Case of electroplated diamond grinding wheel for PEEK

What is PEEK ?

PEEK is a semi-crystalline, high-performance engineering thermoplastic. It has strong mechanical properties, chemical resistance, wear resistance, fatigue resistance and creep resistance, as well as high temperature resistance up to 260°C. Due to these properties, PEEK and its composites are widely used in aerospace, automotive, structural, high-temperature electrical and biomedical applications.

Polyetheretherketone belongs to the polyketone polymer family, which includes PEK, PEEK, PEEKK, PEKK, and PEKEKK. Among them, PEEK is the most widely used and mass-produced.

Polyether ether ketone refers to a linear polymer whose macromolecular main chain is composed of aryl groups, ketone bonds and ether bonds. It is the only polyaryl ether ketone variety that can be mass-produced at present. Its English name is polyetherether ketone, or PEEK for short. The molecular structural formula is

Although PEEK is expensive, parts made of PEEK materials are lighter, stronger and tougher, and can have a longer service life in harsh environments. This is one of the best things about PEEK.

PEEK also has excellent tensile properties and excellent creep resistance. When reinforced with carbon fiber, a tensile strength of 29,000 psi can be achieved and excellent performance is maintained at 299°C. When combined with bending and tensile properties, it provides an excellent balance of performance. PEEK can withstand high loads for a long time at high temperatures without permanent deformation. This is also the second best thing about PEEK.

PEEK materials features:
1. Corrosion resistance and anti-aging

2. Solubility resistance

3. High temperature, high frequency and high voltage electrical performance conditions

4. Both toughness and rigidity

5. Precision size requirements

6. Radiation resistance, wear resistance, corrosion resistance Conditions

7. Water resistance Solution, it can still maintain excellent characteristics under high temperature and high pressure

8. Lightweight replacement of metals as optical fiber components

9. Good wear resistance, antistatic and electrical insulation properties

10. Components with high mechanical strength requirements

11. Low smoke and toxic gas emissions.

Main application areas of PEEK
The fields include: the transportation market such as automobiles (including aviation) accounts for about 50% of PEEK resin consumption, semiconductor manufacturing equipment accounts for 20%, general mechanical parts such as compressor valves account for 20%, medical equipment and analytical instruments and other Market share is 10%.
1. Automobile and other transportation machinery fields
The growth of PEEK resin in the European market is particularly rapid in the automotive parts market. In particular, engine peripheral parts, transmission parts, steering parts, etc. have all chosen PEEK plastic to replace some traditional high-priced metals as manufacturing materials. As the automotive industry adapts to the requirements of miniaturization, lightweighting and cost reduction, the demand for PEEK resin will continue to grow. A certain European model has 44 parts made of PEEK plastic instead of traditional metal products.
2. IT manufacturing field
Semiconductor manufacturing and electronic and electrical industries are expected to become another growth point for PEEK resin applications. In the semiconductor industry, in order to achieve high functionality and low cost, silicon wafers are required to be larger in size and manufacturing technology more advanced. Low dust, low gas release, low ion dissolution, and low water absorption are the requirements for various equipment materials in the semiconductor manufacturing process. For special requirements, this will be where PEEK resin comes into play.
3. Office machinery parts field
For copier separation claws, special heat-resistant bearings, chains, gears, etc., using PEEK resin instead of metal as their material can make the parts lightweight, fatigue-resistant, and oil-free lubrication.
4. Wire covering field
The PEEK coating layer has very good flame retardancy. Without adding any flame retardants, its flame retardant level can reach UL94 V-0 level. PEEK resin also has the advantages of peeling resistance and radiation resistance (109 rad), so it is used in special wires in military industry, nuclear energy and other related fields.
5. Plate, bar and other fields
In the application process of PEEK in some special fields, it is often encountered that the quantity is small and the variety is large. At this time, it is very advantageous to use rods, plates and other profiles for mechanical processing and manufacturing.
6. Fiber field
PEEK fiber (including monofilament) industrial filter cloth, industrial brushes and other products. In the field of composite materials, the charm of PEEK fiber lies in its thermoplasticity and high temperature resistance. In addition to its heat resistance, its appeal in industrial filter cloths and industrial brushes lies in its chemical resistance and abrasion resistance.
7. Medical analysis equipment field 
Because PEEK can withstand repeated autoclaving, it can be used in medical devices to manufacture endoscope parts, dental descalers, etc. In addition, due to its high strength and low dissolution, PEEK has been used in liquid chromatography columns, tubes, accessories, etc. for instrument analysis. Moreover, because PEEK has good compatibility with the human body, it has successfully replaced traditional titanium metal as an artificial bone material.

Recently Moresuperhard  have a customer who processes PEEK material, electroplated grinding wheel processing (rough grinding and fine grinding)
The customer required a flatness of Ra0.003 and a parallelism of 0.006, 3000#. Parallelism was also the customer’s ultimate demand. The final test results of the previously used grinding wheels did not meet the parallelism requirements.

—EDITOR: Doris Hu,Jim Jiao

—POST:Doris Hu