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Plastics are highly versatile materials that offer affordability and lightweight characteristics. Depending on the specific type, plastics provide various advantages such as chemical resistance, transparency, elasticity, and electrical resistance. ABS, a widely utilized plastic, is favored for its strength and ease of molding. It finds applications in rapid prototyping, 3D printing, plumbing fittings, children's toys, automotive interiors, and electronics components. To achieve precise and high-quality ABS parts with tight tolerances, CNC machining is the recommended method. This article explores the nature of ABS plastic, the challenges associated with machining it, and provides helpful tips to enhance the machining quality of ABS products.   What is ABS Plastic? ABS, short for acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, is a thermoplastic polymer that offers a well-balanced combination of material properties. It is known for its toughness, chemical resistance, and the ability to customize its properties through additives. ABS plastic is produced by blending its three monomers, along with optional additives, and can be molded or shaped through processes like injection molding, extrusion, or 3D printing. For precision and high-quality ABS parts, CNC machining is an ideal choice, especially when strict quality standards and precise tolerances are required. It is recommended to use machine-grade ABS plastics specifically designed for machining purposes.   5 Tips for Machining ABS Plastic   To ensure high-quality machining results for ABS plastic, manufacturers often employ the following strategies: Select machine-grade ABS plastic: Various grades of ABS plastic are available, each optimized for specific manufacturing methods. When machining ABS plastic, it is recommended to use machine-grade ABS to achieve desirable chip formation and surface finish. Choose appropriate cutting tools: Cutting tools designed for plastics should be used instead of those intended for high-strength steel or titanium alloys. It is crucial to maintain sharp cutting tools to avoid damaging the plastic surface. Adjust cutting parameters: Optimal cutting parameters, such as depth, feed rate, and speed, need to be fine-tuned to prevent part deformation, machining chatter, and excessive heat buildup. Determining the ideal parameters often requires experience and experimentation. Utilize a suitable coolant: ABS plastic can overheat during machining, necessitating the use of a coolant. However, it's important to select a non-aromatic, water-soluble coolant specifically designed for machining plastic parts to prevent contamination and maintain chemical resistance. Consider annealing: ABS plastic parts may contain internal stresses, which can cause warping when subjected to heat during machining or service. To mitigate this issue, annealing the ABS plastic by gradually heating it, holding it at the annealing temperature, and slowly cooling it can relieve internal stresses. Applying these techniques can help optimize the CNC machining process for ABS plastic, ensuring precise and high-quality results.   Create Machined ABS Products with Safekeso Safekeso is a reputable provider of cost-effective plastic machining solutions. Our skilled machinists have extensive experience handling various materials, including ABS plastic, guaranteeing the consistent production of parts that meet or surpass your desired surface finish and tolerance standards. Get in touch with Safekeso now to explore how we can ensure the success of your upcoming plastic machining venture.

Most times, when people say that something is very accurate, or that it has a high degree of precision, they mean the same thing. In everyday speech, precision and accuracy are relatively interchangeable. However, from a scientific or technical perspective, accuracy and precision actually refer to two different qualities. This article discusses the differences between accuracy and precision, and explains how they apply to CNC machining. What Is Accuracy? The scientific definition of accuracy is: A description of how well a measurement approximates the theoretically correct value of that measurement. In other words, scientists and engineers use accuracy to show how well a single measurement matches its true, accepted, or target value. The classic example used for explaining accuracy and precision is a bullseye target. Accuracy represents how close any measured value is to the center of the bullseye, the desired value. Any values near the desired or true value are considered relatively accurate, whether they land above, below, or to the sides of the center. The important quality for being accurate is closeness to the correct value. What is Precision? The scientific definition of precision is: A description of how close a collection of measured values match each other. Precision represents the range of variance in a data set, or the spread between data points. In the bullseye example, if multiple measured values are clustered below the center of the bullseye, they are a precise data set. However, because they are not near the center of the bullseye, they aren’t that accurate. But if the measured values are all focused around the center of the bullseye, we can say they are BOTH accurate and precise. Precision vs. Accuracy in CNC Machining While the bullseye example is popular, it can be hard to understand how it relates to fabrication and manufacturing applications. The difference between accuracy and precision in machining relates to how closely a batch of parts matches the CAD model or design blueprint. Highly accurate CNC machining equipment can produce a part that very closely matches the design model. For example, assume a part design requires a pair of 0.50-inch wide by 5.00-inch long slots machined on its surface, and the slots are 2.0 inches apart. When a quality specialist examines a single finished part, they measure that the half-inch slots were actually cut to a length of 5.05 inches, and they were only spaced 1.96 inches apart. It is the quality specialist’s job to determine whether the machined part accurately represents the design model. Whether this part is rejected or not will depend on the allowable tolerances built into the design. Precision vs. Accuracy in Summary From a machining perspective, accuracy reflects how closely a fabricated part matches the design model, while precision shows repeatability when creating that part over and over. Designers want fabricated parts to meet or exceed expectations for machining tolerances. This means finding equipment or vendors that can produce parts with both accuracy and precision. safekeso offers exactly that. Our reputation for quality and reliability means we work hard to deliver our customers their parts within the design’s specifications on every order. If you need a machine shop to fabricate your next design, our world-class CNC machining services can help you get your parts quickly and at an affordable cost.