CNC Machining Plastic Parts
XYC Prototype: Your Trustworthy CNC Machining Plastic Parts Manufacturer!
Shenzhen Xie Yicheng Machinery Equipment Co., Ltd. is a professional processing prototypes equipment and service provider. Our company was established in 1997 and is located in Shenzhen, China, mainly aiming to markets such as the United States, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, and India. We provide CNC processing, sheet metal bending, 3D, injection molding and other services, and use a variety of industrial-grade materials to build functional components in the automotive, medical, and consumer electronics fields.
Rich Experienced
With over 25 years of production experience, our team specializes in 3D printing, CNC machining, injection molding, and sheet metal fabrication to meet virtually any complex geometry part or finish requirement.
Well Equipped
Our production center is equipped with multi-axis CNC milling machines, CNC engraving machines, wire cutting machines, hand grinders, surface grinders and other equipment. We can quickly process complex parts for prototypes, small batches or high-volume production.
Quality Assurance
We conduct dimensional and visual inspections of each product during and after production, and strictly implement ISO 9001, AS 9100, ISO 14001 and ISO TS16949 quality standards.
Customized Services
We provide customized services for our products, include its dimensions, materials, and support OEM and ODM orders.
CNC machining is a process that uses computer numeric controlled (CNC) machines to cut and shape plastic parts. It is a subtractive manufacturing process in which a solid block of plastic is placed against a moving cutting tool that removes material from the block. The cutting tool follows a set tool path, guided by a digital design file, in order to shape the final part. CNC machining comprises operations such as milling, turning, grinding, routing, and drilling. It's ideal for creating plastic parts that are difficult or near impossible to mold. Some of the thermoplastic products that can be machined and engraved with a CNC router include Acrylic, ABS, Lexan, HDPE, PVC, PETG, UHMW.
Features of CNC Machining Plastic Parts
Various Materials
We stock over 30 engineering-grade plastics for a variety of parts applications and industries, ranging from ABS, polycarbonate, nylon, PEEK and more.
Online Quote
When you upload your 3D CAD file to request a quote, we will analyze your part geometry, identify holes that are tall, thin-walled, or cannot be threaded, and get you a timely quote.
Production Support
You can also call or email us anytime and we'll help you order parts, design feedback, material recommendations, and answer any questions.
Reliable Delivery
Through automated design analysis, we will help you uncover any difficult-to-machine features before sending your design to the manufacturing floor, quickly iterate on part designs and accelerate product development with quick turnaround parts.
Application of CNC Machining Plastic Parts
While no manufacturing process is perfect, CNC machining offers numerous benefits that make it an excellent choice for many parts. Product managers and engineers should consider employing CNC machining for the following plastic applications.
Plastic CNC machining is an excellent choice for medical devices and components due to the inherent precision afforded by the method. The design flexibility allowed by the process is also advantageous. Engineers can easily change or manipulate digital design files to achieve their desired part, rendering the creation of personalized medical devices like dental surgical guides or cardiac implants quick and easy. Further, there are many off the shelf medical-grade materials available for CNC machining.
As U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations evolve and consumers increasingly demand healthy, sustainable food and beverage manufacturing, the demand for high-quality food service equipment is higher than ever. Food and beverage industry manufacturers need parts that are tough enough to work around the clock, but safe and gentle enough to come into contact with the foods people eat every day.
CNC machining helps engineers achieve this delicate balance. Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), a popular plastic used in CNC machining, is a stain-, wear-, odor-, and solvent-resistant plastic that meets all FDA, USDA, and 3-A Dairy requirements. It can be used to make everything from spray bars to assembly line parts.
Semiconductive parts offer an intermediate level of electrical conductivity, classified somewhere between a conductor and an insulator. Semiconductive parts are used in a range of electronic devices, including diodes, integrated circuits, transistors, and more. They are shockproof, typically compact, and can last almost a lifetime. Plastic CNC machining produces tough parts with excellent electrical properties, which is ideal for applications such as electrical insulators, small circuits, gaskets, and watertight seals.
When it comes to manufacturing high-performance engineering parts and components for automotive and aerospace applications, CNC machining is an ideal method due to the wide variety of available plastics that meet strict regulations. For example, PEI can perform at temperatures above 400°F and is frequently used to create fire blockers, airplane seat covers, and turbine engines. Plastic CNC machining might be one of the more expensive manufacturing processes available, but aerospace engineers can’t put a price on strength and durability when it comes to mission-critical parts.
