# Polycarbonate (PC)

> Transparent armor: machine guards, viewports and light guides that survive real impacts.

- Category: Engineering Plastics → commodity
- HTML page: https://fabvector.com/materials/polycarbonate (Portuguese: https://fabvector.com/pt/materials/polycarbonate)
- Price index: $ (1–5, 6061-T6 = $)

## Mechanical properties (typical values, not certified minimums)

| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Tensile strength | 66 MPa |
| Yield strength | ~62 MPa |
| Hardness | R118 (Rockwell) |
| Density | 1.20 g/cm³ |
| Machinability | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
| Corrosion resistance | ★★☆☆☆ (2/5) |

## When to choose it

Impact resistance governs and the part must stay transparent — PC bends and survives where acrylic shatters, and it takes vapor or mechanical polishing to optical clarity.

## When to look elsewhere

Scratch resistance or maximum optical clarity matters more than impact (choose PMMA), or the part sees solvents and sustained stress — PC is prone to stress cracking.

## Typical applications

- Machine guards and safety windows
- Camera and sensor viewports
- Light guides and instrument covers
- Electrical insulators where visibility matters

## Compatible surface finishes

- [As-Machined](https://fabvector.com/md/finishes/as-machined)
- [Polishing](https://fabvector.com/md/finishes/polishing)
- [Wet Painting](https://fabvector.com/md/finishes/wet-painting)
- [Silk Screening](https://fabvector.com/md/finishes/silk-screening)

Industries: industrial-automation, medical-devices, drones, consumer-electronics · Instant quote: https://fabvector.com/quote