Making Embedments

Embedments Are Made With Skill and Care

The acrylic embedding process begins by creating a liquid form of Lucite® resin. We mix a crystal-clear liquid monomer with a powdered polymer that looks much like white baking flour.

Mixing ratios can vary from 70/30 to 30/70 depending on the item being cast. Experience plays an important role in selecting the correct ratio and creating the bubble-free clarity needed to showcase the embedded item at its best.

Once mixed, the monomer and polymer take on the appearance of cake batter and can be poured into the mold. Made from metal or cardboard, the molds are typically about 25% larger than the finished product to allow for cutting, grinding, sanding, and final polishing.

The molds are filled partially and the compound is allowed to sit for several hours while it becomes firm. Once the first layer is ready, the item being embedded is carefully placed into the mold and positioned. Additional layers are then added throughout the day until the desired thickness is achieved.

See How We Cast Police Badges in Lucite®

Watch our embedding team work through the casting process and see how a custom item moves from the early production stages toward a finished Lucite® embedment.

Video showing the US Acrylic Awards team casting police badges in Lucite
Follow the embedding process from casting through finishing and final polishing.

From Milky Acrylic to Crystal Clear Lucite®

At this stage, looking into the mold can be misleading. The acrylic may appear milky white and contain many visible bubbles, but the chemical reaction is not yet complete.

The next stage uses pressure, nitrogen, temperature, and a specialized oven called an autoclave. The exact temperature depends on the item being cast, while the pressure is typically set at 140 psi of nitrogen. The embedments remain in the autoclave for approximately eight to ten hours.

Inside the autoclave, polymerization takes place. This is the chemical process in which the monomer and polymer form a crystalline chain of molecules. During that reaction, the acrylic becomes clear, hardens, and shrinks as it generates heat that can reach approximately 300°F.

Why experience matters: The type of item being embedded, material ratios, temperature, pressure, and positioning all affect the finished result. For larger orders, we may require a sample pour before moving into full production.

Cutting, Sanding, and Final Polishing

After the embedment comes out of the autoclave, the shrinkage from the curing process makes it possible to remove the cast piece from its mold.

That is when the finishing work begins. The rough casting is planed, sawed, sanded, and diamond-honed before the surfaces are polished to achieve the clarity and finish expected from a completed acrylic embedment.

Once the piece has been finished, additional customization such as laser engraving or full-color printing can be added when the project requires it.

Circle, rectangle, pyramid, square, and cube acrylic embedments

Preserve Something Worth Remembering

Acrylic Embedments can be used to preserve products, components, badges, memorabilia, and other meaningful items inside clear Lucite®.

They also make distinctive deal toys, commemorative pieces, and custom recognition displays when the item itself is part of the story being celebrated.