MetalworkingFun Forum

Have a job in house working on some PEEK (Polyether ether ketone) plastic.

Here's your truly with a .500" thick sheet 12" x 12".





This one sheet will be cut up in our saw in to approx. 88 blanks that will get machined in our Haas VF-2SS sitting behind me.


What the parts are for, I have no clue, but they are costly little buggers, that I can tell you!


This one sheet of plastic right here in my hands costs.............



Just a tad over $507.00



Measure twice, cut once.............BULLSHIT.............check, double check.........and CHECK AGAIN!!!  

Later,
Russ

Yeah, that stuff is priced like GOLD, ain't it?

Have you machined it yet? I've not done much milling, but turned and drilled a fair bit of it. While it cuts more like a soft steel in some ways, it can wear out tools like a ore-heat treated steel would.

Tomorrow is the day Ken. Spent the day programming today. Will post up some pics of the process and maybe even some video later on.

Best Regards,
Russ

Best of luck Russ! I know you can try machining it like Delrin but it can be even harder to hold onto it. It loves to pop right out of a vise if you push too hard. At the cost of that material it behooves you to take it easy.

Oooh - I want to see a video of this.

I notice those shelves in the background look to be set out much more orderly. I'm happy to have helped you free up some room Russ

Well, ran these parts today, and have to tell you......everything came out perfect......so far that is.

Parts held size without issue. No chipping or broken edges. No worn out tooling, and not a problem with chip control at all.

Approached the job using variable flute carbide end mills, and aluminum specific face milling inserts.


Here's some pics of the parts after the 1st op has been completed.










I used my Walter Valenite 2.00" face mill with Walter aluminum specific inserts to clean the top surface, then using some Lakeshore Carbide Variable 3 Flute Carbide End Mills we profiled and finished all the boss diameters, and again with a Lakeshore .125" carbide chamfer mill chamfered the parts complete.

Walter Valenite 2.00" Face Mill 9550 RPM 150 IPM .06" DOC .500" WOC (width of blank)
Lakeshore Carbide .500" Variable 3 Flute End Mill 12,000 RPM 90 IPM - Profile .300" DOC .125" WOC
Lakeshore Carbide .375" Variable 3 Flute End Mill 12,000 RPM 90 IPM - Rough and Finish the three bosses. .142" DOC UP TO .375" WOC
Lakeshore Carbide .125" Chamfer Mill 4 Flute 12,000 RPM 100 IPM Chamfer complete .010" X 45*


As I said, chip control was a non-issue!








The tool in pocket 19 (.500" dia. variable 3 flute) did the trick along with its .375" dia. counterpart. The face mill shown is the Walter 3" version of the 2" Walter face mill I used. The inserts shown are the same however, razor sharp edges and make quick work at low torque of any job!!





Sorry folks......too busy to get any video.............


Best Regards,
Russ

You're making Lego??

Kinda looks like that, don't it? Crazy thing is he got 80 some pieces out of that 12x12 piece.

Here's the finished product with the brass insert pressed in.  Parts will ship on Monday. Life is good!

That a PEM insert? Whatever the maker, how do you determine the hole size for the right press fit in a given material? Does the supplier of the insert give you a size hole to shoot for or was that given on your customer's print?

How did you do on your estimate versus actual?