Our Thinking
FAQs
Here Comes the Sun: Can Your Playground Domes Handle It?
It’s fair to say that manufacturers of playground equipment are generally looking for durability and long-lasting functionality, to keep kids safe and parents happy. One of the important decisions to be made surrounds the ordering of those clear plastic domes that...
Two Types of Thermoforming: Free Blowing vs. Molding
There are two predominant methods of thermoforming that can be used to create shapes out of plastic substrate: free blowing and molding. The overwhelming majority of Replex mirrors are created by free blowing. Free Blowing: Vacuum Pressure vs. Air Pressure During the...
FAQ’s: Acrylic
Concern with Breakage of Acrylic vs Glass vs Polycarbonate: The impact strength of Acrylic is 0.4 ft lbs/inch. The impact strength of tempered glass is very dependent on the geometry of the object impacting the glass as well as the edge condition of the glass, so...
What Are The Right Specs For Your Transportation Mirror? It Depends On The Application
On moving vehicles, it is life-and-death important to have the right kind of mirror made from the right materials with the right curvature. Understanding the effects of size and curvature is crucial to getting the right mirror for the right application. A Mirror’s...
Have You Thought Through the Safety Considerations for Your Industry?
No matter what product is being sold or what service provided, one common thread runs consistently through virtually every industry: safety. For many industries, the application of optical plastics is not something that automatically triggers an association with...
Dome vs. Convex Mirrors: What’s the Difference?
Not all mirrors are created equal. Domes and convex mirrors, for example, have different shapes, different properties and are used for different purposes. Domes can be either metalized — making them reflective — or clear. Metalized domes offer a wider field of view,...
Hydrophobic, Hydrophilic: How Coatings Affect The Behavior of Water On Acrylic
Two types of coatings can be applied to acrylic to change the way water behaves when it comes in contact with the plastic: hydrophobic and hydrophilic. Without a coating, acrylic is neither hydrophobic nor hydrophilic. Replex doesn’t apply such coatings in-house, but...
FAQ: Are we able to vacuum metallize on metal surfaces?
In general we do not vacuum metallize onto metal surfaces. There are several reasons, the main issues being: 1) Any oils or other contamination on the metal substrate will spoil the evaporated metal by chemically reacting with the metal, usually turning the metal...
Why I’m Not Sure “Why” Is The Best Place To Start
Simon Sinek’s Start with Why is a book whose central premise is that intense focus on your individual purpose, cause, or goal — your “why” — can actualize hopes or ideas in real life. If you’re looking for an inspirational book, “Start with Why” is as good as any...
Does Your Reflection Look Yellow? How to Tell if it’s Time for a New Mirror
The sole function of a mirror is to produce accurate, clear, crisp reflections. Shape, manufacturing processes, and the choice of raw materials all influence the original quality of the mirror, as well as its ability to hold up over time. Are your mirrors bubbling,...
NEWS
Replex Plastics: Quality Above All Else
Replex once had the capabilities to color our parts in any color imaginable on our line of CCTV domes. That product line, however, was soon overwhelmed by competition that flooded the market with products composed of cheap parts made in China. Replex had a decision:...
From Casinos To Telephone Poles: The Versatility of Camera Domes
Whether it’s to keep the watchful eyes of casino cameras hidden from the public or to protect sensitive equipment from dust and smoke, the quality of camera domes goes directly to the effectiveness of the camera itself. Camera domes can be rugged enough to spend their...
The Science of Light: Using Math to Get the Most Out of Optics
The genesis of today’s solar mirrors can be traced back to the 1970s and the work of Roland Winston — a scientist and professor who is widely considered to be the father of non-imaging optics. Winston’s mathematical calculations served as the basis for a type of...
From Clear to Shiny: The Incredible Science of Vacuum Metallization
Coating a sheet of plastic with a thin, even layer of metal is no easy task—but without this step, a mirror is not a mirror. Laboratory science and precision manufacturing must converge to send acrylic or polycarbonate and aluminum on a remarkable journey that ends in...
Polycarbonate: The Hammer-Proof, Hurricane-Proof Super Plastic
If they were all the same thickness, a small rock could break a sheet of glass, a hammer could break acrylic, and — unless it was swung by Thor — the hammer would bounce off a sheet of polycarbonate. In Coastal Florida, hurricanes with winds up to 150 mph are a part...
