Acrylic is an incredibly useful plastic for applications requiring transparency where high impact resistance is not an issue. It can be cut into extremely fine shapes using laser cutting technology because the material vaporizes upon impact with the concentrated laser energy. Acrylic thermoplastics are known for their outstanding weather ability. They are also characterized by good impact strength, formability, and excellent resistance to sunlight, weather, and most chemicals. Standard grades are rated as slow-burning, but a special self-extinguishing grade of the sheet is available. Although acrylic plastic weighs less than half as much as glass, it has many times the greater impact resistance. As a thermal insulator, it is approximately 20% better than glass. It is tasteless and odorless.