Machined Components

Why can plastic be better than metal for many Machined Components?

Plastic is lighter and less expensive than many raw metal materials that are generally used for parts. They also have low frictional properties which provide less wear, and as we all know less wear allows for less maintenance related downtime meaning your equipment can be online longer.

Metals are easily attacked by many common chemicals unless they have extensive and costly secondary finishes and coatings. Corrosion due to moisture or even dissimilar metals in close contact is also a major issue when it comes to metal components. However, Polymer and composite materials such as Peek, Polyethylene & Teflon are impervious to some of the harshest chemicals and are also naturally corrosion resistant and experience no galvanic effects. Certain Polymer materials can withstand temperatures over 300°C

Polymer and composites are also both thermally and electrically insulating, whereas metal components require special secondary processing and coating to achieve any sort of insulating properties adding additional cost. Unlike metal, plastics are compounded with colour before machining, which eliminates the need for post treatment finishing efforts such as painting. Whilst we are touching upon colour, this is another added benefit of having bespoke parts machined specifically for your machines from plastic. You can choose the colour of the part you want making. This can be great for those who want to identify (with colour coding) different locations, machines, or categories of process.

How do I know which plastic to use?

When it comes to choosing that is something we can support you with. When it comes to machining parts from plastic in place of metal, there are various things to consider, and it is something that needs to be looked at carefully. You need to ensure that the material used is robust, and can withstand the same usage, temperature etc as your current part.

We have access to all types of plastics and have many years of experience working with machined parts, so we can help your choice.

What kind of Machine Components can be made with plastic?

The below list is not exhaustive so if it is not listed, please do not think we cannot help, you can contact us anytime to discuss your requirements further.

• Gears                                        
• Damping Plates
• Bearings
• Wear Guides
• Seals
• Washers
• Castors
• Piston Guides
• Bushes
• Spacers
• O-Rings
• Friction Bearings
• Pump & Compressor Parts
• Piston Parts

What can your team offer us?

From start to finish we can support you from choosing your material, designing your part, and producing it on site. Having production in house means that we have control and the flexibility to deliver your order on time and in full. We also have a customer service team, as well as on site engineers to support you at every step so you can be assured of help on hand should you need it.