Enhanced outdoor weathering
Virtually unbreakable
High optical clarity
Grades that meet FAR 25.853 and UL 94 V-0
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Most TUFFAK polycarbonate sheet is a polished surface, UV stabilized product for use in glazing and industrial applications. Polycarbonate sheet features outstanding impact strength and superior dimensional stability. Virtually unbreakable, it is a cost effective solution for a wide range of industrial glazing, design, and structural applications, as well as thermoformed and fabricated components.
TUFFAK is PLASKOLITE’s brand of polycarbonate sheet, available in grades for industrial glazing, architectural applications, lighting, security, signage and transportation. The application guide below matches each grade to performance requirements specifiers evaluate, including flammability, abrasion and chemical resistance, outdoor weathering and transportation glazing standards.
Clear TUFFAK GP, AR, SL, LF and FI sheets have a published light transmission value of 86% at 0.118 in thickness. Selection among these grades therefore depends on additional application requirements, such as hard-coat protection for frequently cleaned glazing, UV resistance for outdoor signs or specified flame-test performance for aircraft interiors and electrical housings. Consult PLASKOLITE’s technical team to confirm the appropriate TUFFAK grade, thickness and compliance requirements for your application.
TUFFAK Application Guide
Polycarbonate Grades by Application
Application Performance Requirement TUFFAK Grade Industrial glazing, machine guards, structural parts Impact strength, high clarity, easy to fabricate and thermoform
TUFFAK GP
Glazing that's cleaned or handled every day Abrasion and chemical resistance from a one-sided or two-sided hard coat
TUFFAK AR
Illuminated and outdoor signs Outdoor UV resistance, UL 879 for electric sign components
TUFFAK SL
Interior walls and ceilings in public buildings IBC Class A interior finish, passes NFPA 286
TUFFAK CA
Aircraft interior windows, partitions and instruments
FAR 25.853 flammability requirements TUFFAK LF,
TUFFAK FI,
TUFFAK AC
Server enclosures and electrical housings UL 94 V-0 at 0.060 in TUFFAK FI
Railcar glazing, bus windows, driver partitions
Applicable FRA glazing requirements (railcars), applicable DOT/ANSI Z26.1 AS-4 (buses), applicable FMVSS 205/ANSI Z26.1 AS-4 (partitions)
TUFFAK TG,
TUFFAK BG,
TUFFAK DG
TUFFAK LF is a UV-stable, low flammability polycarbonate sheet for aircraft interiors. Applications include cabin windows, partitions and instrument panels where optical clarity and flammability performance guide material selection.
Transit glazing faces daily cleaning and heavy wear, making hard-coated polycarbonate a practical choice. TUFFAK AR and transit grades TG, BG and DG provide surface protection for demanding transportation applications.
Server enclosures often call for UL94 polycarbonate. TUFFAK FI meets UL 94 V-0 at 0.060 in, supporting material selection for electrical housings and server enclosures with specified flame-performance requirements.
TUFFAK LF for Aircraft Interiors
Abrasion Resistant Polycarbonate for Mass Transit
TUFFAK FI for Data Center Enclosures
TUFFAK Lumen XT polycarbonate sheet is a translucent product with a textured surface on on...
TUFFAK LD polycarbonate sheet is a highly UV stable product designed to provide superior l...
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TUFFAK GP polycarbonate sheet is a polished surface, UV stabilized, transparent polycarbon...
TUFFAK GP polycarbonate sheet is a general purpose product with a matte, pebble and prisma...
TUFFAK (formerly branded Monogal / Plazcarb outside of North America) sheets are made from...
TUFFAK (formerly branded Monogal / Plazcarb outside of North America) AR sheets provide ex...
TUFFAK Marine 5 polycarbonate sheet is designed for applications demanding high optical cl...
TUFFAK VR polycarbonate sheet is designed for high optical quality and exceptional durabil...
TUFFAK OP polycarbonate sheet is an optically clear, polished surface, UV stabilized mater...
TUFFAK 15 polycarbonate sheet offers high impact resistance, weathering life, and optical ...
TUFFAK AR polycarbonate sheet offers higher abrasion resistance and surface hardness to po...
TUFFAK SL polycarbonate sheet sign grade, available in sheet and reels, is an enhanced UV ...
TUFFAK sheet is used for architectural, lighting, security,
signage and transportation applications, with a grade matched
to each job. TUFFAK GP polycarbonate is the general-purpose
grade for industrial glazing, machine guards and structural
parts, backed by a five-year limited warranty against breakage.
Specialty grades cover stricter requirements, including TUFFAK
LF and AC for aircraft interiors, TUFFAK FI for electrical
enclosures that need UL 94 V-0 and TUFFAK CA for Class A
interior walls.
PLASKOLITE, a thermoplastic sheet manufacturer headquartered in
Columbus, Ohio, makes TUFFAK sheet. The TUFFAK trade name
replaced the Hyzod and Makrolon names for PLASKOLITE's
polycarbonate sheet. Outside North America, PLASKOLITE formerly
sold some TUFFAK grades as Monogal or Plazcarb.
How well TUFFAK sheet resists scratching and yellowing depends
on the grade. For glazing that gets cleaned or handled every
day, TUFFAK AR polycarbonate adds a proprietary hard coat on
one or both sides, backed by a seven-year limited warranty
against breakage, yellowing and hazing. For outdoor signs,
TUFFAK SL adds advanced UV resistance, with a ten-year warranty
that also covers clear sheet for weathering resistance.
TUFFAK sheet keeps its mechanical strength and optical
properties in continuous use from -40°F to 212°F.
It can take short-term or cyclical exposure up to 280°F,
the sheet's heat deflection temperature at 66 psi.
Yes, uncoated TUFFAK sheet such as TUFFAK GP is thermoformable
once it's pre-dried at 250°F, for four hours at 0.118 in.
Uncoated sheet also cold-bends to a minimum radius of 100 times
its thickness. Hard-coated grades like TUFFAK AR can't be
cold-formed. For thermoforming, the TUFFAK fabrication guide
lists drying times for each common gauge.
TUFFAK LF, TUFFAK FI and TUFFAK AC meet FAR 25.853 for aircraft
interiors. TUFFAK LF passes both FAR 25.853 vertical burn tests
(60 seconds and 12 seconds) from 0.080 in to 0.250 in.
TUFFAK FI passes the same two tests from 0.060 in to 0.125 in.
TUFFAK AC, a coated aircraft-grade sheet, is listed as meeting
FAR 25.853 along with requirements for smoke and toxic gas
emissions.
Several TUFFAK grades carry a UL 94 V-0 rating, each at a
different thickness. TUFFAK FI reaches V-0 at 0.060 in and
UL 94 5V-A at 0.125 in, a thin-gauge rating that suits electrical
housings and server enclosures. TUFFAK LF reaches V-0 at
0.080 in. TUFFAK GP-V, a flame-retardant grade, reaches it at
0.220 in and thicker. Standard TUFFAK GP reaches V-0 only at
0.394 in. The TUFFAK fabrication guide also lists TUFFAK
Lumen XT-V and TUFFAK Mirror as V-0 grades.
FAQ: TUFFAK Polycarbonate
What is TUFFAK polycarbonate used for?
Who makes TUFFAK sheet?
Does TUFFAK sheet scratch or turn yellow?
What temperature range can TUFFAK sheet handle?
Can TUFFAK sheet be thermoformed or cold-bent?
Which TUFFAK grades meet FAR 25.853 for aircraft interiors?
Which TUFFAK grades have a UL 94 V-0 rating?