Technical Manual aquariums architecture projection
Transcription
Technical Manual aquariums architecture projection
projection pools & fountains architecture aquariums Technical Manual ® Way Beyond Ordinar y ® technical manual R-Cast technical manual ® Introduction R-Cast® acrylic is monolithically cast polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) acrylic manufactured to strict internationally accepted structural standards. R-Cast® acrylic rod, tube, and sheet are lightweight thermoplastics provided primarily in clear finishes, but also available in an array of colors, both translucent or opaque. All R-Cast® acrylic is hard, rigid, and glassy at room temperature. It is noted for being highly transparent, easy to maintain, and resistant to weathering. The monolithic cast technology developed by Reynolds Polymer Technology, Inc. (RPT) provides the world's thickest acrylic panels especially suited for the needs of today’s modern aquariums, zoological parks, resorts, pools, and theme parks. The technical information contained in this manual is compiled from nearly 30 years of experience in engineering, casting, and fabricating of acrylic and is provided as a courtesy to the reader. Reynolds Polymer Technology, Inc. assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy of the information provided or results obtained from its use. The information being given is accepted at the user's risk. This double-arched aquarium sits at the entryway to the Scheels store in Sparks, Nevada. Two of these 11,000 gallon (42,000 liter) freestanding aquariums span the two main entrances to the store. Each aquarium is nearly 43 feet long x 7 feet wide x 11 feet tall (13m x 2.1m x 3.5m) and was possible due to the in-depth engineering and fabrication expertise from RPT. -photo by Vance Fox Reynolds Polymer Technology, Inc.• 607 Hollingsworth Street • Grand Junction, CO 81505 • 800.433.9293 • 970.241.4700 RPT Asia, Limited • 109/15 Moo 4 Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate • Soi ESIE 6B • Pluakdaeng Rayong 21140 Thailand reynoldspolymer.com © 2014. R-Cast and “Way Beyond Ordinary” are registered trademarks of Reynolds Polymer Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. RPT-14-001 2 Way Beyond Ordinar y ® technical manual R-Cast technical manual ® General Manufacturing R-Cast® acrylic rod, tube, and sheet is monolithically cast from polymethyl methacrylate resin. The acrylic used for fabrication must satisfy two general requirements: 1. The casting process used in production shall be capable of producing material with the minimum physical properties shown in ASME PVHO-1 Table 2-3.2. The manufacturer of the material shall maintain on file certifications showing that the physical properties of typical material meet or exceed these values. 2. Each acrylic casting must be free of inclusions which either significantly decrease its structural performance or mar its optical appearance. Annealing R-Cast® acrylic is heat treated for superior clarity and strength. Annealing the acrylic “finishes” the polymerization of the curing process and increases resistance to crazing caused by either stress or chemical attack. Induced stresses caused by machining or bonding are eliminated by annealing. The annealing process requires a carefully controlled heat application and cool down. Annealing is performed in large, specially designed process ovens in the factory and when necessary, in custom built portable ovens on the jobsite. Forming Being a thermoplastic, R-Cast® acrylic sheet can be heated and formed to provide anything from gently curving walls to 360° encircling tunnels. Proper heating and cooling techniques will provide a memory-free formed acrylic sheet. There can be multiple radii in one sheet and the inside radius can be as tight as three times the thickness of the sheet. Bonding When a design requires a sheet larger than a single casting, the larger sheet can be fabricated by chemically bonding two or more sheets together. The sheets are