The Importance of Plastic Machining Explained

There are so many industries that use plastic and plastic machining services. In this day and age we rely on plastic so much that nearly everything is made from it, or partially made from it. However, industries that depend on plastic machining the most are: automation, medical, building, construction and transportation industry. While there are a lot of different plastics that go through the machining process, these industries tend to rely on Delrin/Acetal and Nylon the most.

There are a few general notes that apply to every application and every type of plastic. The cutting tools used in this process always rely on the rigidity of the component or plastics being cut, this is not the case when cutting metal. Metals have a naturally good surface that resists distortion whereas plastics do not. The less rigid the plastic the more likely it becomes that the plastic will deform. This is why plastics such as Delrin, Acetal and Nylon are used and we will touch on the machining processes of each one. Delron is a type of hard plastic that is used mostly in plastic components, these components are usually made with CNC milling and CNC turning machines. Acetal is another hard plastic that is known for its high tensile strength and rigidity. Nylon is mostly used by the transport and architecture industries. There is no doubt that plastic has become an irreplaceable material for a vast array of industries, therefore the need for first-rate plastic machining services is only set to rise.

Some of the advantages of the revolutionary process of machining plastic that you might not know of include the fact that you don’t need to pay for moulds and the benefit of being able to manufacture plastic components in a timely manner without much waste. You can also easily trial a design or blueprint before you decide on the tooling, which is not an option sometimes when you work with metals. You also have thicker wall sections and any components that might be too large to be moulded can easily be made with fabricated plastic.

The force used when machining plastics is only a fraction of that used for metal. Also, you do not have to wait too long for it to set and dry. The companies that manufacture machines for shaping plastic are now reaching the peak of their improvement, making sure that the customers do not have to choose between quality and quantity ever again.