When designing outdoor installation art, material selection affects not only the visual impact but also the artwork’s weather resistance, structural safety, and light-and-shadow effects. Below is a summary of commonly used materials for outdoor installations to help designers and engineering teams quickly understand the characteristics and suitable applications of each type:   Q1：What Are the Common Materials Used in Outdoor Installation Art ? Common Materials and Their Comparison Are Listed Below：   Advantages Disadvantages Suitable Applications Glass High transparency  Excellent texture Heavy, Fragile Difficult to process Suitable for architectural integration, delivering a high-quality appearance Metal High strength, durable, and carvable Easily rusts, low light guiding ability, and heavy Structural support and industrial-style design Plastic (PC/PE...) Lightweight and low cost Easily deforms and has lower weather durability Suitable for temporary installations and budget-conscious projects Acrylic (PMMA) Strong light transmission High weather resistance Excellent moldability May expand or deform when exposed to high temperatures Suitable for light-emitting installations and modern art, with applications in nighttime effects   Q2：What is weather resistance, and why is it important for outdoor art? Weather resistance refers to a material’s ability to withstand outdoor environmental factors such as sunlight, ultraviolet rays, wind, rain, and temperature fluctuations. For artworks installed outdoors long-term, the following issues cannot be overlooked:             ◆Will prolonged exposure to sunlight cause yellowing or brittleness?             ◆Will rainwater infiltration lead to material degradation?             ◆Is the material prone to cracking or breaking under strong winds?             ◆Will temperature fluctuations cause structural deformation? Art installations are not only about structure but also about aesthetic presentation. If environmental factors cause material deformation, fading, or damage, it not only affects the viewing experience but may also compromise safety and brand image. Therefore, acrylic, due to its stable material properties, can effectively resist the aforementioned issues and maintain transparency and structural stability over time, ensuring that outdoor artworks:             ◆ Maintain color and texture over a long period             ◆ Have a stable structure that is resistant to damage             ◆ Reduce subsequent maintenance and replacement costs   Q3: Why is acrylic suitable for outdoor installation art ? Acrylic has the following advantages: Excellent weather resistance: High-quality acrylic can effectively resist ultraviolet rays from sunlight, preventing yellowing, brittleness, or cracking. It is suitable for long-term exposure to outdoor environments, withstanding sun, wind, and rain for over 10 years. Outstanding light guide and transmission properties: Acrylic possesses excellent optical transparency (light transmittance up to 92%), making it especially suitable for use with LED light sources. It delivers clear, soft, and uniform lighting effects. Its nighttime performance is exceptional, making it ideal for luminous artworks, interactive lighting installations, and light sculptures. High plasticity and easy processing: Acrylic can be cut, engraved, bent, and thermoformed according to design requirements. Whether for geometric shapes, curved structures, or three-dimensional letters, it can be easily realized, meeting the demands for personalization and creativity in art. High safety and lightweight: Compared to glass, acrylic weighs about half as much and is less prone to shattering. Even if broken, it does not produce sharp fragments, making it safer and easier to install and transport—especially suitable for public spaces and outdoor locations. Compatible with various surface treatment techniques: Acrylic surfaces can undergo sandblasting, UV printing, laser engraving, dyeing, and film lamination, providing artworks with more layers, textures, and interactivity, greatly expanding artistic possibilities. Q4: How to use acrylic with light sources for glowing art? For installations that shine at night, besides the structural design aesthetics, the key lies in the combination of lighting and materials. Acrylic, with its excellent light guiding and diffusion properties, is an ideal material for making luminous installations. Here are several common and effective pairing methods: 🔷 Using Acrylic Light Guide Rods or Acrylic Tubes These products are made with special formulations and polishing treatments, enabling them to work with LED light sources that emit light either along the rod or tube body, or from the end face. They are suitable for linear or point light source designs such as lettering, lines, and geometric structures. Depending on the LED arrangement and the angle at which light enters, they can produce uniform lighting or dynamic point-flow effects. Additionally, the light sources can be concealed within bases or behind the structure to maintain a clean and seamless appearance. 