Plastics materials for CNC machining
Plastic machining offers a versatile and cost-effective solution, particularly well-suited for one-off prototypes and custom end-use parts. Protolis provides a comprehensive selection of grades, each tailored to offer distinct advantages.
- 18+ grades (e.g. CNC ABS, CNC acrylic, etc.) in stock, ready for CNC machining.
- Customization: Choose from a diverse range of colors and finishes for both aesthetic and functional possibilities.
- Specific grades on demand: Gain access to the right material for your specific CNC machining needs.
Common CNC plastics
Discover the possibilities of plastic materials for CNC machining.
Description
Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) is a low-cost plastic that is easy to machine, offering good impact resistance, stiffness, and strength. It also boasts good dimensional stability and low water absorption, along with excellent machinability and bonding properties, making it suitable for painting and electroplating.
Applications
General household items: gardening tool, toys, kitchen appliances, electrical/electronic appliances
Widely use for pre-production prototype of housings, covers and structural components
Description
Plastic blend of ABS & PC, the properties are controlled by the ratio of PC & ABS. It includes the benefits & limitations of both. The durability of ABS plus the impact strength of PC makes the compound bendable but not easy to break.
Applications
Similar to ABS applications requiring better impact strength.
Electrical/electronic product shell
Automotive interior
Description
LDPE shares most of the characteristics of HDPE, but it is softer, more flexible, and more likely to crack under stress.
Applications
Household applications (hinges)
Electronic appliances
Food packaging and container
Description
Polycarbonate is a good alternative to glass with its high transparency, high resistance to impact and temperature, good electrical insulation, and excellent dimensional stability. It also has low water absorption, good machinability and bonding, and is easy to paint or electroplate.
Applications
Applications requiring transparency and high impact resistance
Exterior and interior automotive parts
Exterior lighting
Description
Kown as acrylic, PMMA is one of the clearest plastic, lighter alternative to glass, and economic substitute for PC but with lower impact strength.
High resistance to scratch, UV & weather resistant.
Good dimensional stability, low water absorption.
Good machinability and bonding, easy for paint and electroplating.
Applications
Construction outdoor applications
Automotive light parts
Electronic screens
Cosmetic packaging and display
Description
This thermoplastic has high strength, stiffness, and toughness, as well as excellent bearing, wearing, and sliding properties. It is resistant to impacts and temperature and has strong chemical resistance (hydrocarbons and solvents), good dimensional stability, and low moisture absorption.
Applications
Commonly used in bushings, rollers, wear strips, gears, and pump parts
Description
Polypropylene is one of the lightest thermoplastics available with excellent resistance to fatigue and chemical resistance (most alkaline & acid)
Low moisture absorption and non-toxic.
Applications
Packaging industry
Household appliances
Eelectric appliances
Automotive decorative parts
Description
Polyethylene terephthalate is a plastic with high mechanical strength, excellent wear resistance and good sliding properties. It also has excellent chemical resistance, good dimensional stability, very low moisture absorption, and is a good electrical insulator.
Applications
Accurate automotive parts
Electronic appliances
Domestic appliances
Food packaging
Description
High-density polyethylene is a lightweight and flexible plastic with good resistance to impacts, breaks, and abrasion. It’s an effective electrical insulator and has excellent resistance at low temperatures, as well as good chemical resistance, good dimensional stability, and low moisture absorption.
Applications
Construction (pipes, tanks, water storage)
Mechanical equipment parts
Electronic appliances
Food packaging and containers
Description
Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene, also called HDPE 1000, has a unique combination of wear and corrosion resistance, low surface friction, and impact strength. It also offers good electrical insulation, high chemical resistance, good dimensional stability, and no moisture absorption
Applications
Mechanical and electrical engineering
Construction industry
Food industries
Description
Polyvinyl chloride is a polymer with normal impact strength and good tensile strength and stiffness. It offers exceptional chemical and corrosion resistance, good dimensional stability, no water absorption, and good machinability and bonding. It is also self-extinguishing.
Applications
Construction industry (pipes, windows and doors frames)
Automotive parts
Medical devices
Description
Polyamide, also called nylon, is a light plastic with good tensile strength and stiffness (comparable to metal) as well as excellent resistance to bearing, fatigue, and abrasion. It offers excellent corrosion resistance and electrical properties, with good machinability.
Applications
Construction material
Automotive parts
Aircraft parts
Electronic and electrotechnical parts
Description
The chemical and physical properties of PA66 are similar to those of PA6, though PA66 shows slightly lower water moisture absorption, higher mechanical properties, and better short-term heat resistance.
