What are Plastic Custom Machined Parts?
Plastic custom machined parts refer to components made from plastic materials that have undergone machining processes to achieve specific shapes, dimensions, and features. Machining is a subtractive manufacturing process where material is removed from a stock shape (rod, sheet, tube, cylinder etc) to achieve the desired form.
The machining process involves using tools like lathes, milling machines, routers, or CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machines to cut, shape, and finish the plastic material according to precise specifications.
Benefits of Machining compared to other plastic part manufacturing
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No Tooling – injection moulding requires expensive tooling where the design and tool making lead-times are long (3-12 months).
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Short Lead-times – generally parts can be made in days or weeks.
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No Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) – machining is suitable for 1 off production, as well as volume on going production.
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Cost Effective – with no tooling and minimum set-up costs, these costs are eliminated (or minimised).
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Flexibility – design or dimensional changes are possible without costs incurred due to tooling changes in injection moulding.
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Compared to 3D printing (additive manufacturing), the unit production times are short, and less costly.
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High Quality Materials – the engineering characteristics of stock shape (Rod, sheet, tube etc) plastics are generally superior to other plastic part manufacturing techniques.
Dotmar has qualified engineers and machinists that can provide direct support with custom machined plastic parts and designs.
Turning
Suitable for round or cylindrical parts, this can be done on both manual and CNC Lathes
Milling
Suitable for complicated parts and non-cylindrial shapes, using both manual and CNC milling technology.
CNC Routering
Generally used when machining parts from sheet.
Spindle Moulding
Ideal for long parts that have a consistent cross-section
Saw Cutting
Ideal for cut to size panels and lower tolerance dimensions
Drilling
Often combined with Milling or as a second operation for spindle moulded parts.
Material selection is a critical consideration when choosing a plastic for custom machined parts, as it directly impacts the performance, durability, and maintenance requirements of these components. Here are some key material selection considerations for custom machined parts:
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Material Properties and Characteristics
The material must have the appropriate properties and characteristics for the final application, ensuring that the desired performance is achieved.
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Availability of Stock Shapes (Rod, sheet etc)
Even though most materials are manufactured in most stock shapes, the size and/or thickness for sheets or diameters for rod that are manufactured and therefore available, will contribute to the possibility of a material being selected for a given part.
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Machinability of materials
Various materials behave differently when they are machined, which will influence.
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The ability to achieve a desired surface finish.
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The ability to meet dimensional tolerances.
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The ability to meet and maintain straightness, which is influenced by internal stresses, that can relieve during a machining process.
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Machining Techniques
Some materials have characteristics that dictate what machining technique is required. A good example is a large diameter Ertalon 6PLA rod that is bored. Due to internal stresses that cannot be avoided during the casting process, progressive boring techniques are required. This is the case for all large diameter cast nylons.
It is also important to consider if influences such as heat generated from a machining process will affect the materials properties and/or surface finish.
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Regulatory Requirements
Does the application have regulatory requirements such as medical cleanliness.
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Other considerations
At times there may be other considerations such as chemical resistance or influences of machining coolant.
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