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About Pexco
Precision Machining
CNC Turning & Swiss Machining
Where Ideas Take Shape
Pexco’s CNC turning and Swiss machining capabilities produce precision cylindrical components from micro-scale parts to large-diameter components up to 20 inches. With over 40 CNC turning and Swiss machining centers, we manufacture complex rotational geometries incorporating turned features, cross-holes, slots, and threaded connections in high-performance plastics for medical device, aerospace, semiconductor, and industrial applications. Our multi-axis mill-turn equipment with sub-spindles and live tooling enables complete part production in a single setup, eliminating secondary operations while maintaining exceptional dimensional accuracy and surface finish quality.
Multi-Axis Mill-Turn Capabilities
Conventional CNC turning machines components from bar stock, castings, or molded blanks, rotating the workpiece while stationary cutting tools create cylindrical features, tapers, threads, and contours. Our multi-axis mill-turn equipment extends these capabilities significantly:
Live Tooling
Powered cutting tools rotate independently of the workpiece spindle, enabling milling operations like cross-holes, flats, keyways, and pockets without transferring parts to separate machines.
Sub-Spindle Functionality
The main spindle transfers partially completed parts to a secondary spindle, enabling backside operations and complete part production without manual intervention. Essential for complex components requiring features on both ends, threaded connections, or precise relationships between front and rear features.
Single-Setup Manufacturing
Eliminates repositioning errors that compromise dimensional accuracy when parts move between machines. Particularly valuable for components requiring multiple operations while maintaining tight tolerances.
Swiss Machining for Precision Components
Swiss-type CNC machines excel at producing small-diameter precision components with exceptional accuracy and surface finish through a fundamentally different approach than conventional turning. The Swiss turning process feeds bar stock through a guide bushing that supports the workpiece immediately adjacent to the cutting zone, minimizing deflection and enabling tight tolerances on slender parts that would bend or chatter in conventional turning operations.
Swiss Machining Advantages
- Guide bushing support enables high L/D ratio parts impractical with conventional turning
- Maintains tight tolerances on small-diameter, slender components
- Combines turning, drilling, threading, milling in single automatic cycle
- Unattended operation with automatic bar feeding for production efficiency
Medical device components, connectors, instrumentation parts, and precision fittings benefit from Swiss machining’s ability to maintain tolerances across small-diameter features while incorporating multiple operations. Our Swiss machining capabilities handle both prototype development and production quantities.
Material Considerations for Turning
High-performance plastics present unique challenges in turning operations. Cutting tool selection, feed rates, and speeds must account for each material’s thermal characteristics, tendency to deform under cutting pressure, and chip formation behavior.
Material-Specific Challenges
- PEEK, Torlon, Imidized Polymers: Machine relatively well but generate heat affecting dimensional accuracy if not properly managed
- Fluoropolymers (PTFE, FEP): Require extremely sharp tools and specific cutting parameters to prevent material smearing or dimensional distortion
- Filled Materials: Glass, carbon, or mineral additives create accelerated tool wear and require different tooling strategies than unfilled resins
Temperature-controlled machining environments maintain material stability during turning, particularly important with thermoplastics prone to thermal expansion. Dimensional verification using coordinate measuring equipment ensures components meet specification across critical features.
Materials & Resins
Pexco machines high-performance plastics for turning and Swiss machining applications:
Imidized Polymers
PAI (Torlon), Vespel (Polyimide), PBI – For extreme temperature and wear resistance in precision turned components
Advanced Fluoropolymers
PTFE, FEP, PFA, PVDF, ETFE – For chemical resistance and low-friction applications requiring precision cylindrical features
Advanced Thermoplastics
PEEK, PEI (Ultem), PSU (Polysulfone), PPS (Ryton), EXTEM – For structural components requiring high strength and dimensional stability
Filled Materials
Glass-filled, carbon-filled, mineral-filled compounds – For enhanced mechanical properties and dimensional stability
Commodity Engineering Plastics
Nylon, Acetal, Polycarbonate, Acrylic – For cost-effective precision turned components
Why Choose Pexco?
40+ CNC turning and Swiss machining centers
Turning capacity from micro-scale to 20-inch diameter
Multi-axis mill-turns with live tooling and sub-spindles
Swiss machining for high length-to-diameter ratio parts
Single-setup complete part manufacturing
Temperature-controlled machining environments
Coordinate measuring equipment for dimensional verification
Expertise machining challenging high-performance plastics
Prototype to production volume capabilities
ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 13485:2016 certified
Complement to molding and milling capabilities
Get Started
Contact Pexco’s precision machining team to discuss your turning and Swiss machining requirements.