Machined plastics cover applications metals cannot: electrical insulation, RF transparency, chemical resistance, low friction, and parts that need to be light or transparent.
Material quick guide
| Need | Material |
|---|---|
| General machined parts, good wear | POM (Delrin) |
| High temperature and strength | PEEK |
| Chemical resistance and low friction | PTFE |
| Toughness and impact resistance | Nylon (PA), polycarbonate |
| Optical clarity | Acrylic (PMMA) |
| Medical and high-temperature sterilisation | PEEK, PEI (Ultem) |
Machining plastics well
Plastics cut easily but are unforgiving about heat and clamping: too much friction melts the surface, too much clamping pressure marks or cracks it. Tooling is kept sharp with high rake angles, coolant or air clears chips, and fixtures are designed to support the part rather than squeeze it.
Where a plastic part has tight tolerances, we consider moisture absorption and thermal expansion — measurement temperature matters as much as the machine does.