EPP Corporation-Plastic Machining Experts » New Product Development

Plastic Machining: Plastic Prototypes and Plastic Machining-Save Money and Time When Innovating

admin — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 16:45:29 +0000

Fast Plastic Machined Prototypes as a Quick, Inexpensive Solution

In the new product development process, teams are faced with two roadblocks: cost and time. Specifically in a down economy a business needs to be innovative in order to stand out from the competition.

The initial frustration for research & development teams is cost. Valuable projects are put on hold because R&D budgets cannot cover the expensive introductory costs of new tooling and initial manufacturing of new designs. In today’s economic environment, corporate cost cutting is needed to help companies survive the recession. While the cost cutting is crucial, revenues must also increase as a means of beating the competition. Of course new product development is required to do so, but it needs to be cost effective. If projects have plastic components, then the cost of tooling can be a huge obstacle. Tooling and molds can cost tens of thousands of dollars. The solution: have the plastic parts machined. Prototypes as well as the first few years of production quantities can be produced for a fraction of the cost. While molding requires full commitment to a part’s design, design changes to plastic machined parts cost absolutely nothing.

Time is of the essence regardless of industry. After costs are sorted out and the decision to use plastic machining has been made, time becomes the largest constraint. That is where fast plastic prototyping comes into play. EPP Corporation is capable of short-run, quick-turn Custom Plastic Prototypes with delivery in one week or less. The plastic machined prototypes are of the highest quality on tolerances up to +/- .001″. Simple or complex 3D parts are welcomed for fast plastic prototyping, and free application engineering is available.
Don’t time and cost from preventing innovation. Stand out from the competition through new product development. Save time and money by machining plastic components, and have your plastic prototypes delivered in under a week.

Contact EPP Corporation now to see how plastic machining and plastic prototypes can help your new product hit the market and put your company ahead of the game!

EPP Corporation: America’s Premier Plastic Machining Supplier- an ISO Certified American supplier of machined plastic parts with over 35 years of experience, specialized in custom plastic machining for the aerospace, instrumentation, medical,fluid power, and military industries. Capable of short-run, quick-turn plastic prototypes, CNC Milling, CNC Lathe, Screw Machining, and Custom Plastic Manifolds. For more information or to request a quote, please free to contact us at 847-952-8400 or sales@eppcorp.com

Plastic Machining: Free, Helpful Tools in Selecting Plastic Machined Components- Plastic Properties Handbook and Plastic Design Guide

admin — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 14:06:34 +0000

All plastic materials are not created equal. When having custom plastic machined parts produced, it is crucial to select the appropriate materials in order for the plastic machined components to meet desired specifications and performance requirements. In order to simplify the process of selecting the appropriate plastic material for your machined plastic parts, EPP Corporation offers a free Plastic Properties Handbook and Plastic Machining Design Guide.

How to Use the Design Guide

Refer to the Design Considerations at the bottom of this page. Consider whether each item on the checklist is a factor in the application or affects performance requirements for the component design.
Select the categories that have the greatest affect on your application.
Review the materials in the Plastic Properties Handbook and make a list of possible material candidates.
Contact our technical support to discuss options or ask additional questions.

Plastic Machining Design Considerations

Thermosensitivity – tolerance can change in different temperature conditions
Sensitivity to humidity and hygroscopic absorption affects tolerance
Sensitivity to chemicals and oils
Notch sensitive corners and square ID’s
Tolerances
High loads
High impact
Fatigue loading or cycle loading requires consideration of flexing, deflecting, and compression
Temperature – max/min extent of time
Electrical considerations such as insulating properties
Wear resistance or abrasion resistance
Dimensional shape retention (load, cold flow, temperature)
Regulatory requirements (FDA, UL, etc.)
Appearance (color, texture)
Optical requirements
Outdoor use

Now that you’ve identified the important factors in your application, evaluate material specs in the Plastic Properties Handbook and select your material!

Plastic Machining: Using a Metal Machining Company to Produce Plastic Machined Parts: The Risks

admin — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 15:17:13 +0000

Engineers and buyers often reach out to metal machining companies to produce plastic machined parts, thinking, “They use the same manufacturing processes, don’t they? Does it really matter?”

It does matter. If you’ve wondered whether you should have a metal machinist produce your plastic machined parts, The Short Answer Is – No, You Should Not.

Here’s why:

Cutting fluids for each material are crucial: Equipment used to machine metal – even if only used for metal occasionally – can contaminate parts with oil-based cutting fluids. Many plastics are also very sensitive to petroleum based cutting fluids and will degrade if they come into contact with these fluids. Additionally, many plastics are hydroscopic and will absorb the cutting oils. If the parts are being manufactured for FDA-approved uses or medical applications, they will not meet standards.

Metal fragments contaminate plastic parts: It is difficult to adequately clean a machine that has been working on metals, especially if it has been working on stainless steel. This can lead to another contamination problem. If the plastic material is soft, residual metal fragments can become embedded in the plastic machined parts.

Metal shops are experts in metal, not plastic: Metal machining companies rarely have any in-depth knowledge of plastic materials, or more specifically, which material to use in an application. Plastic machining experts know what plastics are best for any function, and can produce the plastic part you need without the “trial-and-error” processes a metal machinist would use. A good plastic machining firm will have the material knowledge and the right machining processes to consistently give you the highest quality plastic machined parts.

If you’ve got plastic machined components, EPP Corporation can help.

Plastic Machining: Design Guide for Plastic Parts

admin — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 15:18:58 +0000

How to use the Plastic Design Guide

Refer to the Design Considerations at the bottom of this page. Consider whether each item on the checklist is a factor in the application or affects performance requirements for the component design.
Select the categories that have the greatest affect on your application.
Review the materials in the Plastic Properties Handbook and make a list of possible material candidates.
Contact our technical support to discuss options or ask additional questions.

Plastic Machining Design Considerations

Thermosensitivity – tolerance can change in different temperature conditions
Sensitivity to humidity and hygroscopic absorption affects tolerance
Sensitivity to chemicals and oils
Notch sensitive corners and square ID’s
Tolerances
High loads
High impact
Fatigue loading or cycle loading requires consideration of flexing, deflecting, and compression
Temperature – max/min extent of time
Electrical considerations such as insulating properties
Wear resistance or abrasion resistance
Dimensional shape retention (load, cold flow, temperature)
Regulatory requirements (FDA, UL, etc.)
Appearance (color, texture)
Optical requirements
Outdoor use

Now that you’ve identified the important factors in your application, evaluate material specs in the Plastic Properties Handbook and select your material!