Turning plastic for technical and industrial applications

Plastic Turning

Plastic turning is a machining process in which plastic rod stock is shaped into a part with the desired form and dimensions. This process is primarily used for smaller parts with a round shape. While milling is often used for larger or rectangular products, turning is specifically used for round end products made from rod stock.

In plastic turning, the process therefore always begins with rod stock. Starting from that raw material, the product is machined step by step until the desired end result is achieved. Depending on the part, this may involve a simple round shape, but it can also involve a product requiring additional machining operations, such as a hole in the center, a bore off-center, or a contour that will be milled later.

What is plastic turning used for?

Plastic turning is widely used for parts in mechanical engineering. These are often smaller parts that must closely match the application in terms of shape, diameter, and finish.

This process is used for, among other things:

• bearings
• bushings
• gears
• other round machine parts

Because the product is made according to the customer’s specifications, plastic turning is a custom process. The shape and dimensions depend entirely on the required part.

When should you choose plastic turning?

Plastic turning is especially the right choice when the end product is round. Depending on the diameter, turning is often simpler or more suitable than milling. Rectangular materials and larger products, on the other hand, are more often milled. Thus, the choice between milling and turning is strongly related to the shape of the product and the raw material.

From bar stock to finished product

Plastic turning uses round bar stock. This material is placed in the machine and then machined into the desired product. For larger production runs, bar feeders can be used. Depending on the diameter, multiple bars can be loaded into the machine to enable batch production.

For larger production runs, a bar feeder can be used. In this process, multiple bars are loaded into the machine, enabling batch production.