Engineering Plastics

We aspire to be the best, not the biggest. Our goal is to become an invaluable customer resource and build close, long-lasting relationships. Our customers count on us to solve technically challenging jobs requiring some combination of ultra or high-performance injection molding thermoplastic expertise, insert molding (a.k.a. over-molding), tight tolerances and intricate or thin-walled part geometries. We are committed to solving your engineering challenges and delivering a component that enhances product performance.

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Engineering Plastics Capabilities

As a best-in-class complex injection molding company, Pexco helps design engineers leverage the capabilities of ultra and high-performance thermoplastic resins to deliver components that enhance product performance. We specialize in custom part design and complex part geometries using high-performance materials such as PEEK, Torlon®, Ultem®, EXTEM®, PFA, FEP, PVDF, and ETFE and can achieve extreme dimensional or tight tolerance injection molded parts using in-house CT Scanning.

  • Precision injection molding
  • Net shape molding
  • Direct gating
  • Design engineering
  • Industrial computed tomography (CT) scanner
  • Quality control & certifications
  • Polymer seals

Materials

ABS

ABS is a tough, impact-resistant plastic commonly used for injection molding applications.

Acrylic

Acrylic is a transparent thermoplastic known for its clarity and weather resistance, often used in optical applications.

Nylon

Nylon is a versatile engineering plastic with excellent mechanical properties and chemical resistance, widely used in automotive and industrial components.

PC

Polycarbonate is a strong, impact-resistant plastic with excellent transparency, used in applications requiring durability and optical clarity.

Pebax®

Pebax® is a high-performance thermoplastic elastomer known for its flexibility and toughness, used in sports equipment and medical devices.

CoolPoly (Thermally Conductive Polymer (TPC))

CoolPoly TPCs are engineered to dissipate heat, making them ideal for electronic and lighting applications.

Polyethylene

Polyethylene is a widely used plastic known for its chemical resistance and versatility, found in packaging, containers, and piping.

POM (Polyoxymethylene)

POM, also known as acetal, is a high-strength, low-friction engineering plastic used in precision parts requiring high stiffness.

PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)

PVC is a durable plastic with excellent chemical and weather resistance, commonly used in construction and piping.

Noryl: PPO (Polyphenylene Oxide) and PS blend

Noryl blends offer a balance of thermal stability and mechanical properties, used in electrical housings and automotive components.

PBT: Polybutylene Terephthalate

PBT is a strong, engineering thermoplastic with good dimensional stability and chemical resistance, used in electrical and automotive industries.

Injection Molding for Polymer Seals with PEEK, Torlon, PFA, FEP & Teflon

Mechanical seals are to seal the openings of and joints between mechanisms to contain pressure and form a barrier to prevent the fluid (water or oil) used by a machine from leaking to the external environment. Commonly used in pumps, motors, compressors, and stationary equipment, seals are one of the most essential components to ensure a machine functions reliably and effectively

Precision Injection Molded Seals with Tight Dimensional Tolerances

Seals, especially those that mate to moving parts, have a demanding set of exacting quality requirements to ensure a proper fit and durability. Each industrial application has its own specific needs, but all seals must be engineered to deal with tight dimensional tolerances and have an excellent surface finish. Our proprietary process can attain 0.0003 tolerance. Net Shape Molding for Polymer Seals for Superior Mechanical Properties

Polymer materials are an excellent choice for high-performance, high-pressure environments. And if exacting dimensions and tight tolerances are involved, injection molding is the best method to produce the needed results. Pexco specializes in injection molded polymer seals, custom-engineered and net shape-molded to meet or exceed your requirements.
With our injection molding technology, we can produce near-net shape seals high-performance materials like PEEK, Torlon (PAI), PFA, FEP & Teflon. The process greatly improves the integrity of the seal, eliminating voids, sinks, or porosity, for stronger, more reliable parts with more consistent mechanical properties.

Specializing in High-Volume, Custom-Engineered PEEK Seals

When there is an extreme application and mechanical failure is not an option, you need to make sure your parts will work. Our team of exceptional engineers have decades of experience in designing technically challenging and complex solutions across a wide range of industries. With their in-depth of knowledge in resin formulations, they can choose the right material for the job.

High-Performance Industrial Polymer Compressor Seals for Oil and Air

Ensuring a tight seal in fluid or gas applications is critical in mechanical systems to eliminate leaks, reduce costs, and increase productivity. Air compressor seals prevent the process gas in the compressor from getting to the atmosphere and conversely prevents the atmosphere from getting into the process gas. Compressor oil seals are designed to force oil into the compressor seals at a higher pressure than the process gas. High and ultra-high-performance polymers are the preferred material for these types of applications, and precision injection molding of the parts provides the ability to meet the most demanding dimensional tolerances and specs.

Net Shape Molding

Are you molding mission-critical parts where dimensional attributes need to be extremely precise? Our Net Shape Molding process incorporates the latest software tools with an internally developed iterative tool design approach along with 3D CT scan measurements, resulting in best-in-class part tolerances.