bonded using a proprietary methyl methacrylate adhesive developed by Reynolds Polymer Technology, Inc. to render a bond joint of superior strength and clarity. The bonding process is usually completed in the factory. When the need arises, panels can be bonded on the jobsite with the same high quality results as are achieved in the factory. Weathering Characteristics All R-Cast® acrylic manufactured by Reynolds Polymer Technology, Inc., unless specifically requested by the customer, is Ultra Violet (UV) stabilized to prevent degradation and yellowing that would normally occur with acrylic. The UV stabilizer is an ingredient in the casting formula rather than a surface coating. This ensures the acrylic is fully protected through the entire thickness and the UV protection cannot be removed. Unlike most materials, R-Cast® acrylic is resistant to the corrosive effects of saltwater and chlorine environments. Long term exposure to these harsh conditions will not degrade the physical properties of the acrylic. Reynolds Polymer Technology, Inc.• 607 Hollingsworth Street • Grand Junction, CO 81505 • 800.433.9293 • 970.241.4700 RPT Asia, Limited • 109/15 Moo 4 Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate • Soi ESIE 6B • Pluakdaeng Rayong 21140 Thailand reynoldspolymer.com © 2014. R-Cast and “Way Beyond Ordinary” are registered trademarks of Reynolds Polymer Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. RPT-14-001 3 Way Beyond Ordinar y ® technical manual R-Cast technical manual ® Optical Quality R-Cast® acrylic is generally colorless and clear with minimum haze. (>92% total transmission with a 2 inch [51 mm] cubed sample per ASTM D-1003). Colored acrylic can be provided upon request. Colors come in translucent or opaque. Opaque black acrylic is often used for a high-tech, seamless transition when fabricating all-acrylic tanks. The refractive index of clear acrylic is 1.49. Air has a refractive index of 1.00 and that of water is 1.37. Using Snell's law, it is possible to calculate the exact angle of refraction when viewing through acrylic. At the most severe angle the worst case refraction is approximately 45 degrees. Acrylic Design Criteria Design Stress Levels Acrylic sheets used for water retaining applications are designed to a membrane tensile stress level of 800 psi (56 kg/cm2). This design parameter gives a safety factor of 11.2 based on the ASME PVHO-1-1997 minimum standard of 9000 psi (633 kg/cm2) tensile strength. The safety factor is 13.5 based on the 10,800 psi (759 kg/cm2) average tensile strength of R-Cast® acrylic. The 800 psi (56 kg/cm2) design stress level was determined referencing United States Naval Ocean Systems Center Technical Report 1303, June 1989, “Crazing and Degradation of Flexural Strength in Acrylic Plates as a Function of Time.” The report demonstrates that acrylic shows no signs of crazing after ten years when the stress level was less than 810 psi (57 kg/cm2). Crazing Crazing is a deformation mode observed in acrylic when the acrylic is stressed. The stress can be generated mechanically from poor fabrication and/or poor sanding and polishing techniques, from incorrect design parameters, or from improper heating and cooling. Crazing can also appear due to chemical attack from solvents, i.e., acetone, methanol, MEK, etc. Heat will accelerate the appearance of crazing. Crazing sources do compound one another, therefore a stressed panel will craze immediately if a solvent is introduced. To the eye, crazing appears to be similar to hairline cracks. Although crazing may subsequently break down into crack-like defects under prolonged stress, they must not be considered damaged because the defects contain polymer materials. This polymer material connects the polymer above and below the craze which contributes significantly to further deformation resistance. These oriented micro fibrils appear continuous when observed under a microscope. Although crazing of products in service should always be considered undesirable, its occurrence is not catastrophic since the micro structure of crazes is such that significant forces may still be carried. This is supported by the observation that under compression, or upon annealing, crazes tend to retract and disappear. Crazing can be removed by Reynolds Polymer Technology, Inc.