Plastic CNC machining
A wide range of plastics for CNC machining, with applications in multiple industries. Ideal for both one-off prototypes and end-use custom parts.
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| Name | Price | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High stiffness, high accuracy, low friction, easy to machine. |
$ $ $ $ $ |
Browse POM (Delrin/Acetal) materials | Get instant quote | |
| Excellent mechanical properties, thermal, chemical and abrasion resistant. |
$ $ $ $ $ |
Browse Nylon materials | Get instant quote | |
| Common thermoplastic, impact resistant, easy to machine. |
$ $ $ $ $ |
Browse ABS materials | Get instant quote | |
| High-performance thermoplastic, very high strength, thermal and chemical resistant. |
$ $ $ $ $ |
Browse PEEK materials | Get instant quote | |
| Low friction, chemical and thermal resistant. |
$ $ $ $ $ |
Browse PTFE (Teflon) materials | Get instant quote | |
| High toughness, excellent impact strength, transparent. |
$ $ $ $ $ |
Browse Polycarbonate materials | Get instant quote | |
| Excellent strength-to-weight ratio, impact and weather resistant. |
$ $ $ $ $ |
Browse Polyethylene materials | Get instant quote | |
| Excellent chemical and weather resistance and good toughness. |
$ $ $ $ $ |
Browse PVC materials | Get instant quote | |
| Transparent rigid plastic often used as a substitute for glass. |
$ $ $ $ $ |
Browse PMMA (Acrylic) materials | Get instant quote | |
| Tough plastic that offers excellent wear resistance and mechanical strength. |
$ $ $ $ $ |
Browse PET materials | Get instant quote | |
| Excellent chemical resistance. Food-safe grades available. |
$ $ $ $ $ |
Browse Polypropylene materials | Get instant quote | |
| High strength, low moisture absorption, and high level of electrical insulation and chemical resistance. |
$ $ $ $ $ |
Browse G-10 materials | Get instant quote | |
| Flame retardant glass fiber epoxy laminate. |
$ $ $ $ $ |
Browse FR4 materials | Get instant quote |
Plastic for machining
Plastic machined parts are a great alternative to metal parts as they are lightweight, easier to machine and often less expensive. Using CNC machining to produce plastic parts remains a top choice for engineers and product teams, given its compatibility with a wide range of plastics. Each type of plastic comes with its own strengths and weaknesses for CNC machining applications. See our available materials above.
Plastic machining services
Protolabs Network offers a state-of-the-art plastic CNC service, guaranteeing consistent quality and fast turnaround times. We have over 1,600 milling and turning machines at our disposal, which means capacity is virtually always available and prices are always competitive. Our network of manufacturers allows us to fulfill orders with a low volume of CNC machined plastic parts as well as more complex plastic CNC machining. We can fulfill complex orders for prototypes and low volume production runs in a wide variety of plastics and surface finish options. Work with us to access our vast CNC plastic machining supply chain today.
CNC plastic machining
Plastic CNC machining is a viable subtractive process for creating complicated plastic components. Sophisticated 3-, 4- and 5-axis CNC machines can produce high-quality end parts with complex geometries. CNC machining plastic presents a viable alternative to 3D printing or injection molding for tighter tolerances and a different array of polymer materials. For low volume manufacturing, CNC machining with plastic is more cost-effective than injection molding.
Frequently asked questions
What is machining plastic?
Plastic machining is a manufacturing process that involves cutting unwanted geometry from a raw block of plastic, bit by bit with a computer numerically controlled (CNC) milling tool, very precisely and allows complex parts to be produced with great accuracy.
How much does plastic CNC machining cost?
The cost of plastic CNC machining depends on the complexity and size of the part as well as the type of plastic that is used. These variables will influence the type of machine that is required, the time it takes to produce the part, and the cost of the raw material.
We use machine learning algorithms to calculate the exact cost of any machinable part directly from a CAD file, based on millions of CNC machining orders we’ve previously processed. Simply upload a CAD file to generate a quote: Get an instant CNC machining quote.
What plastic is best for machining?
ABS is a great general-purpose plastic for CNC machining as it has good machinability and dimensional stability. For applications that require low friction and high stiffness, POM is a viable option. Other plastics can be good choices for applications that have more particular requirements such as specific mechanical or aesthetic properties.