Plastic Design, Inc. is equipped with the machining and fabrication tools necessary to produce high-density polyethylene (HDPE) products for industrial use. Machining HDPE, a type of polyolefin thermoplastic, is a common fabrication method for the material, which is strong, impact-resistant, lightweight, and moisture-resistant. It’s also USDA-certified and FDA-compliant, suitable for hygienic or sensitive applications.
We fabricate a wide range of HDPE products in-house at our facility, using various grades of HDPE and machining techniques. Learn more about this versatile material and our fabrication methods.
HDPE Fabrication Capabilities
Our HDPE machining capabilities include high-precision fabrication techniques, such as:
- CNC machining: Our software-controlled cutting, drilling, tapping, forming, and other CNC machining functions shape various HDPE materials with high precision. The finished piece matches our clients’ exact designs every time, and tight quality controls ensure even our largest production runs result in 100% identical parts.
- Grinding: Grinding is often used in conjunction with milling to remove plastic chips, flashing, burrs, and surface defects. Unlike milling, however, grinding does not use intermittent cutting, but rather continual contact removal to correct these imperfections and create highly functional plastic parts that stringently adhere to design specifications.
- Bending: HDPE is known for its balance between rigidity and malleability. Using heaters and ovens, we can precisely form or line-bend HDPE.
- Welding
From prototyping to large-production runs, we consistently achieve precision tolerances within ±0.005”.
HDPE FAQs
What Is HDPE?
HDPE is a thermoplastic resin called high-density polyethylene, created by stringing ethylene molecules together. The polyethylenes used are most commonly derived from natural gas, resulting in a plastic that’s malleable enough to form at hot temperatures, but highly durable once cooled. These features make it perfect for machining HDPE into a variety of products, from milk jugs and composite building materials to facial reconstructive implants and more.
What Are the Properties of HDPE?
HDPE can withstand operating temperatures as high as 248 °F (or 120 °C), and depending on the grade used, its density ranges from 0.93 g/cm3 to 0.97 g/cm3.
What Are the Different Types of HDPE Material?
The type of HDPE required depends on its application. There are numerous grades of HDPE available, each with slightly different properties that are suited for particular purposes, including:
- Antimicrobial HDPE
- Cutting board HDPE
- Engravable HDPE
- Enhanced stiffness HDPE
- UV-stabilized HDPE
- Woodgrain HDPE
What Can Be Made With HDPE?
Advanced HDPE machining is capable of producing many products that modern industrial and consumer products depend on. Some of the most common include:
- Bearings and bushings
- Pump and valve parts
- Washers
HDPE is a particularly excellent choice for water and chemical tanks, due to its rigidity at normal operating temperatures and resistance to chemicals and moisture.
What Are the Advantages of HDPE?
- High Strength: With an ideal strength-to-density ratio, sheet and rod HDPE material provides high strength and stiffness.
- Moisture & Chemical Resistance: HDPE is highly resistant to heat, chemicals, and corrosion, and it has a low moisture absorption rate. These properties make HDPE suitable for wastewater tanks, chemical delivery systems, water containers, and other equipment.
- Non-Toxic: HDPE is FDA-approved for use in most products in the food and healthcare industries.
Contact Plastic Design, Inc.
Countless industries depend on machining HDPE to create durable, affordable, and reliable plastic parts. The highest-quality HDPE manufacturing requires technical knowledge and skill with an extensive range of equipment, operated under strict quality controls that ensure parts precisely match the designs and tolerance requirements.
Plastic Design, Inc. has been providing precision machined HDPE parts for over 45 years. With the latest automated fabrication equipment and computer-aided design and manufacturing processes, we work closely with customers to achieve the most effective designs and finished custom products.
Browse our HDPE products for various applications. To start your HDPE fabrication project, request a quote or contact us today.