Why WeProFab Machining Polycarbonate

Machining polycarbonate has a lot of processes. There are many processes like thermoforming, laser cutting, embossing, CNC, silkscreen, and more. We make different processes that may suit for your orders.

We can also do the drilling method in production. We proudly offer our advanced or modern technology machines that help fabrication easier.

It is not easy to choose who you trust when handling a business. Find those who can offer and give you a right and reasonable rates. There are many offers that WeProFab can provide. We will help you save a lot.

Every customer’s designs are supported and prioritize at WeProFab. We have skilled engineers that can create your orders perfectly.

WeProFab suggests effective solutions for your problem when choosing the right product. We can also offer prices that can afford to your budget but can gain an outstanding profit. This offer at WeProFab is perfect for business purposes.

All of our production technology machines have a great advantage when fabricating different products. Each machine has protective guards that keep the safety of our engineers and staff. We have clear guards and many others based on machines.

If you choose WeProFab, you can get great benefits, especially in handling business for the first time or as a newbie. We are capable of handling different situations since we are 20 years in the service and already an experienced producer.

In our 20 years of service, there are lots of difficulties and struggles. But we all passed because of the quality offers we provide. There international and local certifications we have passed with the help of our skilled team.

When needed any plastic products including metal fabrication, WeProFab should better to count on. Send us the complete designs of your ideal products and we can give you an awesome offer. Contact us now!

Machining Polycarbonate: The Ultimate Guide

Machining polycarbonate is a process, which entails removal of material chips from polycarbonate workpiece using a cutting tool.

The essence of machining this thermoplastic material is to make complicated parts since some designs would be impossible without this operation.

Benefits Of Machining Polycarbonate

Machining Polycarbonate

Machining polycarbonate presents a wide range of benefits, especially in creating objects with relatively complex shapes.

Some of these benefits include the following;

• The process allows you to attain high-quality parts and components since it uses hi-tech and advanced equipment.
• You can easily use machining to get the parts with ideal precision regardless of the workpiece’s irregular dimensions or close tolerance.
• It makes it possible for various manufacturers to utilize all the raw materials, which is critical in preserving resources and reducing wastes.
• Polycarbonate machining is quite flexible; hence you can use it to produce parts and components suitable for a wide range of applications.
• The process guarantees faster production speed, thus allowing you to create complex parts with relative consistency.
• It is the best alternative to consider when in need of mass production of high-quality plastic parts within shortest time possible.
• You can easily manufacture low volumes economically since the entire process is dependent on equipment setup.
• It saves cost and prevents waste since you can easily start with a trial design before committing to the respective tooling.
• The process is quite flexible, making it easy to accommodate parts with relatively thicker wall sections.
• You can recycle the swarf and reuse it in making other parts or polycarbonate objects, reducing wastage.

Limitations Of Machining Polycarbonate

Machining polycarbonate seemingly comes out as a better plastic processing alternative to consider, especially for complex parts.

However, it has a few shortcomings, which include the following;

• Most polycarbonate machined parts are quite expensive, which often limits purchase power among many end-users.
• The machined thermoplastic parts have a relatively low resistance threshold for extreme acidity temperature and corrosive elements.
• The process requires relative knowledge and expertise to enable you to create ideal complex parts for different applications.
• Depending on the specific machining technique you are using, the workpiece may deform due to amount of heat generated in the process.

Tools You Need When Machining Polycarbonate

Technically, you can use several tools in machining polycarbonate.

Some tools may be used alone, whereas others require you to integrate them with other tools depending on the specific step in the manufacturing process.

Besides, some machining polycarbonate tools are somewhat versatile; thus, you can use them independently for various machining uses.

Nonetheless, these tools are classified in different categories based on the specific machining function they perform, such as follows;

Milling Tools

These are cuttings tools attached to a rotating surface and have numerous blades designed to create holes or cut patterns out of the workpiece.

Mostly, the milling tools are used for milling irregular and flat surfaces of polycarbonate material.

Moreover, you can use them to drill, cut, bore, and create slots on a workpiece.

Milling Tool Being Used On Polycarbonate

Boring Tools

The essence of boring tools in machining polycarbonate is to enlarge and re-shape an already existing hole on the surface material.

A jig borer comes in handy in locating center of a hole accurately, whereas a horizontal boring machine performs the cut.

In modern machining polycarbonate, CNC machines are often used since they guarantee repeatability throughout a workpiece.

Boring Tool

Turning Tools

The design of turning tools is to rotate the polycarbonate workpiece as the cutting tool attached to it removes the material.

Ultimately, it shapes the workpiece to the desired form.

The common type of turning tool often used in machining polycarbonate is the horizontal lathes.

Horizontal Lathe Is A Commoly Used Turning Tools

Grinding Tools

These are tools designed to rotate using a wheel to make light cuts and create desired finish on a specific machined polycarbonate workpiece.

You can also use different types of grinding tools to deburr and remove an unwanted piece from surface material to create an even finish.

