Case studies
Glazing in a chemical appliance

A global name in the biotech sector asked us for a suitable material for the panels on the chemical laboratory appliances it had in development. The front and sides needed to be transparent, had to carry a print and needed to offer excellent chemical, abrasion and impact resistance, all while remaining light and continuing to offer outstanding optical quality. The customer’s earlier tests with glass and foiled plastic didn’t produce the desired results.

Following an analysis of the product and the customer’s requirements, we suggested polycarbonate with a ViewTec™ AGR coating. Together with the customer, we then tested this against 36 different chemical substances, including acids, all with successful results. We subsequently produce a set of prototypes in printed polycarbonate, coated and machined to the customer’s specifications. 

The panels manufactured by Zweko have since become the standard for these appliances at the customer. We organise several production runs a year to match the customer’s production planning. In doing so, we offer a complete solution: Zweko cuts the polycarbonate panels to size, has them printed, applies a double-sided coating and carries out the machining required to finish them, including installation holes.