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Acetal Fab Guide

REDCO™ ACETAL

Due to the excellent machinability of Redco™ Acetal (aka Delrin®), there are very few considerations when machining the material:

  • The highest possible cutting speed should be chosen.
  • Optimum chip removal must be ensured so that the chips are not drawn-in by the tool.
  • The tools that are used must be very sharp. Blunt tools can cause extreme heat, which results in deformation and thermal expansion.
  • The clamping pressures must not be too high as this would result in deformation of the work piece and the clamping tool would leave marks in the work piece.
  • The work piece must be adequately supported on the machine table and should lie as flat as possible.
  • High quality surfaces can only be obtained when the machine operates with low vibration.
  • More machinable than most brass or aluminum alloys
  • Typically unnecessary to use cutting aids such as oils or water

Drilling

  • Standard twist drills are ideal for drilling acetal.
  • Plastic drills work as well, though if the leading edges are flat, the drill lip angle should be modified to cut instead of scrape
  • When drilling at high rates, coolant is recommended. If coolants aren’t used, periodic drill withdrawal is recommended to prevent overheating.

Threading / Tapping

  • Conventional Equipment Works Well
  • When using semi-automatic or automatic equipment, self-opening dies with high-speed chasers can be used
  • Though coolant and lubricant is not necessary, it may help with very high-speed operations
  • When cutting on a lathe, conventional single-pointed tools can be used
  • Several successive cuts of 0,15 to 0,25mm should be made
  • Due to the resiliency of acetal, finish cuts should be no less than 0,15mm
  • It is recommended to use a follow rest or support when threading long threads of rod stock

Blanking / Punching

  • Stamping or punching acetal will prove more economical for producing small, flat objects such as grommets and washers
  • With hand or power operated presses, conventional dies are to be used
  • If well-made dies are used, acetal can be punched or blanked cleanly at high speeds
  • Pre-heating the sheet will prevent cracking from occurring

 
 

Delrin® is a registered trademark of DuPont™ and owned by affiliates of DuPont de Nemours, Inc.