• 607 Hollingsworth Street • Grand Junction, CO 81505 • 800.433.9293 • 970.241.4700 RPT Asia, Limited • 109/15 Moo 4 Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate • Soi ESIE 6B • Pluakdaeng Rayong 21140 Thailand reynoldspolymer.com © 2014. R-Cast and “Way Beyond Ordinary” are registered trademarks of Reynolds Polymer Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. RPT-14-001 4 Way Beyond Ordinar y ® technical manual R-Cast technical manual ® sanding. Once the crazes are removed, the crazing cycle starts again, i.e., if a panel starts to craze after 15 years, and the crazing is removed, crazing will not occur again until 15 years later. Bonded Panels Acrylic rods, tubes and sheets that have been bonded together using RPT's proprietary bonding adhesive and methods, have a tensile strength over 9000 psi at the bond. The bond strengths meet the ASME PVHO minimum standards for non-bonded structures, thus, the long term design stress at a bond is limited to 800 psi (56 kg/cm2). The design safety factor for bonded acrylic material is 11.2 based on the ASME PVHO-1-2003 minimum standard of 9000 psi (633 kg/cm2) tensile strength. Due to the superior strength of the bonding methods used, a bonded panel does not need to be any thicker than a sheet without bonds. Deflection Initial deflection for acrylic windows with unsupported edges, i.e., open top tanks, will be limited to 1/400 of the length of the unsupported edge to achieve proper aesthetics. Deflection can be limited further, but would be an additional aesthetic request by the designer/architect, not to be considered in any way a structural requirement for safety. Short Term Loading When designing for impact, live, or seismic loading conditions, the general design stress level is 3000 psi (180 kg/cm2). Impact, live, and seismic are short term and infrequent loading conditions. The 3000 psi (180 kg/cm2) is a safety factor of 3.0 based on the PVHO minimum tensile stress level of 9000 psi (633 kg/cm2). The safety factor is 3.6 based on the R-Cast® average tensile strength of 10,800 psi (759 kg/cm2). Acceptance of Material Dimensional Tolerances In order to maximize structural strength, provide acceptable optical performance, and minimize difficulties during installation, the R-Cast® acrylic panels shall meet the following dimensional tolerances: • • • • The actual thickness of each window measured at any location on the window to be within a tolerance of T +0.5 inch / - 0.00 inch (+12.7 mm), where "T" is the minimum engineered thickness of the window. Each viewing surface on a flat plane shall have a flatness tolerance of 0.002 x L, where "L" is the length of the window. The length and width of each plane window is fabricated within 0.25 inches (6.4 mm) of specified nominal dimensions. The sharp corners on the edges of all windows have a chamfer to prevent chipping during shipping and installation. The width of the 45 degree chamfer does not exceed 0.13 inches (3.2 mm) for every inch of thickness or 0.50 inches (13 mm) maximum. Unsupported edges that are visible will have a radiused edge and are polished as opposed to having a chamfered edge. The size of the radius follows the same guidelines as the chamfer. Reynolds Polymer Technology, Inc.