Plastic CNC Machining

CNC Machining Plastic

Choosing the proper plastic for CNC machining involves considering some factors. The plastic you select is critical to the final success.

 For example, the plastic may need to be resistant to high temperatures or bend or break under pressure. When choosing the correct plastic,

 corrosion resistance, workability, pricing, weight, and visual look all play a role.

POM

High strength, stiffness; low friction; excellent dimensional stability.

ABS

Tough, impact-resistant; easy to machine; popular for prototyping.

Nylon (PA)

Wear-resistant, strong; good sliding properties; absorbs moisture.

PEEK

High-temperature resistance; superior mechanical properties; chemical resistant.

PTFE (Teflon)

Extremely low friction; high heat resistance; chemically inert.

PVC

Good chemical resistance; easy to weld and machine; durable

PEI (Ultem)

High strength and heat resistance; flame retardant; medical-grade.

PEI (Ultem)

High strength and heat resistance; flame retardant; medical-grade.

What is Plastic CNC Machining?

Plastic CNC machining is a subtractive manufacturing process that involves placing a solid block of plastic material against a mobile cutting tool to remove materials from it. A digital design file guides the path of cutting tools, ensuring the final product takes the desired shape.

CNC plastic machining is the current manufacturing trend in making plastic components and parts. This is due to the ability of this process to create parts with uniform, high precision, and tight tolerances.

Plastic Machining Process

Plastic CNC Turning

Plastic turning is a manufacturing process that spins the workpiece to allow a stationary cutting tool to precisely remove excess material and create shapes as per the desired design.

Plastic CNC Milling

Plactic CNC milling is a machining process that the workpiece is mounted onto a table, and the cutting tool is held in place by a rotating spindle to remove plastic material from multiple axes.

Advantages of CNC Plastic Machining

There are several reasons why plastic manufacturers choose CNC plastic machining over other forms of plastic manufacture.

 Here are some advantages of plastic CNC machining

Mold-free

One of the main advantages of plastic CNC machining is its ability to create parts without molds, making it ideal for prototypes and short-run production. Unlike injection molding, CNC machining does not require the expensive creation of metal tooling, which helps reduce production time and costs.

Tighter Tolerances

Plastic CNC machining is an ideal solution for parts requiring high-precision measurements, as it offers superior levels of accuracy and repeatability compared to injection molding and 3D printing processes. This makes it perfect for applications in high-precision industries where exact tolerances must be met.

Wider Range of Materials

The excellent structural properties of engineering-grade CNC machined plastics, including electrical insulation and strength-to-weight ratio, make them ideal for plastic machining. Thus, with plastic machining, machinists can use a wider range of materials for plastic fabrication, with popular ones including HDPE, ABS, Nylon, Acrylic, Delrin, PEEK, and so on.

When to Use CNC Machining instead of 3D Printing?

High Accuracy
CNC machining is the better choice for manufacturing precise parts with intricate details because it can achieve an extremely tight tolerance down to ±0.005mm, but 3D printing only can achieve ±0.1~0.5mm.

Part Intricacy
When parts require tiny details that cannot be made with 3D printing, CNC machining is the best choice. Small details, such as intricate optical patterns, can have a radius as small as R 0.05 mm, and this level of detail is difficult to achieve with 3D printing.

Applications of CNC Machined Plastic Parts

Medical Devices
CNC machining is a popular method for fabricating high-precision plastic parts used in the medical industry, such as medicine dispenser components, handles for surgical tools, and components for medical devices. There are many medical-grade materials available for CNC machining.

Food and Beverage Industry Parts
CNCmachined plastics are ideal for producing parts used in the food and beverage industry, such as valves, nozzles, and seals. These parts are used in food processing and packaging machines.

Semiconductor Parts
The semiconductor industry relies on plastic CNC machining to create precise parts from high-performance engineering plastics. These intricate parts require extremely tight tolerances and good surface finishes that would not be possible without the precision of plastic CNC machining.

Automotive and Aerospace Parts
Plastic CNC machining is one of the best ways to manufacture high-performance CNC-machined plastic components for use in the aerospace and automotive industries. The reason is that plastic machining can fabricate most plastic materials that meet the strict regulations and requirements needed by these industries.

Plastic CNC Machining Services

PY precision offers a state-of-the-art CNC Machining service, guaranteed quality, and fast lead time. With over 50 plastic milling and plastic turning machines, 

we can provide consistent, high-quality machined parts and competitive price. 

So, with us, you can make easy or complex orders for prototypes, low to large volume CNC production runs in a wide variety of plastic

Frequently Asked Questions