We make extensive use of technology to achieve exacting dimensional tolerances and overmold complex inserts.

Pexco leverages the complimentary knowledge, unique skill sets, intense passion and unwavering determination of its people to solve your toughest problems. We thrive on injection molding tight tolerance, complex geometry and thin-walled components for our customers. Although we constantly push the limits of current high-performance plastic materials and manufacturing methods, we take a pragmatic approach that maximizes value.

Our Net Shape Molding capabilities include:

  • Material Shrinkage Analysis
  • Inverse compensation in mold steel
  • Brings dimensional accuracy back into tolerance
  • Eliminates secondary finishing operations

Superior Process. Superior Tooling.

Because of our processing knowledge, our proprietary method and mold materials allow high-Pexco to be injected at extremely high pressures without melt-fracture or loss of mechanical properties. The molds we design use proprietary metals resistant to the hydrofluoric acid by-products of the molding process. They don’t severely corrode or misshape under high pressures like traditional steels. These new mold steels, process refinements and the use of additives in the fluoropolymers are methods that we use to continue to improve finished material characteristics for a wider variety of applications.

Design Engineering

Can your design engineers benefit from our extensive knowledge of ultra and high performance thermoplastics? We welcome the opportunity to assist your team in the design of technically challenging projects.

Pexco partners with our customers’ engineers to deliver exceptional injection molding, and ultra-high performance thermoplastics, including fiber-reinforced and highly loaded resin compounds. Our engineers have decades of experience in a wide range of resin formulations, and the skills necessary to design tooling and processes to mold these materials.

We thrive on the challenge of doing what no one else has done. It starts with obtaining a thorough understanding of your application.

After developing an understanding of the above, we leverage our experience, knowledge and extensive network of material scientists (when needed) to recommend potential material, tooling and process solution(s).

Critical preliminary questions typically include:

  • What is the thermal environment?
  • Will the component be subject to chemical, abrasive or corrosive environments?
  • What are the mechanical requirements?
  • Are there weight or inertial limits?
  • What are the friction and wear requirements?
  • Will there be electrical/thermal conductivity requirements?
  • What are the most critical dimensional tolerances?
  • Where are the critical component surfaces?
  • Are there sealing or interface requirements?
  • What are the conditions likely to cause failure?
  • What and how do we test it to ensure quality?

Tools & Technology

We can quickly evaluate ideas to see what does or does not work. From 3D CAD models, we can machine samples from stock materials, create resin cut or layered prototypes or provide temporary tooling to prove your ideas work before you make a significant capital investment.

Our engineering support includes:

  • Mechanical design engineering
  • 3D Priniting
  • Defining required thermoplastic performance characteristics
  • Thermoplastic resin selection and sourcing
  • Solid modeling (SOLIDWORKS, STEP, Parasolid and IGES)
  • CT based advance sizing and part surface mapping
  • Tooling design, tooling materials and sourcing
  • Mold Flow Analysis and Finite Element Analysis

Direct Gating

Have high costs forced you to compromise on thermoplastic material selection? Creating geometrically complex parts out of ultra and high-performance plastics, such as fluoropolymers, is more economical using direct gated, multi-cavity tooling.

Direct Gating Makes Complex Component A Reality

Our primary job is to facilitate a design engineer’s desire to create better products. Direct gating allows them to do just that. By helping them understand and apply high-performance plastics they increase the value of existing products and provide advantages for new, innovative concepts. Our hybrid direct gate technology eliminates the runner waste associated with conventional molding, significantly reducing material use and per-part cost. Polymers are injected directly into the part mold eliminating the need for runners.

We excel at helping you create intricate injection molded components needing some combination of high temperature, low surface adhesion, chemical and organic resistance in a package with complex geometries and/or tight tolerances. You can justify the outstanding properties of, for example, fluoropolymers rather than compromising on the performance limitations of traditional metal, glass, ceramic or thermoset materials. Because of the natural temperature, friction and barrier properties of high-performance plastics, the use of secondary coatings, which can be costly and problematic, is no longer a concern.

Direct Gate, Multi-Cavity Molding of Fluoropolymers

We have developed a number of industry-leading technologies enabling us to injection mold intricate, thin-walled components out of some of the most sheer sensitive materials such as fluoropolymers. Direct gating is a relatively common molding technique designed to drastically reduce the material waste associated with runner systems. This is critically important when working with sheer sensitive, expensive materials such as fluoropolymers (FEP, PFA, PVDF) and PEEK.

However, the ability to direct gate fluoropolymers in a multi-cavity mold has been limited by the materials high sensitivity to shear forces, which can cause melt fracturing, and the corrosive nature of fluorine gas emitted during the molding process, which can quickly degrade costly tools and the metal components of injection molding equipment.

