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Polyimide · Product form

Polyimide Stock Shape

I need to machine a part from high-performance polymer. Who makes stock shape in this material and size?

What it is

Semi-finished polymer rod, plate, sheet or tube produced by extrusion, compression moulding or direct forming, intended to be machined into finished parts. The route to low-volume parts without paying for moulding tooling.

Typical dimensions
Rod to roughly 6 inch diameter; plate to several inches thick.
Also known as
semi-finished shapes, rod and plate, machinable stock, extruded shapes

Suppliers

Grouped by what they actually are. A mill and a distributor answer different needs.

Mills and producers 3

Companies that manufacture this form. Mill direct means longer lead times and mill minimums, with full melt traceability.

  • Drake Plastics Verified
    Cypress, TX · Converter Service provider
    Vespel SP-1, Vespel SP-21

    Machinable polyimide stock shape.

    source
  • DuPont Vespel Verified
    Wilmington, DE · Mill Converter
    Vespel SP-1, Vespel SP-21, Vespel SP-211, Vespel SP-3

    Supplied as sheet, rod, tube, plaque, bar, disk and ring. Polyimide cannot be melt processed, so DuPont sells shapes and parts rather than resin. There is no route to buying pellets and making this yourself.

    source
  • Ensinger Verified
    Washington, PA · Converter

    Polyimide rod, plate and tube among the TECA high performance shape range.

    source

Distributors and stockists 1

Companies that hold inventory for resale. Faster and available in small quantities, at a markup. Ask what mill the material came from if traceability matters.

Production methods

The same form, purchased as tolling on your own material.

Stock Shape Forming 2

Producing semi-finished polymer rod, plate, sheet and tube by extrusion, compression moulding or direct forming, then stress relieving so the shape can be machined without moving.

  • DuPont Vespel Verified
    Wilmington, DE · Mill Converter

    Direct forming and sintering rather than extrusion or injection moulding.

    source
  • Ensinger Verified
    Washington, PA · Converter

    Produces polyimide stock shape. Polyimide cannot be melt processed, so shape production is by direct forming and sintering rather than extrusion.

    source

Elsewhere in the atlas

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