A PC polycarbonate insulator solves problems metal cannot: insulation, dry running bearings and chemical resistance without corrosion. Below is the practical detail on PC polycarbonate insulator supplied for hydraulics: machining of engineering plastics with sharp tooling and heat control, the tolerance that is held, the finish applied and the documents issued with the parts.
Tolerance is applied where it does work rather than across the whole drawing. Critical features are held to ±0.05 mm, non-critical dimensions follow the general machining tolerance, and the difference is stated in the quotation rather than discovered later.
Specification
| Process | Machining of engineering plastics with sharp tooling and heat control |
|---|---|
| Material / configuration | PC polycarbonate |
| Size / capacity | 100 × 60 × 25 mm envelope |
| Tolerance | ±0.05 mm |
| Surface finish | as machined or vapour polished |
| Application | insulator for hydraulics |
| Inspection | Dimensional report, material certificate, first article report on request |
| Lead time | 7–15 working days for samples, 3–4 weeks for production |
| Minimum order | 1 piece for prototypes, from 50 pieces for production pricing |
Manufacturing process
Work is carried out with machining of engineering plastics with sharp tooling and heat control. Tooling, speeds and fixturing are recorded with the part number, so a repeat order starts from a proven process instead of a fresh setup.
Material is purchased against a certificate and checked on receipt, so the composition is known before any cutting starts. Work in progress is identified by part number and operation, and the finished parts are deburred, cleaned and protected before they leave the machine area.
Typical applications
Most of the work supplied in this category falls into the following examples.
- Insulating bushes and washers.
- Food contact wear parts.
- Laboratory fluid manifolds.
- Light duty gears and rollers.
- Electrical enclosures.
Quality control and documentation
Critical features are measured on calibrated equipment in a controlled room, and the results are filed with the job so that a repeat order can be compared with the first.
Material certificates to EN 10204 3.1, dimensional reports and first article inspection reports are issued with the shipment where the application requires them. Calibration dates and measurement uncertainty are recorded alongside every result.
Ordering, lead time and packaging
Packaging is specified by the part: individual protection for finished surfaces, separation for assemblies, and export crating with a packing list for shipment.
Frequently asked questions
Do plastics hold tight tolerances?
They hold ±0.05 mm reliably, but dimensions move with temperature and with moisture in nylons, so parts are measured at 20 °C after conditioning.
Why machine plastic instead of moulding it?
Below a few hundred pieces, machining avoids tooling cost entirely and allows design changes between batches without altering a tool.
What is the minimum order quantity?
One piece for prototypes and first article work. Production pricing usually starts at 50 pieces, and repeat orders run on fixtures retained from the first batch at no extra charge.
Drawings are reviewed for manufacturability before quotation, and any feature that adds cost without adding function is pointed out at that stage rather than after the parts are made.
