[JUSEP]What are the processing methods for Peek materials?

When processing PEEK materials, the characteristics of PEEK materials should be fully considered, and necessary adjustments should be made in the use of cutting tools and processing parameters. Especially for PEEK materials with slightly larger dimensions, heat treatment should be carried out after rough processing to eliminate internal stress, in order to avoid material explosion and part deformation, and ultimately produce qualified high-quality products.
Turning machining. According to the processing of different grades of PEEK materials, machining tools can be selected. Generally, YW1 or YW2 universal hard alloy knives can be used, and diamond knives are preferred. High speed steel (white steel knife) has too low hardness and rigidity, making it easy to wear out. During processing, coolant should be used to reduce wear and thermal conductivity; Otherwise, during the machining process, the high temperature caused by the friction between the cutting tool and the end face of the product will lead to the melting of the material. For processing thin-walled parts, due to their poor rigidity and weak strength, if directly clamped with the jaws of a three jaw chuck, deformation is likely to occur, increasing the shape error of the part and thus the roundness of the part cannot be guaranteed. Therefore, when processing thin-walled products, clamping methods such as open sleeves or spring clamps should be used. It is also possible to change the direction of the clamping force and change the radial clamping to axial clamping, using some pressure plate tools for clamping. Reasonably choose the cutting amount, and the cutting amount has a significant impact. Therefore, when cutting thin-walled sleeves, the cutting amount and cutting speed should be reduced. Appropriately increasing the rake angle when machining PEEK materials can make the cutting tool sharp, smooth chip removal, reduce friction between cutting and the rake surface, and reduce cutting force and cutting heat. Appropriately increasing the blade inclination angle can increase the actual rake angle of the turning tool, reduce the edge arc, and improve the sharpness of the tool. Thereby reducing cutting force and cutting heat. According to the characteristic that the axial bearing capacity of thin-walled sleeves is greater than the radial bearing capacity, increasing the main deviation angle appropriately can reduce the back force and thus reduce the deformation of the workpiece. Appropriately increasing the secondary deflection angle can reduce the friction between the secondary cutting edge and the workpiece, resulting in a decrease in cutting heat. Appropriately reducing the radius of the knife tip arc can reduce the back force, thereby reducing the deformation of the workpiece, but it cannot be too small, as it will affect the surface roughness of the workpiece and also reduce the heat dissipation area of the knife tip.
Milling processing. When milling, the feed rate should be small and the coolant should be sufficient, otherwise when the cutting heat generated is too large, it will cause the surface of the product to change color and turn yellow; Try to use end mills with large front angles, good chip removal, and sharp edges for machining; When clamping, full consideration should be given to the deformation that may occur after product processing, and the clamping force and workpiece clamping method should be appropriately controlled.
Drilling processing. You cannot directly use a large drill bit to drill holes. You can first use a drill bit with a diameter less than 10mm to drill holes, then use a smaller boring tool to drill holes, and finally use a large boring tool to drill holes; During drilling, the drill bit should be repeatedly withdrawn to remove debris; To ensure sufficient and timely cooling of the cutting fluid, heat can be quickly reduced, and the drilling feed rate should be appropriately reduced. When the drill bit wears out, it should be promptly ground.
Special attention should be paid when threading materials. PEEK material is more wear-resistant, and threading wear will occur quickly, so it is necessary to regularly check the thread size. After the tap wears out, it is easy for the product to deform or even crack due to the increased squeezing force. When tapping, it is necessary to apply coolant or tapping oil on the tap, and the feed rate should be small. When tapping deep holes, try to use segmented and multiple tapping.