Materials · Plastics
Engineering plastics for CNC parts
POM, nylon, PC, ABS, and PEEK-class materials when your design needs insulation, weight savings, or chemical resistance. We machine plastics with feeds tuned to reduce heat and stress—especially important for tight features and thin walls.
Heat-aware toolpaths
Plastics move when they get hot—we adjust speeds and fixturing to hold size.
Moisture & batch notes
Nylons absorb water—tell us storage state; we’ll align pre-machining dry-down if needed.
Honest tolerance talk
Soft or fiber-filled grades widen variation—we quote what we can hold repeatably.
Why buyers work with us on this process
Clear scope, documented checks, and quotes aligned with how we actually run production.
Weight & cost balance
Lighter than metal for many brackets; good for iterative prototypes before hard tooling.
Electrical isolation
Natural insulators for enclosures, guides, and test fixtures near live circuits.
Chemical exposure
PEEK, PTFE, and UHMW families for aggressive media—confirm compatibility with your fluid list.
Faster roughing (often)
Lower cutting forces on many grades—still limited by chatter on tall walls.
Cosmetic options
Vapor polish on acrylics, dyeing, or painted coatings for customer-facing surfaces.
DFM collaboration
Ribs, radii, and draft still matter—send assembly context so we don’t “win” machining but lose function.
Common families we see in RFQs
Not an exhaustive stock list—tell us brand/grade if your BOM is specific.
| Material | Why teams pick it | Watch-outs |
|---|---|---|
| POM (Delrin-class) | Low friction, stiff, great for bushings/gears | Avoid sharp internal corners; check spring-back |
| PA6 / PA66 | Tough, wear-resistant | Moisture & anisotropic shrink |
| PC | Impact + clarity options | Notch sensitive; stress relief for thick sections |
| ABS | Cost-effective housings | Solvent bonding needs joint design |
| PEEK / PAEK | High temp & chemical load | Premium cost; diamond-coated tooling often |
Fillers (glass/carbon) change machining strategy—note fiber direction on the drawing when relevant.
Typical plastic machining tolerances
Plastics creep and absorb heat—tight features may need post-machining stabilization or gaging after cool-down.
| Feature | General (mm) | Tighter (mm) |
|---|---|---|
| Dimension | ±0.10 | ±0.05 |
| Hole | ±0.08 | ±0.03 |
| Flatness (per 100 mm) | 0.10 | 0.04 |
High-performance or filled grades: confirm with a first article before locking assembly tolerances.
Typical end uses
Automation & robotics
Wear pads, cable guides, and low-inertia brackets.
Electronics
Insulating mounts, test sockets, ESD-aware designs when noted.
Medical-style devices
Housings and mechanics—biocompatibility and cleaning processes stated on the drawing.
Industrial equipment
Chemical exposure parts using PP/PVDF-class when specified.
Finishing & post-processing
We coordinate common finishes through vetted partners when your drawing calls for them—lead time and cost are quoted together with fabrication.
| Option | What it does | Common use |
|---|---|---|
| As-machined | Fastest; tool marks may remain. | Internal fixtures |
| Vapor polishing (acrylic/PC) | Clarity improvement for optics and covers. | Lenses, light pipes |
| Bead blast | Uniform matte; hides minor marks. | Cosmetic housings |
| Painting / printing | Color + UV resistance layers. | Branded devices |
| Laser mark | Traceability without mechanical stress. | UID / serialization |
FAQ
Minimum quantity?
We support prototypes and small batches—CNC plastics shine when injection tooling isn’t justified yet.
Can you bond or weld plastics?
We can advise; many assemblies use adhesives or mechanical fasteners—share joint loads.
Do you machine PTFE / UHMW?
Often yes—geometry and tolerance need extra review due to creep and stress relaxation.
Ready to review your parts?
Send drawings, quantity, destination, and need-by date—we reply with clear questions and realistic timelines.
Contact engineering