Your PEEK product is doing well, but your current production process may not be. If you’re using machining to make your PEEK parts, you may be hitting a limit.
Delays, rising costs, and missed orders are all signs that something needs to change. This article shows how PEEK injection molding can help you scale production, control costs, and meet demand.
Recognizing the Signs: Is Machining Your PEEK Parts Holding You Back?
Skyrocketing Per-Unit Costs at Higher Quantities
Machining works in a straight line—each part takes the same time and effort to make. That means as your orders grow, your costs grow just as fast.
There’s no price break for volume like there is with molding. This makes it hard to stay competitive when you need more parts.
Lengthening Lead Times and Inability to Meet Demand
Machining takes time. Each PEEK part may need a separate setup, program, and finish. That’s okay for a few parts. But when orders increase, your machines can’t always keep up.
If your team is constantly behind, it may be time to think differently.
Overview
If your costs per part are too high, or you’re missing deadlines due to long lead times, your machining process may be the bottleneck.
The Injection Molding Scalability Factor for PEEK
PEEK injection molding is built for scale.
Once the mold is made, it can run over and over with minimal changes. You can also design molds with multiple cavities. This means each machine cycle produces several parts, not just one.
The process is also highly automated and reliable, making it ideal for high-volume needs.
Strategic Tooling Investment: PEEK Molds for Long-Term, High-Volume Output
Building a mold takes time and money. But it’s a long-term investment.
PEEK molds are designed to last through hundreds of thousands—or even millions—of cycles. Unlike cutting tools in machining, which wear down quickly, a high-quality mold gives you a steady, repeatable process.
That makes it easier to plan for the long haul.
Maintaining PEEK’s Performance Integrity at Scale
PEEK has high strength, heat resistance, and chemical stability. You don’t want to lose those properties at scale.
Injection molding keeps those traits intact—if done right. That includes:
- Using the correct PEEK resin
- Proper drying of the material
- Setting the right processing temperatures
- Designing the mold for good flow and cooling
Done correctly, molded PEEK parts can meet or match the performance of machined parts.
Conclusion
Scaling your PEEK product means more than just making more parts. It means making them faster, at lower cost, and with no drop in quality.
Injection molding makes that possible. If machining is slowing you down, it might be time to switch.
We’re here to help you plan that next step.
