Plastics are becoming much tougher and high tech then they ever were before. The durability of the material has opened up possibilities with the material that is allowing it to be used for things most people never imagined until now. Because of the makeup of these new plastics, using custom plastic fabrication to make a product much they way metal was used in the past is now possible.
Custom Machine Work
For plastics to be machined into custom parts, a blank is needed. A blank is a piece of raw material like a block of plastic to use as a starting point. The design needs to be laid out ahead of time, and extra care needs to be taken when placing the material into the clamps of the machine so that the surface of the material is not damaged or marred while being worked. Because the plastic is more prone to melting, the material much be kept cool and the speed at which the plastic can be machined is slower than that of metal.
Material Types
Along with basic plastic, acrylics are also popular for custom parts. The material is plastic based and can be made transparent or colored. Things like valves or distribution blocks are well suited for acrylic because you can see the fluid moving through them and there is no issue with corrosion from the liquid. If you machine a surface on an acrylic material, it will no longer be clear, so if you need to be able to see through it, the surface will need to be polished to make it transparent again.
Harder plastics are more suited to the machine process, but if it is too hard, it can become brittle, so the machinist has to monitor the material closely as the machine works with it. If there is any sign of cracking, spawling, or damage to the plastic from the machine process, the machinist may have not choice but to start over.
Chemical Resistance
One thing to keep in mind when selecting a plastic to use for your project is if it needs to be chemical resistant. Many plastics are strong enough to machine but PVC, for instance, will melt in acetone. The strength of the material is just one thing to consider so it is a good idea to talk to your plastics supplier about your project before buying the material you will use. They can go over the properties of the plastics they offer and help you decide what will work best for you.
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