Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2025-09-10 Origin: Site
PEEK is a semi-crystalline, high-performance engineering plastic renowned for its incredible combination of properties. It’s not your average plastic; it’s a material engineered to perform under extreme conditions where most others would fail.
Unmatched High-Temperature Resistance: This is PEEK's flagship feature. With a continuous service temperature up to 260°C (500°F) and a heat deflection temperature soaring above 300°C for reinforced grades, PEEK molds thrive where others melt. This makes them the perfect choice for molding Liquid Silicone Rubber (LSR) and other high-temperature polymers like PEEK itself, PPS, or PEI.
Exceptional Wear Resistance & Low Friction: Molds are subject to constant mechanical wear. Carbon fiber-reinforced PEEK offers wear resistance rivaling some metals. Its inherent lubricity means components like ejector pins, guide bushings, and sliders operate smoothly without the need for external lubricants. This eliminates oil contamination—a critical advantage for medical and optical parts.
Outstanding Mechanical Properties: Don’t let its plastic nature fool you. Glass or carbon fiber-reinforced PEEK boasts strength, stiffness, and creep resistance that allow it to withstand the repeated high pressures and clamping forces of the injection molding process over incredibly long lifespans.
Superior Dimensional Stability: PEEK has a very low coefficient of thermal expansion, similar to metals like aluminum. This means a PEEK mold insert will maintain its precise dimensions even under intense heat, ensuring consistent part tolerances cycle after cycle. Its low moisture absorption (<0.5%) further guarantees stability.
Chemical Inertness: PEEK is highly resistant to a wide range of chemicals, solvents, and hydrolysis. It won’t corrode from cooling water or degrade from chemical agents released during the molding process.
Lightweight and Easy to Machine: A PEEK mold component is about one-sixth the weight of its steel counterpart. This makes handling, changing, and maintaining molds faster and easier. Furthermore, it can be precision-machined using standard CNC milling and turning equipment, drastically reducing lead times compared to complex metal mold fabrication.
Not all PEEK is created equal. The base resin is enhanced with reinforcements to target specific needs:
PEEK 450G (Unreinforced): Offers the highest toughness and chemical resistance. Ideal for complex shapes or molds requiring excellent corrosion resistance.
PEEK 450GL30 (30% Glass Fiber Reinforced): The workhorse grade. It provides the best all-around balance of stiffness, strength, thermal resistance, and cost-effectiveness. The go-to choice for most mold cavities, cores, and fixtures.
PEEK 450CA30 (30% Carbon Fiber Reinforced): The premium performance option. It delivers the highest stiffness, wear resistance, and thermal conductivity. Perfect for high-wear components like ejector pins, bearings, and molds requiring millions of cycles.
LSR (Liquid Silicone Rubber) Molding: The #1 application. Used for nozzles, cavities, cores, and manifold systems.
Rapid Tooling & Prototyping: Perfect for low-to-medium volume production runs or product validation, offering a faster and cheaper alternative to metal molds.
Complex Inserts and Micro-Features: Its excellent machinability allows for the creation of intricate textures and fine details that are difficult or expensive to achieve in metal.
Mold Functional Components: Ideal for wear parts like ejector pins, guide bushings, sliders, and interlocks.
PEEK is no longer just a material for finished parts. It’s a powerful tool for mold makers and manufacturers, enabling them to tackle high-temperature applications, eliminate contamination, reduce mold weight, and accelerate production timelines.
By embracing high-performance polymers like PEEK, we can push the boundaries of what’s possible in injection molding, creating more efficient, innovative, and profitable manufacturing processes.
