PEEK Injection Molding

Resources for The Complete Guide to PEEK Injection Molding

What is PEEK?

PEEK is a semi-crystalline, high-performance, rigid engineering thermoplastic material with a variety of properties and excellent resistance to harsh chemicals. The first synthesis of PEEK occurred in 1977, and industrial production was achieved in 1981.

Although PEEK is often grouped with fluoropolymers such as PFA or PTFE, it does not contain fluorine. PEEK has excellent mechanical and electrical properties, with a maximum continuous operating temperature of 250°C, and excellent mechanical performance in steam or high-pressure water environments up to 300°C.

PEEK (Polyether ether ketone) is a high-performance engineering thermoplastic polymer known for its exceptional mechanical, thermal, and chemical properties. Its molecular chain contains ether bonds and ketone bonds. These special chemical bonds allow PEEK to maintain good performance at high temperatures. performance.

Can PEEK materials be injection molded?

Yes, you can injection mold PEEK (Polyether Ether Ketone). PEEK has a high melting point (around 343°C/649°F), so you need specialized equipment and processing conditions. Also, PEEK has a high viscosity and a relatively low flow rate, so it’s hard to fill complex geometries and cavities. But, with the right equipment, know-how, and processing conditions, you can injection mold PEEK.

Here are some key considerations:

You need high-temperature injection molding machines with a high clamping force and precise temperature control.The screw of the injection molding machine needs a high temperature resistant screw that can handle temperatures above 350 degrees.

You have to be careful when you design PEEK parts so you don’t get defects like warping, cracking, and sink marks. This means you have to think about runner design, gate size, and draft angles. You should make the runner, gate, and draft angle as big as you can.

You have to make the mold with high-temperature-resistant steel materials like H13 or S136. Because of PEEK processing needs high temperatures and pressures.

You have to pick the right PEEK grade. Some PEEK grades are better for injection molding than others. Look for grades that flow better and have lower viscosity.

PEEK must be thoroughly dried before molding to remove residual moisture, typically by drying for 2 to 4 hours at temperatures around 150°C to 160°C.

You have to be careful with the processing conditions, like temperature, pressure, and injection speed, so you can fill and cool the mold right. Its processing conditions: barrel temperature 370~390℃, injection pressure 120MPa. The mold temperature is 170℃.

PEEK parts require slow and controlled cooling to prevent warping or distortion. This may involve using cooling systems or delaying the ejection of the part from the mold.

Since the Injection Gate is pretty big, or some structural molds can't be made, you need to do post-processing. PEEK parts might need extra steps, like cutting, grinding, or treating the surface, to get the surface you want and the size you want.

What are the characteristics of PEEK injection molding material?

PEEK combines high temperature and chemical resistance, excellent mechanical properties, biocompatibility and electrical insulation. It is a multi-purpose material. Some of the key properties of PEEK materials include:

High temperature resistance: PEEK can withstand high temperatures up to 250°C (482°F) without losing its strength or dimensional stability.

Chemical resistance: PEEK has strong resistance to various chemicals, including acids, alkalis, and organic solvents, making it suitable for use in harsh chemical environments.

Excellent mechanical properties: PEEK has a high strength-to-weight ratio, excellent fatigue and wear resistance, and good dimensional stability, making it ideal for applications requiring high strength and durability.

Biocompatibility: PEEK is biocompatible and has been approved for use in medical implants and devices.

Hydrolysis resistance: PEEK has good hydrolysis resistance and is suitable for water and steam environments.

Electrical Insulation: PEEK has excellent electrical insulation properties and is suitable for electrical and electronic applications.

Low Flammability: PEEK has low flammability, which makes it suitable for use in applications requiring fire resistance.

Creep resistance: PEEK keeps its properties under long-term stress, especially at high temperatures.

Radiation resistance: The ability to withstand gamma radiation is very strong, exceeding that of polystyrene, which has the best radiation resistance among general-purpose resins. Can be made into a γ-irradiation dose up to 1100 Mrad and still be safe High-performance wires with good insulation capabilities.

Low moisture absorption: PEEK has outstanding thermal hydrolysis resistance and has very low water absorption in high temperature and high humidity environments. It will not cause significant changes in size due to water absorption like general plastics such as nylon.

What are the properties of PEEK injection molding?

PEEK (polyetheretherketone) plastic raw material is an aromatic crystalline thermoplastic polymer material with high mechanical strength, high temperature resistance, impact resistance, flame retardant, acid and alkali resistance, hydrolysis resistance, wear resistance, fatigue resistance, radiation resistance and Good electrical properties.

Why is PEEK injection molding so expensive?

PEEK (Polyetheretherketone) is a high-performance polymer known for its exceptional mechanical, thermal, and chemical properties. Its high cost can be attributed to several factors, including:

① Making PEEK is complicated: it’s made by mixing special chemicals together. This takes a lot of time and money because you need special machines and people who know what they’re doing.

② Top-notch raw materials: PEEK production needs high-purity raw materials, like aromatic diamines and aromatic dicarboxylic acids, which are expensive to produce and buy.

③ The reaction conditions are harsh and the cost is high: The PEEK polymerization process must ensure reaction in an oxygen-free state, and the reaction temperature is as high as 310-340°C. In order to obtain PEEK resin with higher purity, the crude product needs to be subjected to dozens of alcohol refinement processes and water washing processes.

④ High technical requirements: PEEK has good processing performance, but because PEEK melts at 343°C, and PEEK sticks to stuff, you need special barrels, screws, and molds for your machines, and you have to be good at controlling the temperature.

⑤ There are a lot of products and high initial research and development costs: In order to meet the various working conditions of customers, not only the commonly used basic grades such as carbon fiber reinforcement and glass fiber reinforcement are needed, but also the development of anti-static grades, conductive grades, wear-resistant grades, high-strength grades, etc. ;At the same time, it also requires a lot of R&D work such as structural design, mold design, process design, and mold trial in the early stage.

⑥ The product batch is small and the non-standard specifications are many: Because PEEK has excellent comprehensive performance, it can be used in a wide range of industries. However, most of them are used in special occasions on equipment. Therefore, the overall dimensions, structural features, specifications and models are different. Currently, we are exposed to more than 1,500 products using PEEK.

⑦ Most of them are in the trial stage, and the promotion cost is high: PEEK synthesis has been monopolized by Victrex in the UK. PEEK has been promoted and used abroad for 30 years. However, the understanding and application of PEEK materials in the domestic market have just begun, and many customers are in the trial stage. , the promotion cost is relatively high.

⑧ The requirements for the product are high and the processing steps are many: Because the PEEK material is expensive, the customer’s requirements for the finished product are relatively high. The appearance quality, tolerances, surface finish, etc. need to be strictly controlled. Some products have complex structures, resulting in too many processing steps and too many people participating, resulting in increased costs.

What are the application of PEEK injection molding?

PEEK is a material with excellent comprehensive properties. It can replace traditional materials such as metals and ceramics in many special fields. Its high temperature resistance, self-lubrication, wear resistance, and fatigue resistance make it one of the most popular high-performance engineering plastics today. It is mainly used in aerospace, automotive, electronics and electrical, medical equipment, and other fields.

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