Method for forming a stress-free multilayer PVC sheet material

A multilayer sheet material manufactured via a single production process,

• wherein the multilayer sheet material has an elastic modulus above 1000 N/mm2 and a specified length and width,
• wherein the multilayer sheet material comprises:
• a carrier material formed from rigid PVC provided with one or more layers, wherein, after heating to 80° Celsius and cooling back to room temperature, the sheet material has expansion or shrinkage of a maximum of 0.2% of the specified length and/or width, wherein the carrier material formed from rigid PVC is provided with a co-extruded top layer of flexible PVC that is thermally fused with the rigid PVC through stress-free processing, wherein the stress-free processing comprises:
• melting, under pressure, a first polymer mass comprising the rigid PVC and a second polymer mass comprising the flexible PVC,
• passing the first polymer mass and the second polymer masses through an extruder head at a pre-determined discharge rate in the form of a multilayer plastic strand in sheet form, wherein the top layer of the multilayer plastic strand is formed by the second polymer mass, and
• synchronizing a speed of rolls of a calendaring device with the pre-determined discharge rate of the multilayer plastic strand so that the multilayer plastic strand is processed without stress, and
• a decorative effect applied by direct printing on the flexible PVC or on the rigid PVC before applying an ultraviolet (UV) varnish coat.