Machining Cast Epoxy & Urethane
Components
The following are general suggestions for
machining cast epoxy and polyurethane components.
Considerations:
Epoxies
and Polyurethanes are, by nature, insulators and are not the best at dissipating
the heat generated during machining. Since there are a great number of products
available that are formulated to be machinable it is best to use one of these
materials for components that will require machining.
One of
the major considerations in formulating machinable materials is the type of
fillers used in the formulation. Products containing metallic fillers are
considerably easier to machine than those containing silica or similar fillers.
The amount of filler loading also makes a great deal of difference. The higher
the metallic filler content the easier it is to machine the component.
Almost
all cast epoxy and polyurethane components are machinable just that some are
more difficult to machine than others.
General suggestions:
-
Control
the heat build-up.
-
Use
medium to high speeds.
-
Use low
feed rates.
-
Use
carbide tools (silica fillers are extremely hard on tools).
Suggestions for drilling:
-
Secure
the part to be machined.
-
Use
carbide tipped drill bits.
-
Withdraw the drill frequently and allow it to cool.
-
Drill
small amounts at a time (slow feed rates).
-
Use
medium to fast speeds.
-
Do not
allow the resin to heat sufficiently to become gummy as this will cause it to
bind.
Suggestions for turning (lathe or milling etc.):
-
Secure
the work piece.
-
Use
high speeds.
-
Use or
sharpen tool to provide a small shaving edge (no feather edges).
-
Take
off small amounts of material at a time.
-
Keep
tool cool.
Threading:
-
Secure
the work piece.
-
Use a
tool that is ground to an angle that will produce a shaving action
-
Make
several passes to achieve the desired thread.
-
Slightly warming the component being threaded may help.
Sawing:
-
Secure
the work piece.
-
May be
done with a saw blade or cut-off wheel.
-
Use
diamond or carbide tipped tools.
-
Cool
the tool to prevent overheating.
Grinding:
-
Secure
the work piece.
-
Use
diamond or carbide wheels.
-
Cool
the work piece with water to prevent the part from expanding due to heat.
Disclaimer:
The above information is general in nature and is based solely on experiences by Crosslink Technology Inc. The recommendations provided herein may not be applicable in all situations. They are provided to the recipient as part of our customer service and the user must determine the relevance of the information to his/her application, considering any limitations that may be applicable thereto. Crosslink technology Inc. does not accept any liability for direct or consequential damages resulting from the the implementations of these recommendations or the use of this information.
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