Comparison of CNC Machining Materials

PC+ABS is a blend-modified material that combines the advantages of both materials. It not only inherits the high impact resistance of PC but also the material strength of ABS, while improving its heat resistance. It is often used in electronic product casings, automotive interiors, consumer products, and more.

High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS) is a low-cost and easily processable plastic material. It is often used in the manufacturing of low-strength structural components in scenarios where comprehensive requirements for a material’s impact resistance, processability, and cost are required. Additionally, with its excellent dimensional stability and ease of being painted and bonded, it has become an ideal material for prototyping.

PEI (polyetherimide) is a high-performance thermoplastic engineering plastic that combines excellent heat resistance, mechanical properties, and chemical stability, enabling it to be widely used in high-end industrial fields such as aerospace, electronics and electrical engineering, and medical equipment.

Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) is lighter than water, soft and tough, with excellent acid and alkali resistance as well as electrical insulation properties. It is widely used in fields such as packaging, agriculture, electronics, and daily necessities.

High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) is a lightweight, chemically resistant, and high-strength material. It is flexible and tough, commonly used in applications such as food packaging (e.g., food containers), agricultural films, daily necessities (e.g., storage boxes), and water tanks.

PC (polycarbonate, commonly known as bulletproof glue) is inherently pale yellow or colorless and transparent, featuring hardness, toughness and luster. It boasts prominent advantages: with a light transmittance of 90%, it not only has good mechanical strength but also excellent impact resistance, along with outstanding heat resistance and weatherability.

Acrylic (also known as polymethyl methacrylate, PMMA) boasts not only excellent optical performance but also outstanding UV resistance. With a light transmittance of up to 92%—comparable to glass—it has become a popular material in scenarios ranging from neon signs in shopping malls and display case panels in museums to precision optical lenses and stage light covers.

AISI 4140 Alloy Steel is a medium-carbon chromium-molybdenum steel with a carbon content of about 0.38–0.43%. It offers an excellent combination of strength, toughness, wear resistance, and machinability. When heat-treated, it provides outstanding mechanical properties, making it widely used in gears, crankshafts, connecting rods, bolts, and critical components in the oil and gas industry.

Stainless steel 316 combines exceptional corrosion resistance with excellent machinability. This unique balance of “high corrosion resistance + ease of processing” makes it a material of choice for applications demanding the highest levels of reliability. It is widely employed in fields such as chemical processing, food production, and marine engineering, where it consistently meets stringent performance requirements across diverse operating conditions.

stainless steel 304 is also known as 18/8 stainless steel, which contains approximately 18% chromium (Cr) and 8% nickel (Ni). It not only possesses excellent oxidation resistance and corrosion resistance, but also has good workability and surface quality. Currently, it is the most widely used stainless steel grade in industrial manufacturing and civil applications.