What are cnc machining plastic parts?

Traditionally, CNC machining has been regarded as a method of machining methods. However, the accuracy requirements of all possible material parts in the modern industry are constantly increasing. This is the reason for the development of CNC plastic processing technology. At present, it has occupied a considerable position in the field of high precision, low volume and prototype manufacturing of plastic parts. In this article, we will explore what cnc machining plastic parts and how they works.

The following knowledge points are listed below:

The popular of cnc machining plastic parts

The methods of cnc machining plastic parts

The tips of plastic machining

The role that plastics plays in cnc prototyping

1. The popular of cnc machining plastic parts

Why is plastic so popular? Since the invention of industrial-grade polymers, the entry of plastics into various branches of modern industry has been unstoppable. There are many reasons. I only list three main reasons. Plastic parts are cheap, light and durable. Let's talk about the first point. When it comes to cheap, I mean the cost of manufacturing the cnc machining plastic parts is much lower than metal parts

2. The methods of cnc machining plastic parts

There are many ways to produce high-precision cnc machining plastic parts. Modern industrial grade plastics are foundry, injection molding, printing or machining. The first three options are great for manufacturing complex geometric parts with good surface finish. However, there is nothing better than machining when you need to achieve a tight tolerance or produce a mirror-polished surface for almost any kind of part. About 80% of plastic parts are CNC machined. This is the most extensive method of manufacturing parts without a rotating shaft. The rest is usually turned on the lathe. In some cases, slotting or planning can be achieved. Mainly used for manufacturing inner grooves or rectangular holes. In order to achieve excellent surface finish, cnc machining plastic parts are polished or chemically treated.

3. The tips of plastic machining

machine tool

First, make it clear. There are no cnc machining plastic parts tools. All machine tools used to cut plastic are actually metalworking tools. The precise rigidity and power output allow them to easily handle hardened plastics. I want to point out that woodworking machines will not do very well because of their low rigidity.

Cutting tool

Choosing the best tool for plastic parts is a complicated task. The reason is that the composition of plastics and composites are very different. Some plastics are reinforced with hard carbide particles, or some additives are added to enhance the plastic's flexibility, heat resistance, or other parameters. All of these have changed the way plastics respond to processing. Even the colorant of the material is important, because depending on the type of material, the color may change due to a large amount of heating during processing.

This means that it becomes obvious that it is necessary to choose a correct cutting tool geometry for machining cnc machining plastic parts. For example, a milling cutter is similar to an aluminum cutter with two flutes, however, the sharp edges have sharper angles. The same thing can be used for exercises. The main angle of metal has changed from 120 degrees to 60 degrees. In this way, the chip is smaller and easier to remove. But you can't use that bit to drill metal. It will break in a few minutes.

4. The role that plastics plays in cnc prototyping

Plastic processing services are closely related to CNC prototype technology. Polymer materials are perfect for prototype creation and engineering verification. The reason is that plastics are actually easy to process. If you don’t have any heating or molding equipment, making parts from cnc machining plastic parts blocks is a good way to get these prototypes simple and fast. You can use the same wide range of equipment for processing metals, therefore, great flexibility. Moreover, the cutting speed and the feeding speed will be much faster, so the delivery time will be shorter, so that you have the opportunity to test your product samples faster and bring them to market before competitors.

Now you know all about the cnc machining plastic parts now. If you want to know more about Precision CNC Machining Parts, CNC Micro Machining Parts, just click here.