Drilling Tools

These are devices, which rotate to create round holes on the surface material of a polycarbonate workpiece.

The type of drilling tool you need is dependent on the specific hole size you are creating on the surface material.

Different Ways Of Machining Polycarbonate

The main machining polycarbonate techniques include the following;

Turning Polycarbonate

Turning Tool

It is the process of removing unwanted material from a cylindrical polycarbonate workpiece by rotating it against the cutting tool.

A single-point turning tool is set to move axially along the workpiece’s side to remove the material and form different desired features.

Some of these features include contours, tapers, chamfers, and steps among others.

Machining such features occur at a small radial depth of cut, and multiple passes are created until the desired diameter is attained.

The advantage of turning polycarbonate is that it enables you to attain the required dimensions easily.

Moreover, turning produces a smooth finish on this thermoplastic, which is vital in enhancing the efficiency and aesthetics of the part.

Additionally, turning polycarbonate utilizes comparatively less energy and also makes it easier to collect chips.

A major shortcoming of turning polycarbonate is that it is limited to rotational parts.

Furthermore, it leads to significant tool wear and produces a large amount of swarf, easily seen as wastage.

When turning polycarbonate, ensure you have the right knowledge of operating the equipment.

Also, wear all the appropriate protective gear to prevent imminent injuries during the process.

Milling Polycarbonate

This refers to a machining process, which uses rotary cutters to remove unwanted material by advancing a cutter into a polycarbonate workpiece.

Milling polycarbonate is ideal for producing several flat surfaces, racks, slots, and grooves among others.

The process uses a cutter with several sharp teeth or spinning the teeth at higher speeds.

Alternatively, the sharp teeth could be designed to advance through the cutter slowly.

Often, it is the combination of all three approaches that make the process attainable.

The advantage of milling polycarbonate is that it allows you to produce different parts than most operations.

Also, this machining process guarantees accuracy when manufacturing parts, which is vital in enhancing performance and efficiency.

However, milling polycarbonate as a process requires immense knowledge thus requires the operator to have sufficient relevant training.

Furthermore, the process can be quite expensive for small production.

Always ensure the settings of the milling tools are appropriate and wear protective gear as preventive measures.

Milling Polycarbonate Involves The Use Of A Rotary Cutter

Drilling Polycarbonate

Drilling involves creating a new hole or refining an already existing hole on the surface of polycarbonate material using a rotating cutter.

In many instances, drill presses are used in drilling polycarbonate, but at times different drilling tools are attached to compatible mills or lathes to create holes.

Technically, in this operation, a drill gets into the workpiece axially through the end and cuts a hole with a diameter equivalent to the tool.

The advantage of drilling polycarbonate is that it is easy to increase hole diameter further by counter boring operation.

Also, this operation is relatively fast; thus, you can use it to create holes in numerous parts within shortest time.

But the main drawback of drilling polycarbonate is that drilling speed is dependent on the wall thickness of the material.

Faster drilling speeds may generate heat, which could easily melt the material and deform it.

When drilling this component, it is advisable to use an appropriate drill bit and ensure it fits well into the drilling machine.

Boring Polycarbonate

It is a cutting process involving using a single-point boring head to enlarge an existing hole in a workpiece.

In this operation, a boring head or cutting tool enters the workpiece axially and cuts along internal surface to create various features.

Essentially, the boring head is a single-point cutting tool you can set to cut the required diameter.

The advantage of this operation is that it allows you to create accurate and consistent holes on a polycarbonate workpiece.

Moreover, this operation can single out the exact position of a hole or series of holes since it uses a single-point tool to remove stock from a workpiece.

The drawback of boring polycarbonate is that tooling design mostly surrounds the tool making it quite challenging regarding tool holding rigidity.

When undertaking this operation, it is imperative to wear protective goggles to prevent your eyes from loose chips.

Punching Polycarbonate

This machining process uses a punch press to force a tool known as punch through a workpiece to form a hole.

It occurs when a punch press is forced through a workpiece to produce a hole equivalent to the punch.

The main advantage of this operation is that it is quite cost-effective to create holes on polycarbonate surfaces.

Thus, you can use it for mass production of different parts if you work on a relatively tight budget.

However, punching polycarbonate is a bit slow technique, thus unsuitable where urgency is a concern.

Always ensure the punching press machine is in the right condition to prevent unnecessary jamming, which might cause unprecedented injuries.

Reaming Polycarbonate

It is a cutting process involving using a rotary cutting tool to form smooth and even interior walls in an existing workpiece hole.

The rotary cutting tool used in this operation is known as a reamer.

Technically, the reamer enters workpiece axially through the end to enlarge an already existing hole to an equivalent tool diameter.

This operation removes a minimal amount of material and is usually performed after drilling to enhance diameter accuracy and smoother internal finish.

The advantage of this process is that it uses high-performance reamers with multiple cutting edges hence higher feeds and speeds.