• 607 Hollingsworth Street • Grand Junction, CO 81505 • 800.433.9293 • 970.241.4700 RPT Asia, Limited • 109/15 Moo 4 Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate • Soi ESIE 6B • Pluakdaeng Rayong 21140 Thailand reynoldspolymer.com © 2014. R-Cast and “Way Beyond Ordinary” are registered trademarks of Reynolds Polymer Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. RPT-14-001 5 Way Beyond Ordinar y ® technical manual R-Cast technical manual ® Optical Performance Requirements PVHO The optical performance demanded of R-Cast® acrylic windows is similar to that of picture windows. To achieve this performance, the surfaces are polished smooth, without obvious surface irregularities in the form of waviness, ridges, pits, dimples, bumps, scratches or scuffs. Minor distortions on the wet side of a window are not visible as they are corrected by the interface with the water. This is due to the similar refractive indices of water and acrylic. "PVHO" is the acronym for Pressure Vessel for Human Occupancy. A majority of PVHOs include submarines, diving bells, medical hyperbaric chambers, and decompression chambers. The ASME PVHO manual sets the design standards for any pressurized chamber built that will be occupied by people. Section 2 of that manual references viewport design. Per Article 3 of said manual, acrylic is the only acceptable material for use as a window in a Pressure Vessel for Human Occupancy. Laminated sheets are explicitly deemed not acceptable. PVHO is referenced in RPT's acrylic design specifications. It is the most commonly accepted published standard for acrylic. There is credibility in that the manual is published by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, a non-biased entity. The ASME PVHO manual is accepted by the US military (Navy, Coast Guard, and Air Force), marine surveying companies (DNV, Lloyd's Registry, ABS), and most importantly, insurance companies both domestic and international. Designed for deep sea exploration, the Johnson SeaLink submersibles are certified for operation down to a depth of 3,000 feet (915m). The R-Cast® acrylic pilot sphere allows for greater field of vision for the occupants and is well suited to this application because of it's thermal capabilities, strength, and precision manufacturing. Reynolds Polymer Technology, Inc.• 607 Hollingsworth Street • Grand Junction, CO 81505 • 800.433.9293 • 970.241.4700 RPT Asia, Limited • 109/15 Moo 4 Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate • Soi ESIE 6B • Pluakdaeng Rayong 21140 Thailand reynoldspolymer.com © 2014. R-Cast and “Way Beyond Ordinary” are registered trademarks of Reynolds Polymer Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. RPT-14-001 6 Way Beyond Ordinar y ® technical manual R-Cast technical manual ® R-Cast® Physical Properties Property ASTM Method US Customary Units Average Value Metric Units Average Value ASTM-D792 ASTM-D638 ASTM-D638 ASTM-D638 ASTM-D790 ASTM-D695 ASTM-D732 ASTM-D256 ASTM-D256 ASTM-D256 ASTM-D785 ASTM-D2583 -psi psi % psi psi psi ft-lbs/inch lbf*in/in lbf*in/in --- 1.19 10,800 450,000 4.0 16,000 17,500 10,000 0.414 2.1 107 M-103 49 -Kg/cm² Kg/cm² -Kg/cm² Kg/cm² Kg/cm² J/m kgf*cm/cm kgf*cm/cm --- -759 31 x 10³ -1,125 1,230 703 22.1 0.4 20 --- ASTM-D621 ASTM-D702 % % 0.85 2 --- --- Residual Monomer, per ASME PVHO-1 method, Paragraph 2.2.5 Methyl Methacrylate Ethyl Acrylate % % 1.6 1.6 --- --- OPTICAL Clarity, Visually Rated (clear acrylic) Light Transmittance (0.1” nominal thickness) UV Light Transmission (290nm - 330 nm) Haze Refractive Index @ 77°F ASTM-D702 ASTM-D1003 ASTM-D308 ASTM-D1003 ASTM-D542 -% % % -- Must be readable 92 5 <1 1.49 ----- ----- °F 300-315 °C 149-157 °F °F °F BTU/(hr)ft2 (°F/in) in/min °F cal/lb °F % 226 239 150 1.3 1.0 910 428 10 °C °C °C w/m °K mm/min °C cal/g °C 108 115 66 0.19 25 490 0.35 MECHANICAL Specific Gravity Tensile Strength Tensile Modulus Tensile Elongation Flexural Strength Compression Strength Shear Strength IZOD Impact Strength, notched @ 1/8” Impact Strength, Notched (Charpy Method) Impact Strength, Unnotched (Charpy Method) Rockwell Hardness (M Scale) Barcol Hardness Deformation Under Load @ 4,000 psi @ 73°F Residual Shrinkage (int. strain) THERMAL Forming Temperature Heat Deflection Temperature (under load 264 psi; 18.6 kg/cm2) Vicat Softening Point Maximum Service Temperature Coefficient of Thermal Conductivity (k-factor) Flammability (0.13 inch [3mm] thick) Self-Ignition Temperature Specific Heat @ 77 °F (25 °C) Smoke Density Rating ASTM-D648 ASTM-D1525 Cenco-Fitch ASTM-D635 ASTM-D1929 ASTM-D2843 Reynolds Polymer Technology, Inc.