CNC Plastic Machining
Primo Medical Group is an experienced machining partner for medical, aerospace, and defense applications. We offer extensive material knowledge, allowing us to deliver precision plastic machining for tight-tolerance, highly complex components to meet your application requirements. For high-quality solutions, we can handle prototypes, design changes, and scalable production.
Custom CNC Plastic Machining Services
With decades of machining experience, Primo Medical Group offers a range of CNC plastic machining services to produce high-precision, complex components to meet your needs. Our services are designed to deliver the highest levels of precision and performance for reliable components across industries, including rapid prototyping and small-to-large batch runs, tight tolerances, and complex geometries, using CNC milling and CNC turning.
Choosing the Right Plastic for CNC Machining
Choosing the right plastic material in your CNC machining operations depends on various factors. It’s important to consider the strength, heat resistance, chemical exposure, wear, friction, moisture absorption, and dimensional stability of the material you want to work with to ensure specifications are met. Primo Medical Group works with the following materials in CNC plastic machining:
Delrin Machining
Delrin is a low-friction polymer with high strength and stiffness. It offers high mechanical strength and rigidity while withstanding a wide temperature range, making it an ideal choice for a variety of applications, such as gears, safety restraints, and medical devices. Other benefits of Delrin include:
- Electrical insulation
- Resistance to impact
- Resilient and resistant to creep
UHMWPE Machining
UHMWPE is a cost-effective material that meets FDA and USDA requirements for direct food contact and medical implants because of its biocompatibility, wear resistance, and low-friction properties. It is a chemically inert, non-porous material that exhibits high impact strength, making it suitable for medical and pharmaceutical components. Other benefits of UHMWPE include:
- Abrasion resistance
- Sound-dampening characteristics
- Dielectric and electrical insulation
Acetal Machining
Acetal is a low-friction, dimensionally stable polymer that maintains its stability across a wide temperature range. It is strong and stiff, ideal for components in harsh operating environments due to its high tensile strength. Other benefits of acetal include:
- Resistant to creep and impact
- Rigidity and fatigue endurance
- Cost-effectiveness
PEEK Machining
PEEK is a lightweight, low-friction material that can be easily machined to tight tolerances. It offers high strength and stiffness for high-wear components and is one of the few materials that can be used in ultra-high-vacuum applications. Other benefits of PEEK include:
- Thermal stability
- Chemical resistance
- Biocompatibility
Precision Plastic Machining for Medical Components
With CNC plastic machining, Primo Medical Group can produce a range of precision components for medical devices and equipment, such as:
- Bone and joint replacement components
- Orthopedic components
- Endoscopic and catheter components
- Implants
- Respirator components
- Dialysis machine components
- Electro-mechanical consoles and controllers
CNC Plastic Machining for Aerospace and Defense Components
CNC-machined plastics deliver lightweight, durable, corrosion-resistant parts for demanding applications. Primo Medical Group works with a range of plastic materials to deliver components with electrical insulation features and tight tolerances to support aerospace and defense applications, including:
- Gears
- Bushings
- Interior components
Quality Support for Precision Plastic Components
Primo Medical Group is an ISO 13485:2016-certified contract manufacturing partner, working with medical device manufacturers as well as manufacturers of aerospace and defense components. We implement a comprehensive quality control system, with inspection capabilities, validation, and regulatory compliance services to ensure the quality, performance, and efficacy of your finished products. With over 70 years of experience, our processes support your products from development through production, delivering products that meet the requirements of demanding industries. Contact Primo Medical Group to discuss your project, or request a quote to get started.
Frequently Asked Questions About Precision Plastic Machining
For help determining if plastic machining is right for your project, we’ve answered some commonly asked questions about CNC plastic machining:
What is plastic machining?
Plastic machining involves cutting, shaping, or forming plastic materials into shapes, dimensions, and configurations with machining techniques and tools. It can be used to produce precision plastic parts for various industries, using milling, drilling, and turning.
Can plastic be CNC machined?
Yes, CNC machining is a versatile process that can be used with a wide variety of materials, including several plastics.
How do you machine plastic material?
When machining plastic material, it’s important to consider the right material to meet the project requirements, as well as the factors of the type of plastic, such as its hardness and temperature resistance, and the final application. Then determine the appropriate cutting tool based on the material properties, desired surface finish, and machining process. The process for CNC machining plastic is as follows:
- Secure the material with a workholding tool, and adjust cutting speed and feed rate to material requirements.
- Check the workpiece for dimensional accuracy and surface finish during machining, and make any necessary adjustments.
- Once machining is finished, remove burrs, sharp edges, or unwanted material.
- Finish by applying surface-finishing techniques, such as polishing, sanding, or flame polishing.
What is the strongest machinable plastic?
The strongest machinable plastic is Delrin, a high-strength thermoplastic known for its mechanical properties. It is commonly used for gears, bushings, and mechanical components, offering a high tensile strength, good stiffness, and wear resistance.