Introduction to the characteristics of PEEK and key considerations in injection molding.

PEEK is a type of high-performance engineering plastic with a variety of distinctive properties.
This article introduces the characteristics of PEEK and key considerations for injection molding.
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What is PEEK?

PEEK is a high-performance plastic classified as a super engineering plastic. Its main characteristic is the exceptional balance of heat resistance, chemical resistance, and mechanical strength, making it widely used in applications where conventional plastics cannot perform.
Key features include:
Continuous use temperature can reach approximately 260 °C, representing one of the highest levels among thermoplastics.
Maintains excellent mechanical strength and high rigidity across a wide temperature range, from low to high temperatures.
Exhibits outstanding creep resistance and wear resistance.
The material is inherently flame-retardant, minimizing the risk of toxic gas generation during combustion.

Key considerations in PEEK injection molding

Handling high-temperature molding conditions

In PEEK injection molding, special attention must be paid to the extremely high processing temperature. In general, a barrel temperature exceeding 400 °C is required. Such temperature conditions may be difficult to achieve with standard injection molding machines.

Therefore, injection molding machines equipped with high-temperature-resistant screws and barrels are required. If temperature control is inadequate, material degradation and molding defects are more likely to occur.

Mold design considering material flowability and mold release properties

PEEK resin has low fluidity, and therefore high injection pressure is required during molding, making mold insert design that considers gate location and size as well as venting structures essential. In particular, if venting is insufficient, molding defects such as short shots or burn marks are likely to occur.

In addition, PEEK is a material with poor release properties, so care must be taken because problems such as ejection pin marks or parts of the product remaining in the mold can easily occur. Therefore, it is important to perform structural design with sufficient draft angles to improve release characteristics. Furthermore, in some cases, coating the mold may also be employed.

Drying management and material handling

Although PEEK is a low-hygroscopic material, pre-molding drying is essential. Even a small amount of moisture can generate gas during high-temperature molding, which can lead to surface defects or internal flaws. In general, drying at around 150 °C for several hours is recommended.

Examples of PEEK injection molding at our company

Two-stage spur gear for OA equipment

This is a case of manufacturing a two-stage spur gear made of PEEK. PEEK is a resin with high molding difficulty due to its material properties; however, our company has a we title="Introduction to the characteristics of PEEK and key considerations in injection molding. | JURARON INDUSTRIES HAI PHONG" alth of experience in PEEK molding. By leveraging past molding data and conditions during setup, we achieve stable molding and enable the production of highly precise spur gears.

>>More details here

Spur gear for OA equipment

This product was particularly challenging in terms of molding condition setup, so we utilized flow analysis for evaluation. Based on the analysis results, the optimal gate location was selected, and the mold design was adjusted in advance to prevent weld lines from appearing in critical areas. At the same time, taking material cost into account, measures were taken to minimize the amount of resin used in the runner system.
Furthermore, a bearing is incorporated inside the product, and our company can handle the entire process from bearing insertion to final assembly.

>>More details here

Joint for OA equipment

This product has very strict precision requirements for perpendicularity and coaxiality, and several tolerance zones are specified with a range of 0.04 mm, making meticulous evaluation of molding conditions essential. Our company establishes optimal molding conditions through repeated prototyping and verification.

Furthermore, considering that the material used is expensive, we have implemented measures to minimize resin usage in the runner system, contributing to cost reduction.

>>More details here

Trust us for high-quality PEEK injection molding

How was it? In this topic, we introduced the characteristics of PEEK and key points of injection molding. Juraron Industries Co., Ltd. has extensive experience in PEEK molding and can handle a production volume of 100,000 units per month. Please feel free to contact us.

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