance to fabricators and distributors. Multi-layer poly and PMR are examples of this effort to deliver higher value to the customer. So while price is important, purchasing managers should also consider the additional value masking may play in the overall operation.

Conclusion
Fabricators no longer view masking as simply a protective cover, necessary but annoying, but now understand that the special characteristics and attributes of today's engineered products can add value to their operation by reducing labor costs, improving yields, and providing flexibility which was not available to them a few short years ago. PMR has emerged as the leader in this quest to improve the value to end users.

The technology used to develop MPR is the forerunner of new and exciting masking products which promises to one day simplify the selection process and actually consolidate these characteristics into a single package. Get ready for the next generation of masking!

For more information, contact Mike at Ultra Acrylics, Inc.