Ongoing Efficiency Improvements in 2019
In the past year we participated in the Ohio Development Services Agency, State Energy Efficiency Program for Manufacturers (EEPM). The program started with an energy audit to assess our current energy usage, identify areas for potential energy savings and a...
A Plastic Holiday Ornament And The Reflective Tree It Hangs On — Holiday Season Is Mirror Season
Most businesses look forward to the holidays, and Replex is no exception — but not because of Black Friday or for the chance to boost fourth-quarter earnings before the end of the year. The holidays give us a chance to dial up our creative side and do some projects...
ISO 9001:2015 Update & Recertification
The most recent update to the ISO 9001 Quality Management System was to the 2015 version which companies had to be re-certified to by September of 2017. Replex was no exception, and our 4th quarter 2016 was focused on updating and revising our QMS to comply with this...
Alicia, Jeremy, Tammy, Kim, Dakota, & Mark – Meet the Replex Client-Facing Family
When we refer to ourselves as the Replex family, we’re not just using clichéd wordplay. The Replex team consists mostly of long-term, dedicated employees. Not only do we spend countless hours together as co-workers, but we’ve developed an intimate bond that was forged...
ISO 9001:2008 Certification — The Stamp Of Approval On Replex’s Quality Management System
Any manufacturer can boast about the level of their quality management system — and many do. But when a company has ISO 9001 certification, they don’t need to boast. This certification means that an accredited third party has audited their entire operation and...
TIPS
Don’t Hire a Supplier Without Asking These 3 Crucial Questions
So much of mirror manufacturing comes down to the quality of the materials and the reliability of the process. Before committing to a supplier, make sure you make the right inquiries to ensure you’re getting the best in both categories. Ask the following questions...
Start With The Best: The Five Steps To Securing Quality Plastic Materials
The business of manufacturing high-quality plastic mirrors is as much about relationships as it is about materials or processes. Starting with the very best raw materials is, of course, crucial to achieving a great end product, but the journey of securing those...
Why Free Blowing Excels in Forming Precision Mirrors
Most Replex mirrors are made with a thermoforming process called free blowing. Free blowing uses heat and differential air pressure to manipulate plastic into specific shapes that will eventually become mirrors. Preparation Before work begins, an intellectual...
Do’s and Dont’s of Cleaning a Mirror
Replex ships you a pristine mirror with film masking to protect it from scratches during shipping and installation. Knowing how to keep your mirror looking fabulous is equally critical. CLOTHS: DO – use a microfiber cloth. There are many suppliers of these cloths and...
The Five Steps of Mirror Manufacturing: Form, Metallize, Protect, Trim and Ship
The mirror manufacturing process starts with the delivery of clear, flat plastic sheets. The choice of supplier is very important, because only a handful of them are capable of producing mirror-grade substrate. Good mirrors can’t be made from standard-quality...
Keeping Quality High and Mirror Cost Low: A Checklist
The challenge of offering value to a customer is to reduce cost without compromising the quality or the integrity of a product. But with internationally shipped products like transportation mirrors, the stakes are raised. The competition is the entire world, and...
Laser Cutting or CNC Cutting Your Mirror – That is the Question!
Do you have a preference for laser or CNC cut mirrors? Both processes are good processes and both processes have their advantages and disadvantages. You will be much happier if you select the right process for your application, and can avoid problems if you follow a...
Temperature, Moisture & Plastics
The plastic used in mirrors (typically acrylic or polycarbonate) is a thermal insulator. This means that when there is a change in temperature, one side of a piece of plastic may be warmer than the other, and it takes some time for the heat to soak through and...
Effective Problem Solving Is Crucial For Defect-Free Plastics Manufacturing
Defects are part of plastics manufacturing. When a defect causes a halt in production, the manufacturer has to dig deep to find the source of the problem, following a method, asking the right questions and using whatever intellectual tools he or she has to attack the...
Tooling, Quantity And Prototypes: A Lot Goes Into A Plastics Pricing Quote
Walking the fine line between remaining profitable and remaining competitive is a difficult balancing act for most suppliers. Manufacturers who purchase key components from their suppliers are, of course, concerned with price. Knowing how a supplier determines price...
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