🔷Embedding LED Strips or Modules Inside Acrylic Structures Embedding LED light sources inside acrylic boxes, bases, or tubes is currently the most widely used method. Both transparent and milky acrylic tubes can be utilized, with milky tubes softening the light for a gentler effect. This approach can be combined with UV printing or laser engraving to allow light to follow patterns, creating embossed or decorative light visuals. Additionally, RGB LED modules can be incorporated to produce color-changing, breathing, and other dynamic lighting effects. 🔷Using Diffuser Panels or Light Guide Plates For designs that require surface lighting or uniform illumination across a large area, diffuser panels or laser-engraved dot light guide plates are recommended. Light guide plates help control the direction of light to ensure even illumination, while diffuser panels soften the backlight to create a smooth, glare-free effect. This setup is ideal for flat designs, wall installations, or large glossy structures.   🔷Light Source Selection Suggestions Choosing the right LED light source is crucial for achieving the desired visual effect and ensuring long-lasting performance. It is recommended to use high-brightness, low-power LED strips or modules. For outdoor applications, waterproof LEDs with an IP65 rating or higher should be selected. Additionally, integrating lighting control systems can enable interactive features such as sound activation, light sensing, and timed color changes. Real-World Application  1. A luminous sculpture in a commercial plaza, using transparent acrylic tubes combined with RGB LED strips to create a colorful nighttime focal point. 2. An interactive light and shadow installation along a park walkway, combining acrylic tubes with dynamic sensor lights and colorful floral patterns, creating a blend of technological sophistication and human warmth. 3. In a commercial reception hall, the background wall features sandblasted acrylic tubes paired with embedded LED light sources, creating a soft and uniform glow. The brand logos on the wall are clearly displayed through UV printing on acrylic panels, showcasing the group’s subsidiaries with excellent recognition and high-quality texture.   Conclusion: SMEAcrylic offers Acrylic Rods, Tubes, light guide plates, and diffuser panels in various specifications, along with processing services such as cutting, drilling, and polishing. We assist customers in creating structurally stable, visually striking, and evenly illuminated installation artworks. Whether for small exhibition pieces or large-scale public art projects, feel free to contact us for consultation! Email: [email protected]

 Q: Is acrylic environmentally friendly? A: Acrylic also known as plexiglass or polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), is a man-made clear plastic material that is itself a recyclable material, so it does relatively well when it comes to recycling and recycling. In addition, acrylic products have a longer lifespan and can be used for a long time, reducing waste and resource consumption. If you want to choose acrylic products as environmentally friendly materials, it is recommended to choose Xingming high-quality 100% new material products, use them for a longer time, and properly recycle and dispose of them when they are no longer needed.  Q: Is acrylic toxic? Application scope?   A: Acrylic itself is non-toxic, and it is naturally odorless and non-toxic to the human body. It can be used in medical supplies, contact lenses, food packaging utensils, etc. It is transparent, light, weather-resistant, impact-resistant, recyclable, Compared with other plastic materials, it is easier to form and other advantages. The application of acrylic is widely used in various industries, and it is closely related to our lives.    ◆ Stationery gifts: office stationery, business cards, pen holders, medals, gifts, photo frames   ◆ Advertising: light boxes, signboards, signs, neon lights, display stands, signs   ◆ Home appliances: electrical accessories, audio panels, display panels   ◆ People's livelihood products: kitchen, bathroom equipment, storage box, dressing table, shelf   ◆ 3C supplies: mouse, goggles, casing, acrylic electronic products, LCD/TV, mobile phone panel   ◆ Optics: lenses, sunglasses, reflectors, magnifying (convex) mirrors, projection boards   ◆ Leisure and entertainment: basketball boards, household swimming pools, gaming equipment, game console panels, pet toys   ◆ Furniture: tables and chairs, lockers, lecture tables, furniture accessories   ◆ Aquarium: aquariums, petri dishes, feed tubes, fish and shrimp shelters,   ◆ Construction: tree windows, soundproof doors and windows, lighting covers, skylights, greenhouses, telephone booths, screens   ◆ Lighting: street lamps, art lamps and general lampshades   ◆ Transportation: vehicle doors and windows, road sound insulation walls, windshields, rain windows, lights   ◆Industrial use: protective masks for machine instruments, flow meters, optical fibers   ◆ Security: doors and windows of banks, prisons, jewelry stores   ◆ Agricultural medical treatment: greenhouse, plant storage box, baby incubator, medical equipment ◆ Military use: aircraft canopy, yacht windows and tank windows

Q: Acrylic Cast Tube At present, SMEACRYLIC extruded acrylic tube, which can produce a maximum outer diameter of 250mm, but if you need a larger size, you can consider Cast Tube, the outer diameter can reach 600mm, Thickness 10mm, The length is 1.0~1.2M. The manufacturing process is based on liquid MMA raw material, poured into the tube mold, and formed by the centrifugal principle. The dimensional tolerance is large, the process is long, and one piece can be produced. It is suitable for small-scale production. Better, because the molecular weight is high, it can withstand temperature of about 90 degrees, but there will be fine cloth wheel throw marks on the surface. Q: Comparison table of Extruded Tube and Cast Tubes   Acrylic Cast Tube Acrylic Extruded Tube Manufacturing Operation Using liquid MMA raw material, pour it into the tube mold, It is formed by centrifugal principle and has large dimensional tolerance. The production process is long, and one can also be produced, which is suitable for small-scale production. There will be slight cloth wheel throw marks on the surface. Extruded from granular PMMA, with small dimensional tolerance, Fast production speed, suitable for mass production, It is normal to have small mold marks on the surface. Tolerance Large  Small Molecular Weight High (one million) Low (a hundred thousand) Physical properties Good (The molecular weight is high, and the temperature resistance is about 90 degrees) Not Good (the temperature resistance is about 80°) laser cutting OK OK Polishing (cloth wheel) Good (Higher temperature resistance) Not very Good Drilled (thick) Good (Good physical properties, high molecular weight) Need to drill slowly to avoid overheating (more likely to melt) Production restrictions 1 pcs can also be produced Production base quantity required  

Q: SMEACRYLIC packaging       Different from the packaging methods of other factories, 99% of the acrylic products produced by SMEACRYIC are packed in cartons. The advantages of this packaging are: ◆ Convenient warehouse management and control, transparent specifications and quantities. ◆ Properly protect the product to avoid bumps and injuries. ◆ Square arrangement storage, maximize the warehouse. 1. The acrylic sticks are 3-5mm in diameter and are directly bundled in a bundle of 50 pieces. When customers sell, they can save the time for inventory, and increase the strength of the sticks, which is not easy to break.   2. For acrylic rods with a diameter of more than 6mm and acrylic tubes of 8~28mm, each piece is put into a PE bag, which can reduce the risk of friction and scratches on the acrylic rod and strengthen the protection of each acrylic rod/tube. 3. The round tube over 3.30mm is packed with shrink film, and the large tube is then inserted into a round fixed piece to avoid deformation by external force. In addition to slowing down the water absorption of acrylic, it can also reduce the scraping of acrylic fragments during processing and cutting. The risk of injury is not affected by the visual gap between the PE bag and the tube. Always pallet packaging by CFS In order to ensure that the bulk cargo can be safely delivered to the customer, when the bulk cargo is shipped, it must be packaged on pallets to avoid product damage caused by bulk cargo handling. Secured with iron straps. Remarks: Air freight may not necessarily be shipped on pallets due to consideration of customer shipping costs. FCL shipment by sea For customers who leave the whole container, after completing the loading, be sure to pull the rope to protect the goods, and record the photos of the empty container, seal, before and after sealing, so as to ensure the rights and interests of customers.  

