The type of plastic, the CNC machining method applied, and the operator's expertise all affect the tolerances that may be attained when CNC milling plastic parts. CNC machining can typically produce parts with tolerances of +/- 0.002 inches (0.05 mm) or better.

Here are some of the factors that affect the tolerances that can be achieved with CNC machining plastic parts:

• The skill of the operator: The achievable tolerances can also be impacted by the operator's expertise. An experienced operator may create parts with tighter tolerances than a less experienced operator.
• The CNC machining process: Various CNC machining methods have different levels of precision. A particularly accurate process that can create items with very small tolerances is CNC wire EDM.
• The type of plastic: The ease of machining varies across different types of plastic. Hard plastics like PEEK cannot be machined to tolerances as precise as soft plastics like ABS.

If you need to make plastic parts with extremely tight tolerances, it's critical to use soft plastic, apply a precise CNC machining method, and collaborate with a trained operator. If you want more information about CNC machining plastic parts, please click here.