The grade decides which tolerance is achievable, how the part bonds, and whether it survives your chemistry. We machine eight grades day to day — listed here under the abbreviations your drawings already use.
Full property tables, stocked forms, machining notes and application guidance for the grades we are asked about most.
Indicative values for the grades we stock. Final selection should account for your sterilisation method, media and thermal cycling.
| Grade | Optical | Max. cont. temp. | Chemical resistance | Machinability | Bonding | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PMMA Acrylic | Excellent — 92 % | 65–80 °C | Good; avoid ketones and chlorinated solvents | Excellent | Solvent, thermal, adhesive | Microfluidic chips, cuvettes, light guides |
| PC Polycarbonate | Good — 89 % | 115 °C | Moderate; stress-crazes in solvents | Good | Adhesive, ultrasonic | Impact-resistant housings, medical parts |
| COC / COP Cyclic olefin | Excellent — 91–92 % | 100–130 °C | Very good; very low water uptake | Good; brittle, needs sharp tools | Thermal, ultrasonic | Diagnostic chips, pharmaceutical packaging |
| PSU / PPSU Polysulfone | Transparent amber | 150–180 °C | Very good; steam sterilisable | Moderate | Adhesive, ultrasonic | Reusable medical, hot-water parts |
| PEI Polyetherimide | Amber, ~80 % | 170 °C | Good; attacked by strong bases | Good | Adhesive, ultrasonic | Electrical and medical housings, aircraft interiors |
| PI Polyimide | Opaque amber / brown | 260–300 °C | Excellent; limited by strong alkalis | Fair; abrasive, needs sharp carbide | Adhesive only | Semiconductor, vacuum and high-temperature wear parts |
| PBI Polybenzimidazole | Opaque, dark amber | 400 °C + (inert) | Good; not for strong acids or alkalis | Difficult; very abrasive | Adhesive only | Seals, valve seats, high-load insulators |
| PEEK Polyetheretherketone | Opaque, natural tan | 250 °C | Outstanding; few solvents attack it | Moderate; abrasive, needs rigid setup | Adhesive; surface prep critical | High-temperature, chemically aggressive components |
Twenty-three grades stocked in sheet, rod and tube — from polymers that hold shape at 300 °C to cost-effective engineering plastics. All machined under the same process control and shipped with material certification.
Extreme temperature, wear and chemical duty — machined to the tightest tolerances and the most complex geometries.
The workhorse tier: sterilisable, chemically robust and dimensionally stable at moderate temperatures.
Cost-effective grades for housings, fixtures, windows and structural parts in volume production.
The default for microfluidics, flow cells and optical parts. Cast sheet machines and polishes better than extruded; specify cast when optical clarity and flatness matter.
The engineering answer when temperature, chemical attack or wear rule out transparent polymers. Opaque, expensive and demanding to machine — but unmatched in aggressive environments.
Transparent amber engineering plastic with the best stiffness-to-temperature balance below PEEK. The usual choice for sterilizable housings, manifolds and electrical insulation.
Machinable polyimide for the temperature range where PEEK creeps and PEI is already out. Low outgassing and low wear make it a vacuum and semiconductor standard.
The highest compressive strength of any machinable thermoplastic and the highest continuous service temperature. Used where metal cannot insulate and PEEK cannot take the load.
Chosen when impact strength and temperature range matter more than optical purity. Medical grades are available with USP Class VI documentation.
The premium choice for diagnostic consumables: low water uptake, excellent optical properties and very low fluorescence background — critical for fluorescence assays.
For reusable devices that see repeated steam sterilisation. Transparent amber, tough, and dimensionally stable at autoclave temperatures.
We also machine PVDF for high-purity fluid handling, PETG for cost-sensitive housings and PA (nylon) for general structural parts. Send the media list and we will advise.
Fluorescence readout? COC/COP has the lowest background. Absorbance? PMMA is usually enough and much cheaper.
Above 150 °C or with aggressive solvents, the shortlist becomes PEI, PI, PBI or PEEK. Send the media list and we will screen it.
Bonding method follows from material pair; tolerance follows from function. We quote both, not just the part.
Send your application notes. We will recommend a grade, explain the trade-off, and quote both options so you can compare.
