PEEK

PEEK, in full polyetheretherketone, is a high-quality plastic within the group of advanced engineering plastics. This high-performance plastic is used in situations where standard engineering plastics fall short. This includes applications involving high temperatures, heavy mechanical loads, chemical exposure or strict requirements for dimensional stability.

Thanks to its combination of strength, stiffness, wear resistance and temperature resistance, PEEK plastic is highly suitable for demanding components in industries such as mechanical engineering, food processing, chemical processing, the medical sector and high-tech applications. PEEK is widely used for parts such as bearings, bushes, guides, seals, gears, insulators and other technical components.

What is PEEK?

PEEK stands for polyetheretherketone. It is a semi-crystalline thermoplastic with exceptional performance at high temperatures and under demanding conditions. PEEK is known for its strong mechanical properties, excellent chemical resistance and high dimensional stability under thermal load.

While materials such as POM, PA or HMPE perform very well in many technical applications, PEEK is selected when higher requirements apply in terms of heat resistance, wear resistance, chemical resistance or dimensional stability.

Key characteristics

• Operating temperature: -50 °C to 250 °C
• Very high maximum permissible operating temperature in air: 250 °C continuously, up to 310 °C for short-term use
• High mechanical strength, stiffness and creep resistance, even at high temperatures
• Excellent chemical and hydrolysis resistance
• Good sliding properties and excellent wear resistance
• Very high dimensional stability
• Inherently flame-retardant with very low smoke development during combustion
• Good electrical insulating and dielectric properties
• Outstanding resistance to high-energy radiation, such as gamma rays and X-rays

High dimensional stability and thermal stability

An important reason to choose PEEK is its excellent dimensional stability. Due to its low coefficient of thermal expansion and high material stiffness, PEEK remains stable even when the component is exposed to fluctuating temperatures or mechanical loads.

This makes PEEK highly suitable for parts where tolerances, fit and shape retention are important. Examples include precision parts, sliding components, insulating technical parts and machine components that are subjected to long-term loads.

Chemical resistance and wear resistance

PEEK plastic has very good chemical resistance and is resistant to many aggressive substances. Combined with its good hydrolysis resistance, this makes polyetheretherketone suitable for applications involving moisture, steam, cleaning agents or chemicals.

In addition, PEEK offers good sliding properties and high wear resistance. As a result, the material is often used in moving parts, such as bearings, bushes, guides and other components where friction and wear need to be kept to a minimum.

PEEK machining at Lakwijk

PEEK is available as a plastic semi-finished product, for example in sheet and rod form. At Lakwijk, we can cut PEEK plastic to size and further machine it into technical components. Depending on the application and desired final shape, PEEK can be milled, turned or processed in another way.

For rectangular or flat parts, milling is often suitable. This allows features such as contours, recesses, drilled holes, tapped holes and bevelled edges to be added. For round parts, such as bushes, bearings or gears, turning is often the most logical machining method.

We work based on the required dimensions, a technical drawing, a 3D model or a supplied sample. We also think along with you about the right material choice and machining method.