Canal Plastics Center provides professional heat bending services to form acrylic sheets into clean, precise angles and shapes. Heat bending is ideal for creating brackets, stands, covers, and enclosures where flat acrylic needs to be shaped without seams or joints.
Canal Plastics Center provides precise, professional heat bending for acrylic parts that require clean angles and consistent shaping. Our bending services focus on accuracy and visual quality, producing smooth, uniform bends suitable for display, signage, enclosures, and fabricated components.
All heat bending is performed in-house at our NYC shop, allowing us to control bend placement, angles, and repeatability. Heat bending integrates seamlessly with our custom cutting, laser cutting, CNC routing, and edge finishing services, making it easy to produce complete, formed acrylic parts. Designers and fabricators rely on our team for dependable results, supported by more than 60 years of acrylic fabrication experience.
We provide heat bending services for a range of acrylic parts and applications, including:
Our team can advise on bend placement, radius, and material thickness to achieve the best result.
Many display and presentation elements rely on heat-formed acrylic for both structure and visual appeal. Retail shelves, risers, and product stands use bent acrylic for clean lines and structural strength. Museums often use bent acrylic to create mounts, supports, and unobtrusive display pieces. Designers and studios use bent acrylic for prototypes, signage, fixtures, architectural models, and sculptural components. Photography studios rely on formed acrylic for seamless product risers and set elements.
Heat bending is often combined with custom cutting, laser cutting, CNC routing, and edge finishing to produce complete, formed acrylic parts. Bending can be quoted as part of a larger fabrication project or requested as a standalone service.
To begin, send us your project details including material thickness, bend locations, quantities, dimensions, and any accompanying fabrication steps. You can submit through our custom order form or email us directly. Our team reviews your design, confirms feasibility, and provides a quote with an estimated turnaround time.
During production, each piece is heated along a controlled bending line, then shaped using fixtures or guides to ensure a clean angle. The acrylic is cooled gradually to maintain clarity and stability. If your design requires additional operations such as trimming, polishing, or bonding, we incorporate these steps before or after bending as needed.
For best results, provide your file at true scale with clearly marked bend locations and measurements. Vector files such as AI, PDF, EPS, SVG, or DXF work best for cut-and-bend projects. If your design requires CNC-routed edges or specific tolerances before bending, we will advise on any adjustments needed for optimal results. If you’re unsure how to mark bends or set up your file, send what you have. Our team can help refine or prepare your layout.
Heat bending can be combined with laser cutting, CNC routing, drilling, countersinking, polishing, and acrylic bonding to create fully finished pieces. Many customer projects involve a combination of forming and assembly, and we coordinate all steps to ensure clean alignment and presentation-ready results.
We’ll review your project and confirm details before forming.
How fast can you complete a heat bending project?
Most single-bend or small-quantity projects can be completed within a few business days. Larger or complex jobs may require additional time.
What thicknesses can be bent?
Most acrylic thicknesses from thin gauge up to thicker display-grade materials can be heat-formed. We’ll confirm feasibility based on your design.
Will bending affect the clarity of the acrylic?
When done correctly, heat bending maintains excellent clarity. Minimal softening or internal stress is normal, but most pieces retain a clean, polished appearance.
Can you bend specialty or mirrored acrylic?
Some specialty materials bend well, while others have limitations. Send us the material type and thickness and we’ll confirm suitability.
Do you ship heat-formed acrylic pieces?
Yes, though certain shapes may require special packing or local pickup.
Custom cut acrylic in NYC
Laser cutting services in NYC
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Acrylic display case fabrication
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Clear acrylic sheets
