News & Insights

An Informational Brief on Polymer Machining     One of the high-performance thermoplastics that AIP works with is ULTEM: a PEI, or polyetherimide. ULTEM was developed by General Electric Plastics Division (Now SABIC) back in the early 1980s. Polyetherimide (PEI) is an amorphous, amber-to-transparent thermoplastic.   Among other uses, ULTEM is popularly used in medical instrument components, aircraft interiors, missile and defense-related components, electrical insulation parts, and semiconductor equipment components.   AIP... Read More

Strict Hygienic Procedures for Precision Machining   It’s no secret that cleanliness and sterilization are crucial for applications in the medical industry. Any manufacturer you hire for machining your plastic component should be aware of this, and taking actions to prevent any contamination from taking place.   Here are three ways you can ensure that your medical application is being precision machined by a manufacturer committed to following strict hygienic... Read More

An Informational Brief on Polymer Machining   The recent popularity of PEEK (polyetheretherketone) in complex industries such as Aerospace & Defense and Medical & Life Sciences is well documented, and for good reason: this lightweight thermoplastic bears properties that make it ideal for a variety of specialized applications. This versatility makes PEEK equally capable of being used for implants and custom medical devices or machined lightweight aircraft components.   What... Read More

When it comes to choosing a thermoplastic material for your medical applications, product durability, agency approval, biocompatibility and cleanliness aren’t just desirable—they’re essential. Beyond even that, though, a host of other factors must be considered when determining which high-performance plastic or composite material to use for an implant, orthopedic surgical guides, body fluid contact components, spinal devices, or surgical instruments. Medical product applications are becoming more and more advanced due... Read More

With over two decades of experience machining precision plastic and composite parts for the Aerospace & Defense industry, AIP Precision Machining knows that weight and strength are critical for your flight ready hardware. That’s why we’ve carefully selected, machined, and tested all our thermoplastic materials to various aerospace industry standards. Our lightweight polymers and composites have stable chemical and corrosion resistance, as well as improved strength to weight ratios when... Read More

When looking to design a custom critical component for the aerospace industry, finding the right plastics manufacturer is just as important as deciding what resin works best for your project’s needs. The use of high performing plastics and thermoplastics such as ULTEM, TORLON, PEEK, and RADEL has quadrupled in aerospace design over the last 45 years thanks to their unique dynamic properties, and with them comes the need for precise... Read More

Earlier this month, we were pleased to attend the QAADS Symposium and present our case study, “The Right Stuff / Aircraft Galley Applications”.   In this partner application study, we detailed:   1. The appropriate steps in finding the right material for interior private jets. 2. Determining whether the said material will meet both FDA and FAR 25.853 requirements after manufacturing. 3. How unique technical capabilities can contribute to a... Read More

When in need of a custom-machined component for a project, choosing a metallic material may be the naturally instinctive consideration to the design engineer. This article is intended to provide educational insight as to an often more sensible alternative for precision-machined, high-strength, durable parts: machined polymers and composites. Let’s explore the benefits of opting for a plastic material versus the more traditional metal materials for precision parts.   Benefits Across... Read More

To a certain degree, 3D printing, injection molding, and plastic machining technology overlap in their capabilities and offerings. But which fabrication process is most appropriate for your project? What are their key differentiators? The following article assesses the utility of each technology with regard to precision, efficiency, materials and more.   Capabilities   3D printing is an additive manufacturing process that prints layers of plastic substance in three dimensions onto... Read More

[caption id="attachment_578" align="alignright" width="300"] Kids are hard at work in their plastics manufacturing summer camp.[/caption] The word “summer camp” denotes images of canoeing on a lake, staying up late to tell ghost stories or hiking through the woods. But today, that term is expanding to include hardwiring electronics, designing products through CAD and making plastic products kids can take home… Huh?   The plastics manufacturing industry has begun partnering with... Read More