If you ever tried to do precision plastic machining in Washington, you know how difficult it is to work with some materials. It is sometimes challenging working with aluminum or stainless steel, but plastics are a completely different kind of material than metal, especially when it comes to machining to tight tolerances. Here are some helpful tips for getting the best results from your work.
Choosing the Right Plastics Supplier
Not all plastics are the same, and some are of higher quality than others. For examples, some materials may have surface flaws like pitting and they could crack or distort easily. Many shops have a lot of problems with precision plastic machining in Washington because they are not using the best possible materials. Choose a supplier that only deals with high-quality plastics. It may cost more, but you’ll have far fewer machining issues.
Machining Acrylic
When you buy your acrylic material, extruded acrylic may not be the best choice. The process of extrusion may weaken the structure. It’s also important to use very sharp tools, and that’s why most shops use diamond-tipped milling cutters.
Try to keep vibrations to a minimum with acrylic materials. You may need to use extra clamps or other holding tools. For milling thicker materials, it may be a good idea to make more than one pass on the workpiece.
Flame methods for polishing equipment can give you the best finish. However, it takes skill and experience.
Alternatives
If your customers need precision plastic machining in Washington, consider contacting an experienced shop that deals with all kinds of plastics. They can give you both stock and custom parts machined to the tolerances that you need, and they can provide fast turnaround times. This is the easiest and most cost-effective way to serve your customers’ needs without creating a lot of headaches in the process.