As such, it increases production throughput due to the reduced cycle time.

A Reamer Tool

Grinding Polycarbonate

Ideally, this is a machining operation used for removing unwanted materials from a workpiece by using a grinding wheel.

The grinding wheel turns as it cuts the material off the workpiece, creating a smooth surface texture on it.

This operation produces a high surface finish with ultimate precision and accurate dimensions.

Also, you can conduct this operation by applying relatively less pressure on the workpiece.

However, the tooling cost of grinding is a bit expensive, and it can hardly remove a significant amount of material from the workpiece.

When grinding polycarbonate, it is imperative to wear protective gear to protect you from loose material and flying debris.

When Using Grinding Wheel On Polycarbonate Always Ensure Safety By Wearing Protective Gear

Nevertheless, the choice of an ideal way of machining polycarbonate is based on different factors such as the following;

• Design – Ordinarily, different designs require different methods of machining.

Thus, it is imperative to consult with your manufacturer to determine the right method suitable for your particular design.

• Tolerance – All these ways of machining polycarbonate often provide different tolerance for parts.
•  Surface finishing – if you need parts with smooth finishing, grinding often comes in handy.

On the other hand, drilling and turning rarely provide same level of smooth surface finishing that grinding provides.

Polycarbonate Machining Techniques

Machining technique is a vital aspect in determining the overall result of the part you are manufacturing.

Ordinarily, you can use two major techniques to machine polycarbonate workpiece, which include the following;

Subtractive Machining

Typically, this is a machining technique, which involves removal of materials from the component through cutting, grinding, boring, and drilling.

As such, it makes it easy for you to create desired part shape by removing a larger chunk of material from the workpiece.

You can perform subtractive machining manually or using a computerized system known as CNC.

CNC method uses a virtual model designed in CAD software, which serves as input for fabrication tools.

A combination of user input and software simulation generates toolpaths, which guide cutting tool to the part geometry.

The instructions relayed trigger the machine to make vital cuts, holes, channels, or any feature, which requires material removal.

Ideally, subtractive machining operations are used for creating parts for tooling, prototyping, and end-use.

Besides, these technique provides parts, which are suitable for applications that need tight tolerance.

It is also ideal for making parts with geometries that are difficult to mold, cast, or produce with other conventional operations.

Additive Machining

Also known as 3D printing, additive machining is a relatively contemporary technique used to design three-dimensional objects from a digital model.

In contrast to subtractive machining, which entails removal of a larger piece of material, additive machining builds objects by adding one layer at a time.

Ordinarily, each successive layer bonding precedes every layer until the part is complete.

This technique uses a CAD model to create a wide range of parts.

Moreover, preparing models for 3D printing with slicer computer software programs is mainly automated.

Thus, this makes job setup relatively easier and faster than CNC tools.

3D printed parts usually need relative cleaning and finishing to attain their ultimate features and appearance before being considered ideal to use.

Surface Finishing Operations After Machining Polycarbonate

In machining polycarbonate, different surface finishing processes lead to unique surface finishing characteristics.

Technically, the type of surface finish you want to attain on your polycarbonate part determines the actual finishing operation.

The commonly used methods include the following;

Precision  Grinding

This surface finishing operation uses abrasives, often attached to a rigid backing like a wheel firmly.

Often, this operation is used before polishing to remove various surface imperfections and is mostly done as first operation in a finishing sequence.

Moreover, it uses a series of wheels with decreasing grit sizes.

Honing

It is a surface finishing operation that uses silicon carbide or aluminum oxide abrasive to produce straight and round bores.

Ideally, it corrects the taper, spirals, or out-of-roundness produced by the previous machining technique.

Furthermore, this surface finishing operation provides precise size control.

It produces a characteristic crosshatched finish leading to a stress-free surface and enhancing sealing ability.

An ideal way to attain a smoother surface while honing is by using finer grit abrasion and a coolant with higher viscosity.

Polishing

This method uses abrasives that are attached firmly to a flexible backing, in most cases, a wheel or belt.

Technically, the essence of polishing is to maintain close tolerances while enhancing the surface finish.

Buffing

This operation uses a fine abrasive often suspended in a lubricating binder designed to smoothen and brighten the surface material.

An abrasive substance is applied to the surface material using a flexible cloth wheel or felt.

The essence of buffing is to smoothen part surfaces that may or may not have been polished before.

If properly executed, it can produce an excellent finish of about 4-8 micro inch Ra.

Super-finishing

This is an abrasion process suitable for refining the outer diameter of cylindrical machined polycarbonate parts.

It is more or less similar to honing in terms of action and effect only that it works on the exterior diameter of the part.

Super-finishing surface operation can produce finishes of up to 2 micro inches Ra.

Besides, it is quite fast and relatively cost-effective than most finishing operations.

Conclusion

Machining polycarbonate is quite an intensive and involving process.

Thus, it is always imperative to seek assistance and guidance from professionals like us to guarantee best results.