Plastic
We machine plastic from PEEK, Teflon, Polycarbonate, UHMW, Acetal and many more.
As a one-stop shop with advanced machining capabilities, extensive material expertise, and a commitment to precision, we deliver plastic parts that meet the exacting demands of modern manufacturing. From prototype development to full-scale production, we provide the technical knowledge and manufacturing excellence your projects require.
While many machine shops view plastic machining as a secondary capability, we’ve embraced it as a core competency. Our passion for working with engineered plastics stems from the unique advantages these materials offer and the diverse problem solving opportunities they present across applications.
Comprehensive plastic material expertise
We machine plastic components from an extensive range of high-performance engineering polymers, each offering distinct properties for specific applications:
UHMW (Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene): Exceptionally tough and wear-resistant, UHMW provides superior abrasion resistance and low friction characteristics. Ideal for wear strips, guide rails, chute liners, and components subjected to sliding contact or impact.
Acetal (Delrin): With excellent dimensional stability, low friction, and good mechanical properties, Acetal is one of the most versatile engineering plastics. Its ease of machining and reliable performance make it a go-to choice for gears, bushings, and precision mechanical components.
PEEK (Polyetheretherketone): One of the highest-performing engineering thermoplastics available, PEEK offers exceptional mechanical strength, chemical resistance, and thermal stability up to 480°F. Ideal for demanding aerospace, medical, and industrial applications where extreme conditions require uncompromising material performance.
Teflon (PTFE – Polytetrafluoroethylene): Renowned for its extremely low friction coefficient and outstanding chemical resistance, Teflon performs reliably across a wide temperature range. Perfect for seals, bearings, insulators, and any application requiring non-stick properties or chemical inertness.
Polycarbonate: Combining optical clarity with outstanding impact resistance, polycarbonate delivers strength and durability in applications ranging from safety components to precision optical elements. Its excellent dimensional stability ensures consistent performance.
And Many More: Our material capabilities extend well beyond these common grades. We regularly machine Nylon, Ultem, Torlon, G-10 fiberglass, phenolics, and numerous other specialty plastics. Whatever your application demands, we have the expertise to work with the optimal material.
Common plastic components we manufacture
Our precision machining capabilities produce a diverse range of plastic components that serve critical functions across multiple industries:
Inserts and Threaded Components: Precision-machined plastic inserts provide lightweight, electrically insulating, and corrosion-resistant alternatives to metal fastening solutions. We produce both standard and custom threaded inserts with tight tolerances.
Pulleys and Sheaves: Lightweight plastic pulleys offer quiet operation, corrosion resistance, and reduced wear on belts and cables. Our machined pulleys deliver precision groove geometry for reliable power transmission.
Tubes and Bushings: From thin-walled precision tubes to heavy-duty bushings, we machine plastic cylindrical components with excellent concentricity and surface finish for smooth operation and long service life.
Collars and Spacers: Precision-machined plastic collars, spacers, and standoffs provide accurate positioning, electrical isolation, and lightweight assembly solutions for countless applications.
Insulators and Electrical Components: Leveraging plastics’ excellent dielectric properties, we manufacture custom insulators, terminal blocks, and electrical components that provide reliable isolation and safety.
Specialty Fasteners: Custom plastic fasteners offer unique advantages including chemical resistance, electrical isolation, lightweight construction, and compatibility with sensitive surfaces. We machine specialty fasteners to your exact specifications.
Custom Components: Beyond these common applications, we regularly produce custom-designed plastic parts including prototype components, replacement parts, specialized tooling, and unique assemblies tailored to specific requirements.
Why choose plastic for your components?
Engineered plastics offer compelling advantages that make them increasingly popular across diverse manufacturing applications:
Lightweight Construction: Plastics provide significant weight reduction compared to metals, reducing shipping costs, easing installation, and improving performance in weight-sensitive applications.
Superior Chemical Resistance: Many engineering plastics offer exceptional resistance to acids, bases, solvents, and other aggressive chemicals that would corrode or degrade metal components.
