Machining

When machining and working thermoplastic polymers, their special properties must be considered. Their viscoelastic properties impose special requirements on tooling. The use of tools made of HSS-steels has proved advantageous. In general, the tools must be kept very sharp and the part to be machined must be clamped in such a way to prevent it from vibrating during processing.

In contrast to metals, polymers exhibit very low thermal conductivity, i.e. heat is not conducted away from the surface into the workpiece as it is the case with metals. Therefore, heat must be actively removed from the surface, which is preferably done by means of the chips. Additional air cooling can also be very effective.

Tolerances

With “plastics-compatible” we refer to a tolerance zone for mechanically processed parts of at least 0.1 mm depending on the absolute dimensions. This results from  the much stronger tendency of plastics to change in dimension under external influences in comparison to metals.

Please note: The allowance for semi-finished products provides that the nominal size can be achieved when properly processed. The applicable tolerances for semi-finished products can be found in our catalog.