What are UHMW Plastics?

Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene is a high-grade thermoplastic material. It is highly impacts and abrasion-resistant while also having a high internal strength making it suitable for several high-performance applications.

Here are some additional properties of UHMW plastics:

• High machinability.
• High Impact resistance.
• Low porosity.
• Low coefficient of friction.
• High abrasion resistance.
• Chemical and corrosion-resistant.

It is available in a wide variety of colors and grades depending on the application specified by the customer.

Finishes for UHMW Plastics Parts

RapidDone can achieve great surface finishes on UHMW parts using world-class CNC machining techniques. However, to get the parts ready for the market, we also offer several post-processing techniques to our customers.

They include:

1. Annealing

During machining, residual stresses are set up in the part, affecting its performance. We can relieve these stresses by heating the plastic to a specific temperature.

2. Deburring

Small bits of plastic and other surface irregularities often remain on the part after machining. Deburring removes all these irregularities, leaving a smooth, defect-free surface.

Other finishing services we offer include:

• Polishing
• Bead blasting
• Painting (powder coating)
• Silkscreen

Applications

Thanks to the excellent physical properties of UHMW parts mentioned above, they find several applications in many industries. Additionally, they provide greater value for the money than other materials with comparable prices and properties.

Here are some of their applications.

√ Food Handling and Processing Equipment

UHMW is certified food safe by the USDA and FDA so that you can use it in the food and beverage industries.

√ High Wear Parts

UHMW parts are highly resistant to wear and abrasion, so engineers can use them in products that operate under friction. Examples include gears, sprockets, wear plates, bushings, etc.

√ Corrosion-Resistant Components

UHMW components are corrosion resistant, and they have low porosity, making them perfect for adverse or harsh chemical environments. They are used in the marine industry, wastewater treatment facilities, chemical tanks, etc.

Tips for Designing and Machining UHMW Parts

You can create high-quality, engineering-grade products out of UHMW using CNC machining. However, this takes quite a lot of experience and expertise, as UHMW is slightly difficult to work with.

To get the best possible product, we follow a series of guidelines when CNC machining UHMW products. Here are some of these tips.

• Make sure your part’s walls have a thickness of at least 1.5mm (if you have more precise requirements, you can ask us).
• Avoid sharp internal corners in your design and opt for a fillet instead.
• Use high-pressure air blowing instead of water and petroleum-based coolant for the best surface finish.
• Always use sharp, fresh cutting tools (tungsten carbide) to attain the best tolerances.
• Machine the part in short time intervals to reduce heat buildup, which can lead to melting.
• Ensure the part is appropriately and securely clamped to avoid chatter marks stemming from vibrations.

Contact RapidDone Today!

A top-notch CNC machining vendor like RapidDone can be the difference-maker for your UHMW product. We have years of experience working with various plastics, and we would love to use this to help bring your products to life.

Aside from UHMW parts, we also manufacture a lot of other plastic parts, including nylon machined parts, peek machined parts, POM machined parts and more.

So, contact us today with your plans, and let’s work out a cost-effective and sustainable manufacturing plan for you.