• 607 Hollingsworth Street • Grand Junction, CO 81505 • 800.433.9293 • 970.241.4700 RPT Asia, Limited • 109/15 Moo 4 Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate • Soi ESIE 6B • Pluakdaeng Rayong 21140 Thailand reynoldspolymer.com © 2014. R-Cast and “Way Beyond Ordinary” are registered trademarks of Reynolds Polymer Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. RPT-14-001 7 Way Beyond Ordinar y ® technical manual R-Cast technical manual ® THERMAL, CONT. Coefficient of Thermal Expansion ASTM-D696 °F -40 -20 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 ELECTRICAL Dielectric Strength (short time, 1/8 inch thick [3mm]) Dielectric Constant, 60 Hertz Dielectric Constant, 1,000 Hertz Dielectric Constant, 1,000,000 Hertz Dissipation Factor, 60 Hertz Dissipation Factor, 1,000 Hertz Dissipation Factor, 1,000,000 Hertz Volume Resistivity Surface Resistivity ASTM-D149 ASTM-D150 ASTM-D150 ASTM-D150 ASTM-D150 ASTM-D150 ASTM-D150 ASTM-D257 ASTM-D257 volts/mil ------ohm-in ohms 430 ------6.3 x 1015 1.9 x 1015 KV/mm ------ohm-cm 17 3.5 3.2 2.7 0.06 0.04 0.02 1.6x 1016 ASTM-D570 ASTM-D570 ASTM-D570 % % % 0.2 0.0 0.2 ---- ---- ASTM-D570 ASTM-D570 ASTM-D570 ASTM-D570 ASTM-D570 ASTM-D570 % % % % % % 0.2 0.5 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.1 ------- ------- WATER ABSORPTION Water Absorption, Equilibrium, 24 hrs @ 73°F Soluble Matter Lost, 24 hours Dimensional Change During Immersion (24 hrs) Weight Gain During Immersion 24 hrs @ 73°F 7 days @ 73°F 14 days @ 73°F 21 days @ 73°F 35 days @ 73°F 48 days @ 73°F ODOR TASTE 10-5 (in/in/ °F) 2.9 3.0 3.2 3.4 3.7 4.0 4.3 4.7 5.1 5.4 °C -40 -29 -18 -7 4 16 27 38 49 60 10-5 (mm/mm/ °C) 5.22 5.40 5.76 6.12 6.66 7.20 7.74 8.46 9.18 9.72 None None Reynolds Polymer Technology, Inc.• 607 Hollingsworth Street • Grand Junction, CO 81505 • 800.433.9293 • 970.241.4700 RPT Asia, Limited • 109/15 Moo 4 Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate • Soi ESIE 6B • Pluakdaeng Rayong 21140 Thailand reynoldspolymer.com © 2014. R-Cast and “Way Beyond Ordinary” are registered trademarks of Reynolds Polymer Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. RPT-14-001 8 Way Beyond Ordinar y ® technical manual R-Cast technical manual ® Chemical Resistance This table applies to clear, R-Cast® acrylic. This table shold be used only as a general guide, and, when in doubt, should be supplemented by tests replicating actual working conditions. R = Resistant R-Cast® acrylic withstands this substance for long periods and at temperatures up to 120° F (49° C). LR = Limited Resistance R-Cast® acrylic only resists the action of this substance for short periods at room temperature. The resistance for a particular application must be determined. N = Non Resistant R-Cast® acrylic is not resistant to this substance. It either swelled, was attacked, dissolved or was damaged in some manner. Plastic materials can be attacked by chemicals in several ways. The methods of fabrication and/or conditions of exposure of R-Cast® acrylic as well as the manner in which the chemicals are applied, can influence final results even for "R" coded chemicals. Some of these factors are listed below. Fabrication - Stress generated while sawing, sanding, machining, drilling, polishing, and/ or forming. Exposure - Length of exposure, stresses induced during the life of the product due to various loads, changes in temperatures, etc. Application of Chemicals - By contact, rubbing, wiping, spraying, etc. Chemical Acetic Acid (5%) Acetic Acid (Glacial) Acetic Anhydride Acetone Acrylic Paints & Lacquers Ammonia (aqueous solution) Ammonium chloride (Saturated) Ammonium Hydroxide (10%) Ammonium Hydroxide (Conc.) Aniline Battery Acid Benzaldehyde Benzene Bituminous Emulsion Bromine Butanol Butyl Acetate Calcium Chloride (Saturated) Calcium Hypochlorite Carbon Tetrachloride Cement Chlorine Water