What this is
A routed acrylic edge comes off the cut frosted and slightly cloudy. For most fabrication work that's fine — it's either hidden, painted over, or the part is utilitarian. But for visible edges on retail signage, awards, display fixtures and presentation work, the standard finish is flame polishing: a controlled flame passes over the cut edge, melting the surface microscopically smooth, leaving a glass-clear finished face.
Done right, flame-polished acrylic looks as if the edge was moulded that way — clear, smooth, no machine marks. Done wrong, it bubbles, burns or shows uneven gloss. We do this regularly enough that the technique is consistent across thicknesses and grades; cast acrylic gives the best results, extruded works but needs more care, and some coloured acrylics shift hue slightly at the flame surface.
Flame polishing pairs naturally with CNC routing on acrylic — the route gives a clean machined cut, the flame finishes it. For laser-cut acrylic the edge comes off polished already (a feature of the CO2 cutting process), so flame polish is rarely needed on laser work. The exception is thicker laser cuts that picked up a slight dimple at the edge, which flame-polish can correct.
For your enquiry, just tell us "flame polish all visible edges" or specify which edges of the part need the finish. We work it in to the quote per linear metre of finished edge.