Traditionally, most machine shop operations were done using metal stock or metal parts. However, breakthroughs in the composition of plastics have enabled them to take the place of metal in many applications reducing both the weight and the cost. However, the use of new materials has also caused the development of new machinery and processes to take advantage of these new materials. One of these is the use of Computer Numerical Control (CNC) which utilizes computer programs to control the machining process from beginning to end. This process is also known as CNC plastic machining.
Once the initial design has been programmed into the machine, and the part(s) produced then little additional work is necessary, which is another way in which CNC plastic machining is superior to metal. With a metal part, the surface finish is often rough after its production whereas a plastic part is smooth and doesn’t require deburring or further finish work.
CNC plastic machining is also versatile, allowing the plastic to be produced in a manner so as to create intricate designs in one step whereas with metal it may require multiple procedures to ensure the proper shape thus saving on time and costs.
There are a number of methods used to form plastic parts in addition to the CNC process. However, often the CNC machining of the part is less expensive than the closest alternative, that of injection molding the design. This is primarily due to the higher initial cost of tooling which then requires a larger production run before any savings in cost can be realized.
CNC plastic machining also offers another benefit that of the ability to exercise better and more stringent controls over the product specifications and thus to ensure the products are consistent whether the production run is small or large.