Chloroform Chromic Acid (40%) Citric Acid (10%) Cottonseed Oil (Edible) Detergent Solution Diesel Oil Diethyl Ether Dimethyl Formamide Dioctyl Phthalate Ethyl Acetate Ethyl Alcohol (50%) Ethyl Alcohol (95%) Ethylene Dichloride Ethylene Glycol 2-Ethylhexyl Sebacate Formaldehyde (40%) Formic Acid (2%) Formic Acid (40%) Gasoline (Regular, Leaded) Glycerine Glycerol Glycol Heptane Hexane Hot Bitumen Code R N LR N LR R R R R N R N N N N LR N R R N R LR N N R R R R N N N N LR N N R R R R LR LR R R R R R LR Chemical Hydrochloric Acid Hydrofluoric Acid (40%) Hydrogen Peroxide (3%) Hydrogen Peroxide (28%) Isooctane Isopropyl Alcohol Kerosene Lacquer Thinner Lactic Acid (80%) Methane Methyl Alcohol (50%) Methyl Alcohol (100%) Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK) Methylene Chloride Mineral Oil Mortar Motor Fuel (benzene-free) Motor Fuel (with benzene) Muriatic Acid (20%) Nitric Acid (10%) Nitric Acid (40%) Nitric Acid (Conc.) Oil Paints (pure) Olive Oil Oxygen Ozone Phenol Solution (5%) Phosphoric Acid (10%) Plaster of Paris Soap Solution (Ivory) Sodium Carbonate (2%) Sodium Carbonate (20%) Sodium Chloride (10%) Sodium Hydroxide (1%) Sodium Hydroxide (10%) Sodium Hydroxide (60%) Stearic Acid Sulfuric Acid (3%) Sulfuric Acid (30%) Sulfuric Acid (Conc.) Thinners (general) Toluene Trichloroethylene Turpentine Urine Water (Distilled) Xylene Reynolds Polymer Technology, Inc.• 607 Hollingsworth Street • Grand Junction, CO 81505 • 800.433.9293 • 970.241.4700 RPT Asia, Limited • 109/15 Moo 4 Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate • Soi ESIE 6B • Pluakdaeng Rayong 21140 Thailand reynoldspolymer.com © 2014. R-Cast and “Way Beyond Ordinary” are registered trademarks of Reynolds Polymer Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. RPT-14-001 9 Code R N R N R LR R N LR R LR N N N R R R N R R LR N R R R R N R R R R R R R R R R R R N N N N LR R R N Way Beyond Ordinar y ® technical manual R-Cast technical manual ® Acrylic vs Glass There are two choices to consider when evaluating glazing needs: glass or acrylic. Both are popular materials well entrenched within the aquarium and exhibit industries. While glass was once the primary material and has been in use the longest, advances in acrylic technology delivered a more versatile product that many professionals now prefer. Acrylic is recommended for large installations that demand expansive windows, custom shapes, or the seamless joining of several panels together. For many smaller, simpler exhibits, glass is preferred for its economical price. At RPT, we provide design and engineering for both acrylic and glass and manufacture our own proprietary R-Cast® acrylic featured in aquariums, zoos, pools, and architectural installations worldwide. Glass When public aquariums first gained a foothold in the 1850s, exhibits used glass to showcase their aquatic animals. For the first time ever, visitors to the increasingly popular public aquariums had a chance to see marine life all in one location in ways never before imagined. As time went on, glass technologies evolved to make the exhibits bigger and safer. Today, when designing exhibits that feature glass, the windows are required to be constructed of fully tempered, laminated panes. Fully tempered glass is stronger than annealed glass and has greater impact resistance. If tempered glass should break, it fractures into tiny pieces, much like safety glass on car windows. Any glass other than fully tempered will break into large, dangerous shards upon impact. Laminated layers of tempered glass are required so that in the event of a broken or compromised layer, there are back-up, or redundant, layers to keep the exhibit enclosed for a short time until it can be replaced. If the exhibit is a water retaining exhibit, the window is designed in such a way that should one layer fail, the remaining layers will carry the hydrostatic load until the exhibit can be safely drained and the window replaced. If the glass is not laminated, any failure would be