If you are prototyping plastic parts, there’s 2 common approaches that can be taken. Firstly, 3D printing, which is a quick and cost effective method of manufacturing parts and secondly, CNC machining. While 3D printing is much cheaper and is generally the chosen process, CNC machining is used in cases where higher accuracy or particular mechanical properties are needed.
The most common plastics that Factorem works with are:
Being a self lubricating material, Delrin is great for applications that have high friction/moving parts. It has excellent chemical and moisture resistance, along with mechanical reliability and usability.
For parts requiring high dimensional accuracy and tight tolerances, Delrin is an excellent option.
As it has it’s advantages, being self lubricating, Delrin is very difficult to glue. The material is prone to outgassing.
Bearings, fasteners and bushings. Used to design mechanical fixtures and jigs for a range of industries.
Most variants of nylon (6, 6–6) are rugged plastics with excellent chemical, mechanical, electrical resistance. The material is inexpensive and easy to machine.
Nylon can absorb moisture causing warping and internal stresses. It has very low thermal resistance.
Medical devices, electrical circuits and aerospace grade components.
High impact resistance, scratch resistance and easy to glue.
Acrylic is brittle and has a tendency to crack.
Acrylic is commonly used as a substitute for glass since it has excellent optical transparency and has abrasive resistance. With heat, it’s possible to bend acrylic sheets into a range of shapes and sizes.
One of the most rugged plastics available at Factorem, Polycarbonate has very high impact resistance and is used in situations where a transparent glass substitute is required, with a much higher impact resistance (over 200X more) than glass or acrylic.
The material is prone to scratches and has to coated, to increase it’s impact resistance. Parts are often available as small units.
Blue ray CDs, eyeglasses, screen protectors and bullet proof glass.
Cheap, high impact strength and electrical resistance. Has a low-gloss finish when machined, can be glued, plastic-welded or even painted. Commonly used for inexpensive prototyping that requires rugged parts.
Bad chemical and impact resistance, surface degrades with acetone and other similar solvents.
Most common applications are pre-injection moulding prototypes, electrical enclosures and common electrical appliances.
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