Unique Metallurgy

We developed unique corrosion-resistant metal alloys used on all tooling and equipment surfaces exposed to fluorine gas emitted by fluoropolymer materials during the molding process. This metallurgy significantly extends tooling and injection molding component life enhancing the economic viability of fluoropolymer molding projects.

Unique Injection Molding Process.

We have co-developed unique molding technologies and equipment furthering our ability to direct gate, multi-cavity mold geometrically challenging parts. This proprietary process drastically reduces the shear caused by the auguring screw and allows precise control of key variables, such as pressure and temperature, within each mold cavity.

Watch Our Direct Gate Flow Comparision Video

Industrial CT Scanning Service

Our Metrology Lab brings you the best in advanced measurement science using the highest caliber industrial computed tomography equipment available. We deliver new insights and efficiencies through precision part measurement, analysis and inspection of all aspects of your part, inside and out, with no damage to the original.

Take a Look Inside with Industrial CT Scanning Services

Because we specialize in molding parts with complex geometries and tight tolerances for critical applications, we must understand all aspects of the part. That’s where our metrology service comes in. Industrial CT Scanning gives us access to the inner workings of a part without having to destroy the original. Using industrial x ray technology, a scanner rotates the part 360 degrees enabling us to scan internal structure and create a precise 3D model.

Our industrial CT scanning metrology service brings you the best in advanced measurement science.

The Metrology Equipment Matters

Our engineers use Zeiss metrology equipment to analyze every aspect of the part and the problem at hand, not just the data on the part dimensions and the dimensional tolerances. When you use the highest caliber metrology equipment available, like Zeiss metrology industrial CT scanning equipment, the result is the most accurate, complete evaluation, which helps you to determine defects up front and ultimately save time and money.

Dimensional Inspection Services

Our dimensional inspection services and internal defect testing yield comprehensive article inspections and reporting. The design is verified using a first article inspection (FAI) process. Inspection categories include:

  • Porosity analysis
  • Void and inclusion analysis
  • Dimensional tolerances
  • Wall thickness
  • Assembly defects
  • Surface variation
  • Comprehensive comparisons

Void and inclusion analysis of the material reveal the location and size of any voids or inclusions. Wall thickness is analyzed to measure slight changes in the wall stock of complex parts. Surface variations are examined as well, even providing a roughness measurement and cross sections to reveal hidden features.

Part Validation Process

As part of our dimensional inspection services, we employ several methods of part validation, including:

  • Part to CAD comparison
  • Part to part comparison
  • Nominal actual comparison

In a part to CAD comparison, or nominal actual comparison, we create a precise overlay of the scanned part to compare the original 3D part model data. A part to part comparison is also made in which an overlay of two scanned parts is used to reveal dimensional deviation.

Metrology Service in Action

As you’re designing and manufacturing your next application, wouldn’t it be ideal if you could analyze all the parts, compare them to the original drawings and get results quickly, without damaging your samples? Performance Plastics’ industrial CT scanning services makes this possible. Learn more about industrial x-ray services and the Advantages of Industrial CT Scanning in the Design Process. To see our industrial CT scanning process in action, watch the videoUnderstanding All Aspects of Your Part.

Why Choose Pexco for Engineered Plastics?

We Facilitate the Design Engineers Desire to Create Better Products

We help you understand and apply high Pexco. There is no magic to what we do. It is the result of hard work based on the complimentary knowledge, skill set, passion and determination of our Engineers. It is the way we are wired. We thrive on the challenge of doing what no one else has done. We become your partner from design through production. It starts with an almost supernatural attention to details, asking, listening, analyzing data so we know everything we can about your application before we even consider recommending a solution. 

We can quickly evaluate ideas to see what does or doesn’t work. From 3D CAD models, we can machine samples from stock materials, create resin cut or layered prototypes or provide soft, bridge tooling to prove your ideas work before you make a significant capital investment.

Our People Make the Difference

Unmatched technical knowledge, tenacity, and solutions-centered mindset integrate individual expertise with decades of ‘in the trenches’ experience applying and molding high Pexco materials. We know what we do is unique. Since the 1980s we have pioneered the requirements and processes that would allow the benefits of high performance, injection molded plastics into repeatable, sustainable and cost-effective hig volume applications to become fact rather than fiction. 

Our materials knowledge – especially with fluoropolymers – is world class and our suppliers incredibly supportive. Our expertise in sophisticated tooling design and materials insures the best mold solution for each application. And, when it’s ready to move into production, it’s the same detail focus that we apply to the upfront engineering. It’s all about consistency – the right temperatures, times, pressures, cycles and a variety of other details that have to come together to create the perfect part.

We Help You Design It and Make It

Having one partner for your most complex part requirements provides simplicity and accountability from design through production. Our combination of high performance material properties knowledge, proprietary manufacturing processes and unmatched engineering support are what differentiates us from the commodity plastics manufacturers. They do the easy stuff. For us, the tougher the part, the better we like it.
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