nearly instantaneous and considered catastrophic, similar to a water balloon hitting pavement. Any non-laminated glass windows should never be used for water retaining exhibits. Early aquariums, such as this one from 1905, featured smaller, glass aquatic displays with simple flat panels. Today, glass remains suitable for smaller exhibits that don’t require forming or invisible seams. - Belle Isle Aquarium in Detroit, Mich. courtesy of Detroit Publishing Company. While glass has greater scratch resistance than acrylic, it is not scratch proof. In instances where acrylic will get heavily scratched, glass will likely scratch, too. The difference between the two, even though it takes more force to scratch glass, is that when glass scratches it is difficult – if not impossible – to repair the scratches. The only solution at that point is to fully replace the glass. This can become cost prohibitive with exhibits that people regularly touch or interact with. Likewise, when there is a crack or other flaw appearing in the glass, it cannot be repaired. The only solution when that happens is full replacement of the panel before a catastrophic event occurs. Reynolds Polymer Technology, Inc.• 607 Hollingsworth Street • Grand Junction, CO 81505 • 800.433.9293 • 970.241.4700 RPT Asia, Limited • 109/15 Moo 4 Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate • Soi ESIE 6B • Pluakdaeng Rayong 21140 Thailand reynoldspolymer.com © 2014. R-Cast and “Way Beyond Ordinary” are registered trademarks of Reynolds Polymer Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. RPT-14-001 10 Way Beyond Ordinar y ® technical manual R-Cast technical manual ® As far as optical qualities go, glass provides an increasing amount of distortion as the thickness increases. In general, the thicker the glass, the more discoloration that appears and contributes to the visible distortion. Acrylic Acrylic provides greater versatility in what windows can look like and how visitors interact with the exhibit. This first-ever, double-radiused, monolithic window would have been impossible if designed with glass. - California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, Cali., photo by EPKvision.com Since the 1970s, acrylic aquariums proved to be a lighter, more versatile alternative to glass. As time and technology progressed, acrylic became the material of choice for those looking for their aquarium designs to stand out from the rest. Unlike glass that must laminate thinner sheets together, R-Cast® acrylic can be cast to the required thickness for the project in a single pour. This results in a material that has greater optical clarity and adaptability. Because acrylic is 17 times stronger than glass – and four times stronger than concrete – and weighs half as much as glass, acrylic has significantly more versatility in how and where it can be used. Acrylic can be formed into nearly any shape and the configurations are nearly endless when used with our proprietary, invisible seam bonding process to glue panels together. Whether it’s a tunnel along the floor of an aquarium exhibit, an underwater room in the middle of a dolphin tank, or a huge view panel to view whale sharks, acrylic offers the capability to go beyond the ordinary. Acrylic, being a plastic, is much more forgiving than glass. Glass is unpredictable in there is always a breakage possibility due to flaws in the material. When designing with glass, engineers can only lower the breakage possibility, they can never eliminate it. Acrylic, however, is predictable in its performance. Since it’s known exactly when acrylic will break, it’s easier to engineer and design the material well beyond that breakage point, called a safety factor. Barring catastrophic outside factors, being able to design and test material built to a safety factor over 10 eliminates the risk of failure. Should a flaw appear, acrylic won’t shatter, unlike glass. When acrylic is damaged, it can hold – even if it’s a water retaining application – until it is fixed, which is perhaps the most important safety point. Whether it’s a scratch or something more serious, the panel can usually be restored to like-new condition without affecting its performance. So, when deciding what material to use in your exhibit, consider the finished size, the location of the installation, and if it will be a unique shape or monolithic panel with visible or seamless joints. Whether you decide on glass or our R-Cast® custom cast acrylic, RPT can provide the design and engineering expertise you need. Reynolds Polymer Technology, Inc.