Fabrication
For new products at the R&D stage or initial low-volume production, C-Hawk’s plastic fabrication provides an excellent manufacturing solution that doesn’t require a heavy investment and extended lead times for tooling.
- Strip Heater Bending – A method of bending plastic in which a heated wire is used to soften the area being bent. This method is used for acrylic, styrene, polycarbonate, polypropylene, and ABS.
- Cold Bending – Utilizes a break press to bend the plastics. The material that typically works with this method is polycarbonate.
- Mechanical Fastener Installation – Mechanical fasteners used include screws, nuts, and Heli-Coils, which allow for screws to be inserted and removed without damaging the native threads on a part. This method works well with all plastics.
- Vapor Polishing – Uses a chemical vapor to change the surface of the plastic, creating an excellent cosmetic surface. Internal features such as threads and drill holes can be vapor polished. This method is good for polycarbonate, Ultem (polyetherimide, or PEI), acrylic, polysulfone (PSU), ABS, and PETG.