Machinable plastics
PEEK Machining
CDS machines PEEK parts from customer specifications and existing-part records. Hot load, steam, chemistry, wear or a specific documentation requirement may make PEEK worth evaluating against other plastics.
Provide the exact grade, drawing and required dimensions for machining review. PEEK stock supply is also available for quotation, with grade, form and availability confirmed for each request.
When the service requirement makes PEEK worth considering
PEEK is a high-performance, semi-crystalline thermoplastic. It is worth evaluating when a defined requirement rules out a suitable lower-cost material, rather than simply because a part is demanding.
- Load at temperature
- Sustained hot load brings creep, support and dimensional movement into the decision. A family-level temperature description does not establish performance under the proposed stress.
- Steam and chemical exposure
- Temperature, pressure, exposure time, cycles, cleaning and simultaneous stress can alter suitability. The exact grade and finished part need to meet the same conditions.
- Sliding and wear
- Bearing and sliding grades use specific filler systems. Their wear data cannot be transferred automatically to unfilled PEEK, another counterface or a different geometry.
- Electrical, vacuum or purity needs
- The controlling dielectric, resistance, flame, outgassing or contamination requirement can narrow the grade choice. Documentation must apply to that grade and intended use.
Quoted cost depends on grade, stock form, geometry, material removal, quantity, inspection, documentation and availability. Compare alternatives against the same service requirements; there is no universal PEEK cost or performance advantage.
Unfilled, reinforced and functional grades
- Unfilled PEEK
- A specific unfilled grade has its own data and use conditions. Color, stock form and governing specification remain part of the material definition.
- Glass or carbon reinforced
- Reinforcement can change stiffness, thermal expansion, impact, electrical behavior and machining. The reinforcement type and percentage matter.
- Bearing or sliding grades
- Named filler systems address friction or wear duties. The full formulation and contact conditions determine how the data applies.
- Documented functional variants
- Static-control, detectable, medical, semiconductor and other variants need their own documentation. One grade cannot inherit another’s approvals or availability.
The manufacturer, full grade, filler system, color and permitted equivalents belong in the material callout. For an inspection requirement, Detectable Plastics adds the detection questions. Exact grade and form availability need confirmation.
Geometry and stock condition affect dimensional control
Features that influence PEEK machining
- Thin wallSlender sections can respond to support and cutting heat.
- Pocket and cornerDeep removal and abrupt section changes affect the geometry.
- Removed stockThe shaded pocket leaves unequal wall sections; an uneven removal pattern can release internal stress.
- Residual stress and removal
- Internal stress in the stock and an uneven removal pattern can contribute to movement. Warping cannot be ruled out by the PEEK family name alone.
- Heat and support
- Thin or asymmetric walls, deep pockets, grooves and sharp transitions can respond to cutting heat and support. Reinforced grades may machine differently.
- Critical features
- Fits, flatness, finish and edges need review against the actual grade and geometry. No single tolerance applies to every PEEK part.
- Replacement evidence
- Cracks, distortion, wear, leakage or contamination describe the existing problem. A sample cannot establish the original resin, filler or performance basis.
Comparing high-temperature materials
ULTEM, PPS or another material may enter the comparison. Temperature under load, chemistry, wear, electrical behavior, documentation and quoted cost should be assessed on the same basis.
Stiffness is not always an advantage
A flexing bellows has a different job from a rigid component. PEEK is not a simple higher-temperature replacement for PTFE in that geometry.
Your PEEK machining quote
Share your drawing and revision, or the available records for an existing part. CDS quotes machining against your specified material and finished-part requirements.
- Part requirements: Walls, pockets, bores and threads, with customer-specified datums, dimensions, flatness, finish and inspection conditions.
- Specified material: Manufacturer, full PEEK grade, filler or reinforcement, color and permitted equivalents.
- Order and records: Quantity or useful quantity tiers, requested date and required material, inspection or traceability documents. Identify any specified tests for confirmation with the quote.