• 607 Hollingsworth Street • Grand Junction, CO 81505 • 800.433.9293 • 970.241.4700 RPT Asia, Limited • 109/15 Moo 4 Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate • Soi ESIE 6B • Pluakdaeng Rayong 21140 Thailand reynoldspolymer.com © 2014. R-Cast and “Way Beyond Ordinary” are registered trademarks of Reynolds Polymer Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. RPT-14-001 11 Way Beyond Ordinar y ® technical manual R-Cast technical manual ® R-Cast® Acrylic vs Glass R-CAST ACRYLIC TEMPERED LAMINATED GLASS FABRICATION Very Easy Not possible once tempered SCRATCH RESISTANCE Softer than glass Very Resistant REPAIRABILITY Easily repairable Difficult CLARITY Very Clear Extremely Clear COLOR Nearly color free at any thickness Standard glass has green tint that's very prominent with thick panels. Low iron glass has very little color, but still significantly more color than acrylic. FORMABILITY Easy Difficult, especially with laminate SIZE AVAILABILITY Unlimited with bonding Limited SHAPE AVAILABILITY Any shape with custom order Flat panels recommended BRITTLENESS Slightly Brittle Very Brittle WEIGHT 1/2 that of glass Twice that of acrylic CATASTROPHIC FAILURE Very Slight Slight SPONTANEOUS FAILURE Impossible Possible EASE OF INSTALLATION SAFETY BURNING CHARACTERISTICS Class III per IBC Class I per IBC SMOKE GENERATION High None IMPACT RESISTANCE Great Good SAFETY FACTOR IN DESIGN 11.2 Reynolds Polymer Technology, Inc.• 607 Hollingsworth Street • Grand Junction, CO 81505 • 800.433.9293 • 970.241.4700 RPT Asia, Limited • 109/15 Moo 4 Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate • Soi ESIE 6B • Pluakdaeng Rayong 21140 Thailand reynoldspolymer.com © 2014. R-Cast and “Way Beyond Ordinary” are registered trademarks of Reynolds Polymer Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. RPT-14-001 12 2.0 Way Beyond Ordinar y ® technical manual R-Cast technical manual ® Finite Element Analysis RPT's Engineering department uses a state of the art finite element analysis software package for stress analysis. Essentially, the finite element method is a computer-aided mathematical technique for obtaining numerical solutions to physical systems which are subjected to external loads. Using the finite element method, the RPT engineering staff models the required panel, tank or other desired shape with the proper geometry, constraints, and loading conditions. The results are analyzed and the glazing thickness optimized based on the project design criteria. A finite element analysis calculation packet is provided upon request. The packet typically includes the following items: • • • • • Physical properties specifications; One copy of the glazing design criteria; One copy of the finite element analysis element description section; Glazing shop drawings and installation details, if required; Graphical representation of the finite element analysis model loading conditions and stress plots; • Numerical listing of model loading conditions and results. Reynolds Polymer Technology, Inc.• 607 Hollingsworth Street • Grand Junction, CO 81505 • 800.433.9293 • 970.241.4700 RPT Asia, Limited • 109/15 Moo 4 Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate • Soi ESIE 6B • Pluakdaeng Rayong 21140 Thailand reynoldspolymer.com © 2014. R-Cast and “Way Beyond Ordinary” are registered trademarks of Reynolds Polymer Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. RPT-14-001 13 Way Beyond Ordinar y ®