Plastic CNC machining can also be used to conduct functional testing when a small batch of a prospective parts must be made with the final material before beginning the injection molding process. Suppose an engineer has a design for a custom gear that will be mass-produced using injection-molded polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The engineer may be inclined to test the part by 3D printing it first; unfortunately, however, PTFE isn’t 3D printable. CNC machining, on the other hand, is compatible with a much broader range of materials, including PTFE.
With CNC machining, engineers and product teams can machine a number of parts in the final material, conduct functional testing, verify the design, then release the design for mass production via injection molding.
Benefits of CNC Machining Plastic Parts
Tight Tolerance
The most common reason for CNC machining an engineered or high-performance plastic part is the tolerances that can be achieved, which are often tighter than can be achieved with injection molding and other processes. The tolerance that can be achieved will vary by material and the part’s geometry. Because of this, requiring a very tight tolerance where it isn’t necessary can add significant costs to the project.
Cost Effectiveness
Machined components do not require the expensive tooling (molds) that injection molding requires. For smaller to moderate runs, machining can be more cost-effective per part. For large runs, injection molding may be a better solution.
Prototyping Support
CNC machining can produce prototypes quickly and efficiently because there are no special molds to be built. Compared to 3D printing, CNC machining can create design characteristics and use materials that 3D printing can’t while achieving tighter tolerances. CNC machined prototypes perform true to design in testing.
Polymer Compatibility
CNC machining provides a greater polymer selection than injection molding. For example, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), which is very resistant to wear and impact, is also highly viscous and has a low melting point, making it difficult to inject and cool in a mold without deformation or shrinkage. However, it can be machined.
Common Plastics of CNC Machining Plastic Parts
Any plastic can undergo CNC machining. Some common plastics that use this process are:
Nylon (PA)
Nylon has good chemical resistance and heat resistance. Therefore, nylon usage is commonly found in applications such as insulations and sheaths. Nylon spacers are used in circuit breakers for the electronics sector. Commonly used processes on nylon are CNC mills and lathes. There are many different grades of nylon. Nylon 6/6 is a common type used in plastic CNC machining.
Polyethylene (PE)
Polyethylene is also known by its common name Polythene. It is the most commonly used and produced plastic type. The high popularity of polythene has led to the emergence of several different types. Two of the commonly found polythenes for plastic CNC machining are LDPE and HDPE.
Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE)
LDPE has low tensile strength, high ductility, and low density. Common applications of LDPE are for making trays and foils in the packaging industries. It has very low moisture absorption.
High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
HDPE has better physical properties than LDPE. The main attractive points of HDPE are its high density and tensile strength. Plastic bottles and pipes are made of HDPE material.
Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)
Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) is in the subclass of polyester plastic materials. It is the major constituent of packaging in the food and beverage industries. It is a hygienic, water-resistant, and lightweight material. It is also one of the easy-to-machine plastics used in plastic CNC machining projects.
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
PVC is one of the most popular plastics used for its high strength. It is a very durable material with high tensile strength, lightweight nature, and chemical resistance. There are many different forms of PVC available for different applications.
Chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC)
Chlorinated Polyvinyl Chloride is derived from PVC itself. CPVC is obtained after successive chlorination of PVC resin. CPVC has improved properties than PVC plastics. The purpose of CPVC is to eliminate the vulnerability of PVC to temperatures during the plastic CNC machining process.
Polycarbonate (PC)
Polycarbonate is a type of thermoplastic polymer. More than one billion kg of Polycarbonate is manufactured annually. This is because of the high-grade physical properties and widespread PC applications.
Polypropylene (PP)
Polypropylene is also known by its common name Polypropene. It belongs to the thermoplastic polymer category. Its properties are a slight improvement to polythene.
Polyphenylsulfone (PPSU)
Polyphenylsulfone is an aromatic ring polymer. It is an easy-to-machine plastic. It is also moldable with injection molding. It is a high-performance thermoplastic.
Polysulfone (PSU)
Polysulfone is another high performance thermoplastic like PPSU. PSU parts can be used in a wide range of temperatures. Common range is -100°C to 200°C. The temperature range makes them one of the highest service temperatures of plastic.
Polyphenylene sulfide (PPS)
PPS is known by a lot of different names due to various brands manufacturing it. Some common brand names are Durafide, Petcoal, Ecotran, and Fortron. It is a high temperature thermoplastic polymer.