Applications
Construction materials
Automotive parts
Aircraft parts
Electronic and electrotechnical parts
Description
Polybutylene terephthalate is a engineering thermoplastic with excellent mechanical (high strength and toughness) and electrical insulation. It has good resistance to UV and chemicals, a wide range of temperature usage (-40℃ to 110°C) as well as high dimensional stability, low moisture absorption, and good machinability.
Applications
Food industry
Electrical and electronic appliances (connector strips, insulating housing)
Household appliances
Medical equipment
Description
Polytetrafluoroethylene, also known as Teflon, is a thermoplastic polymer with excellent chemical resistance, wear resistance, and an extremely low friction coefficient. It offers excellent electrical insulation, no water absorption, and good UV resistance. It is also self-extinguishing and naturally flame retardant (UL 94-V0).
Applications
Chemical industry (temperature sensor casing, gaskets, chemical tanks)
Medical applications
Fire equipment
Description
Polyetheretherketone is high-performance thermoplastic with excellent chemical resistance, low moisture absorption, excellent tensile strength, and good resistance to wear, abrasion, and fatigue. It also has high-temperature resistance and natural UL94 V-0 (low-toxicity gas if burnt), as well as good dimensional stability and good machinability.
Applications
Used in many of the most critical areas in general industries: automotive, marine, medical, aerospace
Description
Polyphenylene sulfide is advanced engineering plastic with properties similar to metal with exceptionnal mechanical strenght, excellent wear resistance and fatigue endurance.
Good electrical insulation. High-temperature resistance and naturally UL94 V-0 .
Exceptionnal chemical resistance and no moisture absorption.
Good dimensional stability and good machinability.
Applications
Automotive: seals, fuel and brake systems
Mechanical engineering: pump and valve components
Electrical/Electronic components: connectors, contact rails,
Medical industry
CNC plastic machining services
Plastic machining using CNC is a sophisticated process that involves the utilization of computer-controlled machinery to achieve precise and intricate shapes from plastic workpieces. CNC plastic cutting, in particular, is a highly accurate manufacturing procedure wherein part of plastic polymer is removed from a plastic part to attain the intended form or configuration.
At Protolis, we boast an extensive array of cutting-edge machinery that is custom-tailored to accommodate your distinct requirements. Our comprehensive equipment lineup encompasses CNC 3 & 5 axis milling , CNC drilling, CNC turning, and the advanced capabilities. This enables us to cater to a wide spectrum of manufacturing demands while upholding the highest standards of precision and quality.
CNC plastic machining services
Our finishes for plastics CNC machining
Our selection of CNC machined plastics parts comes with a variety of finishing options, such as painting, technical or cosmetic polishing and chrome plating.
A paint finish that enhances the surface condition both functionally and aesthetically. It is possible to achieve different effects of appearance: satin, matte, gloss, or semi-gloss.
This type of finishing is a high-level polishing, also known as mirror polishing, that gives the part a smooth, reflective, and aesthetically pleasing appearance.
There are several degrees of transparency depending on the technologies and materials used. The opacity can also be manually adjusted by polishing, sanding, or pigmentation.
Chrome plating is a technique of applying a thin layer of chromium onto a substrate through galvanic or vacuum plating. This additional layer not only improves the aesthetic but prevents corrosion and wear.
Whether by applying a surface treatment or by pigmentation, matching the colors of your prototypes and parts is important for meeting your specifications and the visual quality of the final product.
The pigmentation process makes it possible to produce pieces naturally colored in the mass of certain plastics. It is possible to choose the desired RAL or Pantone, with color pigments mixed with the material. This is applicable for rigid or flexible parts.
To learn more about these finishing options, please refer to our finishing page here.
Applications
Explore the versatility of plastics CNC machining for prototyping and small series production projects.
Our CNC plastics characteristics
Your project in 5 steps
Get your CNC plastic prototypes and production parts in no time with Protolis. Here’s how our client projects typically work.
Your quote
Upload files and specifications
DFM
Design optimization
Production
Close follow-up
Quality control
Dimensional report, pictures, and videos
Delivery
Packing, door-to-door tracking
CNC machining plastic FAQs
What plastics can be used in CNC machining?
CNC machining can accommodate a wide range of plastics. Typically, acetal (POM), acrylic (PMMA), nylon (PA), polycarbonate (PC), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), PVC (polyvinyl chloride) are the most commonly requested by our customers. It is important to know that certain harder plastics require special considerations during machining to be successfully machined.
Which plastic is the right material for me?
Choosing a plastic material requires considering its suitability for meeting your specific requirements in terms of strength, fit, and finish. The more precise your material specifications are, the easier it is to focus on these essential criteria.
Which information shall I give to start my project?
You just need to give us your 3D CAD file. To start, simply select a manufacturing process, raw material, finishing option, and upload a 3D CAD file here (choose the right anchor text to link here)
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