HDPE CNC Machining

Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight Polyethylene (UHMW) is a great material for machining. A hard plastic with a slippery surface, it is resistant to abrasion and wear, and allows for an extended equipment life which helps cut maintenance costs. It provides high-impact strength and is the optimal material for machine guards and chute/hopper liners. UHMW machined parts will outwear all other materials like metals, nylons, or fluoroplastics.

CNC Machining is the primary method used to fabricate parts from UHMW. Material made from UHMW can be milled, turned, sawed, drilled, planed, drilled, welded and stamped. Tools should be kept sharp to get the highest quality surface results. UHMW products can also be machined to a high quality finish on the lathe utilizing high speed, light metal working machines.

UHMW is flexible enough to perform well in both wet and dry environments. UHMW can be bent sufficiently to accomplish flexibility required for installing parts.

Although UHMW and Teflon (also known as PTFE) are similar, they have some key differences. Teflon is more expensive than UHMW and can only handle about 20% of the load that UHMW can. Both have a low coefficient of friction, but Teflon is more slippery. Overall, UHMW has far better wear properties than Teflon, but Teflon can withstand 4X the temperature that UHMW can during continuous operation.