Electrical Insulation: Plastics’ excellent dielectric properties make them ideal for electrical and electronic applications where isolation, safety, and signal integrity are critical.
Corrosion Immunity: Unlike metals, plastics never rust or corrode, ensuring reliable long-term performance in wet, humid, or corrosive environments without protective coatings.
Low Friction and Self-Lubrication: Materials like Teflon, UHMW, and Acetal provide low-friction surfaces that reduce wear, eliminate the need for external lubrication, and enable quiet, smooth operation.
Cost-Effectiveness: Plastic materials often cost less than specialty metals, and their excellent machinability reduces production time and tooling wear, delivering overall cost savings.
Design Flexibility: Plastics’ diverse property range—from flexible to rigid, transparent to opaque, conductive to insulating—enables creative solutions to complex design challenges.
FDA and Medical Compliance: Many engineering plastics meet FDA requirements and biocompatibility standards, making them suitable for food contact, medical devices, and pharmaceutical applications.
Precision machining advantages for plastic
While injection molding dominates high-volume plastic production, precision machining offers distinct advantages for many applications:
- No Tooling Investment: Machined plastic parts require no expensive molds, making this approach highly cost-effective for prototypes, low volumes, or frequently changing designs.
- Rapid Turnaround: Without tooling lead times, machined components can be produced quickly from design to delivery, accelerating product development and reducing time to market.
- Tighter Tolerances: Precision machining achieves tolerances that often exceed injection molding capabilities, delivering superior dimensional accuracy and fit.
- Material Flexibility: Easily switch between different plastic grades without tooling changes, enabling material optimization and rapid design iteration.
- Complex Geometries: Multi-axis CNC machining produces complex features, tight internal dimensions, and intricate details that may be difficult or impossible to mold.
Design considerations for machined plastic components
Optimizing your designs for plastic machining ensures manufacturability, performance, and cost-effectiveness:
- Material Selection: Choose plastic grades based on operating temperature, chemical exposure, mechanical loads, wear requirements, and any regulatory compliance needs. Our team can guide material selection for your specific application.
- Wall Thickness and Geometry: While plastics are generally more forgiving than metals, consider uniform wall thickness, adequate support for thin sections, and feature spacing that accommodates tooling requirements.
- Tolerance Specifications: Plastics exhibit different thermal expansion and moisture absorption characteristics than metals. Specify appropriate tolerances that account for material behavior while meeting functional requirements.
- Surface Finish Requirements: Clearly communicate surface finish needs, as different plastics machine to different natural finishes. Post-machining operations can enhance appearance or reduce friction when required.
- Environmental Considerations: Consider the component’s operating environment including temperature extremes, UV exposure, chemical contact, and mechanical stress to ensure the selected plastic performs reliably.
- Threading and Fastening: Design threads and fastening features appropriately for plastic’s properties. Some applications benefit from metal inserts or specific thread designs optimized for plastics.
Industries we serve
Our custom machined plastic components have included fittings, housing, insulators, fixtures and more. Precision parts that are lightweight, chemical or wear resistant, for critical applications across diverse sectors:
Plastic materials gallery
Machining solutions for aerospace, automotive, defense & security, electronics, medical, energy and more
Let us bring your plastic component vision to life
Are you looking for a quote on any custom machined plastic parts? We would love to help you out! Whether you need assistance with material selection, design optimization, or simply a reliable manufacturing partner for your plastic components, our team brings the expertise and enthusiasm to ensure your project’s success.
Our technical specialists are ready to discuss your application requirements, recommend optimal materials, and provide competitive quotes for your custom plastic machining needs. From single prototypes to production volumes, we’re committed to delivering precision components that exceed your expectations.
Contact us to discover how our passion for machining can benefit your next project. We can create the perfect plastic components for your application.
Trusted Worldwide
Upload your design specifications to receive a quote for machining. We can help with scheduling, shipping, traceability, materials, and quality. Each request for quote is responded to within three business days.
AS9100D / ISO 9001:2015 Certified and ITAR Registered
Seven Seals Recipient and Pacific Northwest Defense Coalition Member