Q: Should you choose PMMA acrylic, or PC? A: Both have their own advantages and disadvantages, mainly need to consider the usage and environment, the following is a comparison table between acrylic and PC for your reference:    ITEM PMMA (Acrylic) PC (Polycarbonate) Proportion 1.19 1.2 Impact resistance Fragile 30 times stronger than acrylic Transmittance 92% 88% Processing temperature Under 80°C Under 120°C Water absorption 0.3~0.4% 0.1~0.2% Under prolonged UV light exposure Not easy to yellow easy to yellow, Need to add UV absorber layer Flame retardant degree Low (UL 94 level HB) High (UL 94 level V0) Selling cost Ordinary More Expensive   Q: What are the advantages of acrylic PMMA? Transmittance(ASTM D1003) Rockwell hardness (ASTM D785) Heat distortion temperature (ASTM D648)    Bending strength (ASTM D790) Weatherability - the extent to which the color changes with exposure time  The extent to which the flexural strength of PMMA varies with exposure time

Q: What is Acrylic (PMMA)?        Acrylic is called "polymethyl methacrylate" Poly (methyl methacrylate), referred to as PMMA, also known as plexiglass, has the reputation of "plastic crystal", and is often used as a substitute for glass. 92% light transmittance, good weather resistance, easy machining, can be adhered with chloroform, and suitable for all kinds of painting and printing (suitable for acrylic materials).           The basic chemical structure of acrylic resin is acrylic acid (Acrylic acid), which is a by-product of petroleum extraction. The scientific name of acrylic resin is Poly Methyl Methacrylate. In 1920, Rohm And Hass Company developed a synthetic resin.   The chemical substance whose chemical molecular structure is CH2=CH(CH3)COOCH3 can be regarded as an ester compound obtained by the reaction of methanol and methacrylic acid, commonly known as acrylic monomer (MMA).          A monomer refers to a "chemical substance" with a "low and fixed molecular weight" that can be polymerized into a polymer of high molecular weight, or the basic unit that constitutes a polymer. For example, methyl methacrylate (MMA), which has a molecular weight of 100.1, can be obtained as a high molecular weight homopolymer or copolymer by various polymerization techniques. Polymer refers to high molecular weight substances, such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), usually the molecular weight obtained by the casting method is greater than 1 million (Plastic pellets for extrusion and injection) Acrylic refers to a type of plastic material that is derived from acrylic acid. It is commonly used in various applications due to its versatility and desirable properties. Acrylics can be found in both liquid and solid forms, and they are widely used in industries such as manufacturing, construction, automotive, textiles, and art.   Additionally, acrylic sheets or panels are commonly used in applications where transparency, impact resistance, and weatherability are required. These sheets can be used as a substitute for glass in certain applications like windows, signage, displays, and protective barriers. Acrylic sheets come in various thicknesses and can be easily shaped and fabricated for specific purposes. Here are some important properties about Acrylic : Transparency: Acrylic is very transparent, similar to glass. This makes it ideal for creating transparent or translucent products such as display windows, display boards, signage, etc.   Weather Resistance: Acrylic has good weather resistance to sunlight and climate changes in the atmosphere. It is not prone to yellowing, fading or becoming brittle due to prolonged exposure to sunlight.   Lightweight: Compared to glass, acrylic is lighter. This makes it more suitable in applications requiring lightweight construction, while also aiding transportation and installation.   Ease of Processing: Acrylic is fairly easy to cut, shape, and process. This material can be produced in various forms, including sheets, tubes, profiles, etc., and can meet the needs of different shapes and sizes.   Chemical resistance: Acrylic is highly resistant to many chemicals and is not easily corroded by acids and alkalis. Therefore, it is widely used in laboratories, medical equipment, and chemical industries.   Thermoformability: Acrylic can be thermoformed under certain heating conditions, so manufacturers can make products of various shapes according to needs.   Colorful: Acrylic can be dyed into various colors and has high gloss, which makes it widely used in art, decoration and other fields.   Impact resistance: Acrylic is more tough than glass and has better resistance to impact, reducing the risk of breakage. Overall, acrylic is a versatile material with diverse applications, ranging from art to industrial and commercial uses. Further Reading：PMMA V.S. GLASS