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Food Industry

Food Industry Machined Plastics

Preferred Plastics for the Food Industry

PMI provides machined plastics that are used extensively throughout the food processing and handling industries for applications that require wear resistance, temperature resistance, and tensile strength. In food-contact applications where consumer safety is imperative, plastics offer FDA-compliant grade options that are readily sterilized and tolerate disinfectants without degrading. Combining lightweight durability with design versatility, plastics are resilient, easily cleaned, and can be machined into virtually any shape.

  • Packaging. Plastic packaging provides superior product protection, helping to guard against contamination, extend shelf-life, and preserve freshness and flavor. Freezer-safe, microwavable, and reusable, plastic packaging can withstand temperature extremes without damaging food taste or appearance. Machined plastics are inexpensive, convenient, disposable, and frequently recyclable.
  • Preparation. Plastic products are strong and easy to clean, offering non-porous surfaces that won’t splinter, rust, or absorb odors.
  • Transportation/Distribution. Plastic’s characteristic strength, durability, and versatility make it ideal for transportation and distribution applications. Machined plastic components and products combine the strength of steel with the lightness of aluminum, and will not rot, mildew, or splinter.
  • Retail display. With its endless versatility, plastic is a cost-effective choice for display products such as menu holders, beverage signs, dispensers, dip trays, condiment holders, bar caddies, and organizers.

Consider the following when selecting a plastic for your food industry application:

    1. Is your application primarily bearing/wear, or structural?
    2. What are the thermal requirements of your application?
    3. What chemicals will the material be exposed to during use and cleaning?
    4. Does your application require dimensional stability or impact resistance?
    5. Does your application require regulatory compliance?

Please refer to our Plastic Materials Guide for specific characteristics of the plastics we machine. For help selecting the optimal material for your application, contact the PMI technical support team. We understand the unique advantages and limitations of each plastic material, and can help you make the best choice for cost, function, and durability.

Plastics frequently used in the Food Industry include:

ABS Plastic Machined Parts

Amorphous thermoplastic with superior impact strength, chemical resistance, and dimensional stability.

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Acetal Coplymer Plastic Machined Parts

Semi-crystalline with extremely low wear and good rigidity, toughness, and dimensional stability. Low moisture absorption, easy to machine.

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PEEK (Polyetheretherketone) Plastic Machined Parts

Semi-crystalline material provides exceptionally high temperature performance with good wear and friction properties. Easily machined, formed, and welded. Maintenance-free, wipes clean. Provides design versatility with excellent dimensional stability. Good chemical resistance. Won’t degrade with exposure to water or steam.

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Polyester Plastic Machined Parts

Excellent strength and dimensional stability. Absorbs very little water. Good gas barrier properties and good chemical resistance.

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Polyetherimide Plastic Machined Parts

Broad chemical resistance. Excellent ability to withstand a wide variety of sterilization methods. Outstanding mechanical properties, easy to machine.

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Polyethylene (HDPE and LDPE) Plastic Machined Parts

Olefin-based polymers with excellent chemical resistance. Easy to machine. Highly resistant to abrasion and stress-cracking. Good water resistance.

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Polyethylene Terephthalate Polyester (PET-P) Plastic Machined Parts

Semi-crystalline thermoplastic with excellent wear resistance, superior dimensional stability. Resistant to moderately acidic solutions. Capable of sustaining high loads. Low moisture absorption.

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Polyphenylene Oxide Plastic Machined Parts

Low moisture absorption and good electrical insulation properties over a wide temperature and humidity range. Superior impact strength and long-term dimensional stability. Easily machined to close tolerances.

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Polypropylene Plastic Machined Parts

Thermoplastic with unique combination of outstanding physical, chemical, mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties. Highly resistant to corrosive materials. High temperature resistance and tensile strength. Excellent resistance to organic solvents and degreasing agents.

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PVC Plastic Machined Parts

Flexible, easily tailored for additional heat, chemical, and wear resistance. Good resistance to oil, low permeability to gases. Easily machined, heat-formed, and welded.

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