Polyetherimide (PEI) – Ultem
PEI is an amorphous thermoplastic. Its color spectrum can vary from amber to transparent. It provides a cheaper alternative to PEEK thermoplastic with similar properties.
Polyoxymethylene (POM or Acetal)
Acetal is one of the most used plastics in CNC machining. It also goes by its other name Delrin. It is a very easy to machine plastic.
Polystyrene (PS or Styrofoam)
Polystyrene is a solid of foamed polymer. The foamed variety has been patented and the trademarked name goes by Styrofoam. Styrofoam is actually an Extruded Polystyrene (XPS). DuPont owns the trademark of styrofoam and manufactures it globally. 98% of styrofoam is air, leading to its foamy nature.
Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)
ABS is another popular CNC machining plastic. It is a thermoplastic polymer. It has impressive physical properties which lead to a lot of applications find different industries.
Carbon Fiber (CF)
Carbon fiber is basically Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers (CFRP). It has thin strands of carbon fiber added to a base plastic for improved properties. It is classified as a composite material.
Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE or Teflon)
Teflon is a brand name of polytetrafluoroethylene. It is patented by Chemours. Interestingly, Teflon was also discovered by DuPont, which already holds the trademark for Styrofoam. Chemours was branched from DuPont and is the global manufacturer of Teflon.
Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) or Acrylics
PMMA goes by a lot of different names, such as Acrylic and Acrylic Glass. Many other brand names exist, like Lucite, Plexiglass, Perclax, Perspex, etc. Its high transparency is why Acrylic finds many applications in machining, replacing the traditional glass.
Polysiloxane (Silicone)
Polysiloxane is a colorless, rubber-like substance also called Silicone. It is used for many plastic CNC machining applications in electronics, household, electrical, automobile, and aviation manufacturing industries.
Poly Paraphenylene Terephthalamide (Kevlar)
Poly Paraphenylene Terephthalamide usually goes by its common names kevlar and twaron. It is one of the most popular aromatic polyamides globally. It is a synthetic fiber developed by DuPont. Its physical properties are comparable to or even better than metals and alloys.
Factors to Consider When Choose CNC Machining Plastic Parts
No two CNC machining productions are identical. While selecting a plastic material for your process, always consider the needed characteristics and capabilities of the final product, such as:
Environment. What kind of environment will your product be used in? Will your component need to withstand extreme heat or cold? Will open flame be present? Will the plastic part need to tolerate UV radiation, chemicals, or other corrosive factors?
Industry Regulations. Which industry, federal, or local regulations must be satisfied? For example, if your part is a medical device or used in food or beverage processing, you will need a biocompatible or hygienic material that meets regulations without environmental degradation.
Electrical Requirements. Does your part need to be electrically conductive or insulating? Will it be exposed to any electrical currents?
Cosmetic Considerations. Do you require different colors or textures? What aesthetics and functional features would you like your product to display?
Mechanical Capabilities. Will your final part need to bear a heavy load? Will it be exposed to excessive wear? Do you require materials that are high strength, flexible, impact resistant, or something else?
Budget. What is your budget for your planned production? Can you invest more upfront for a higher-cost plastic material that performs better? While it can be tempting to select the lowest-cost option, you may end up with a final product that does not function as intended.
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Frequently Asked Questions of CNC Machining Plastic Parts
Q: What is CNC plastic?
Q: Can you use CNC for plastic?
Q: What does CNC mean in material?
Q: What are CNC parts used for?
Q: What material is used in CNC plastic?
Q: What is CNC quality?
Q: What does CNC mean in manufacturing?
Q: What is the best plastic to CNC?
Q: Can CNC cut PVC?
Q: How are CNC parts made?
Engineers designing a CAD model of a part.
The machinist turning this CAD file into a CNC program, setting up the machine.
CNC program then relays the various steps to the CNC machine, which, with little supervision, creates the part.
Q: Is CNC only for metal?
Q: How much does CNC machine cost?
Q: What is the difference between CNC and non CNC?
Q: What is CNC cutting?
Q: Is a laser cutter a CNC machine?
Q: What is CNC acrylic?
Q: What is the best hard plastic for machining?
Q: What materials can CNC work on?
Q: Why are CNC parts so expensive?
Q: Is it cheaper to build or buy CNC?
As one of the most professional CNC machining plastic parts manufacturers and suppliers in China, we're featured by quality products and good service. Please rest assured to buy cheap CNC machining plastic parts from our factory.
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