[erd39030]

Hi!

It takes about 15 minutes to make one part about 0.600" diameter, 0.800 heigth with about 40 holes 0.070dia, 0.750 deep, in PEEK. Tolerances +/- 0.001"

I wonder if this kind of parts can be made faster and at lower cost with rapid prototyping methods (laser sintering, 3D printing, etc). What is the tolerance I can get with them? Can be used with PEEK?

Altough we have a machine dedicated to this jobs, the average order is about 20 parts, so molding is out of the question.

Everardo.

P.D. Is this the right forum to this question?

[underthetire]

Don't think you can print peak, melting point is too high. All the laser sintering stuff I see is 1064nm, not a good wavelength for anything but metals. Also don't think your going to hit those tolerances, at least not keeping it round to that.

I would also think you have the wrong type of machine if it takes that long to drill.

[erd39030]

Thank you, underthetire.

Well, we have a Haas Mini Mill full time dedicated to these jobs, but I am drilling at maximum 2000 rpm, 0.080" pecks, 0.008 ipr.

If I increase rpm, the heat transfer is not enough, the material melts and the drill stucks.
If I use deeper pecks, the chips get tangled in the drill, even with fast spiral drills.
If I increase the feed the drill starts wandering out of center. Anyway, I could't break the chips even at 0.015" per tooth (1500 rpm, F45.0)

These parameters are the ones that I found to work with consistency, about 1000 holes with HSS drills, 3000 holes with uncoated carbide.
Still something inside my head constantly tells me that drilling plastics at 30 SFM is not right... but I can't argue with (limited) success. :-s