Adhesive Backed Materials Ltd
Plastic Films & Sheet Materials
Plastic Films & Sheet Range
We work with plastic films and sheets across three material types — polyester (PET), polycarbonate, and polypropylene. Specific grades and thicknesses are available to order, giving our customers a versatile choice of materials for a wide variety of converted industrial components.
Material Properties and Benefits
Polyester (PET) Films
Available grades of polyester film include Melinex® and Mylar® products, with thicknesses ranging from 12 to 350 microns. At thinner gauges these films are highly transparent, with haze levels well below 1%. At heavier gauges they become translucent.
All polyester film grades offer strong mechanical performance — good tensile strength in both directions, flexibility, and resistance to tearing. They can withstand temperatures from -70°C to 150°C and resist moisture and most chemicals. Because they contain no plasticisers, they do not become brittle with age under normal conditions.
Melinex® ST505 is a heat-stabilised grade with a UL 94 VTM-2 flame rating. It offers superior solvent resistance compared to polycarbonate and excellent dimensional stability, making it well suited to membrane switch components and other precision industrial applications.
Melinex® 401 is treated on one side to give a low-friction surface, which aids handling and assembly. Mylar® Type A has a slightly rougher surface on both sides, which promotes adhesion and processibility across a broad range of industrial uses.
Polycarbonate Films and Sheets
Polycarbonate is available in both transparent sheet and opaque film form.
Lexan® SL2030T is a UV-stabilised, transparent polycarbonate sheet with outstanding impact resistance and 89.5% light transmission. It maintains good stiffness and strength and offers sufficient resistance to mineral oils, greases, and aliphatic hydrocarbons under normal conditions. A thermoformable masking on both surfaces protects the sheet during conversion. Available thicknesses range from 0.75 mm to 3.0 mm.
Lexan® FR700 is an opaque black, flame-retardant polycarbonate film with a UL 94 V-0 flammability rating. It provides excellent electrical insulation, with a dielectric strength of 17,000 volts and volume resistivity of 10^16 ohm-cm. This grade holds UL and CSA agency listings and is well established in electrical and electronic assembly applications where fire resistance and reliable insulation are required.
Polypropylene Sheet
A lightweight material with a specific gravity of approximately 1.0. It is chemically stable, dimensionally consistent, and complies with the RoHS and REACH European directives. Available thicknesses range from 0.24 mm to 1.0 mm.
Typical applications
Converting these materials allows us to produce a wide range of industrial components. Typical products include:
From Polyester Films
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Electrical insulation gaskets, washers, and spacers for electronic and electrical assemblies
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Membrane switch components and tactile overlay layers
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Flexible insulation panels, covers, and liners
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Sealing washers and precision shims for mechanical assemblies
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Transparent protective windows and equipment cover panels
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Anti-static and low-friction liner components for handling applications
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From Polycarbonate Sheet (Lexan® SL2030T)
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Machine guards, safety shields, and transparent protective barriers
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Equipment inspection windows and transparent enclosure panels
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Protective visors and face shields for safety equipment
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Structural cover panels for industrial housings and enclosures
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From Polycarbonate Film (Lexan® FR700)
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Electrical insulation components for power supplies, bus bars, and circuit boards
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Insulation gaskets and washers for electrical and electronic assemblies
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Keyboard and disc drive insulation
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Shielding components for electronic equipment enclosures
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From Polypropylene Sheet
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Lightweight gaskets, washers, and spacers for non-aggressive environments
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Cover panels, blanking plates, and liners for equipment housings
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Identification tags and component markers
Where required, adhesive backing can be applied to any of these materials before or after cutting, allowing finished components to be located and fixed directly during assembly.
How we convert Plastic Films & Sheets
Our approach to processing depends on the form in which the material is supplied.
Film Materials (Polyester and FR700 Polycarbonate) — Supplied in Rolls
Films supplied on rolls can be processed using our full range of converting machinery. Where narrow roll widths or specific core lengths are required, we use our reel-to-reel slitting and lathe slitting (log cutting) equipment to re-wind or re-cut rolls to the dimensions needed.
Our die-cutting presses produce consistent, high-volume components such as gaskets, washers, and insulation parts from roll stock. Our CNC knife table handles more complex shapes and shorter production runs without the need for dedicated tooling. Kiss-cutting — where the film is cut through but the liner beneath is left intact — allows components to remain on a backing sheet for easy peel-and-place assembly.
Where adhesive backing is required, our tape laminating machinery bonds a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer to the film before cutting, producing self-adhesive components ready for direct application.
Sheet Materials (Polycarbonate Sheet and Polypropylene) — Supplied in Sheets
For materials supplied as flat sheets, we use our die-cutting presses and CNC knife table to produce components to the required shape and size. Die-cutting is well suited to high volumes of consistent parts such as gaskets, panels, and guards, while our CNC knife table gives us the flexibility to cut a wide variety of shapes without dedicated tooling — ideal for prototyping and smaller production runs.
Adhesive backing can be applied to sheet materials using our tape laminating machinery, enabling the production of self-adhesive components for fast, accurate assembly.