In the previous article, we have a preliminary exploration of machining, injection molding and molding processes for Teflon materials. Now, we further analyze the core differences between these three processes in processing Teflon:

1. Differences in material use

Teflon, as a broad material category, covers a wide range of types such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and PFA. It is worth noting that only specific materials such as PFA are suitable for injection molding processing because PTFE does not completely melt into a liquid state at high temperatures, but transforms into a gel state. At the same time, there are subtle differences between PFA and PTFE in terms of their physicochemical properties, as detailed in What are the similarities and differences between PFA and PTFE?.

2. Comparison of Production Efficiency

Machining is more efficient in small quantities because it does not require the creation of molds and can be used directly for production processing. However, in mass production, machining is not as fast as injection molding and pressing. In addition, the cycle time for molding is longer than that for injection molding.

3. Comparison of Accuracy Requirements

Machining can achieve very high precision. In contrast, injection molding and compression molding require preheating of the material, which results in greater dimensional tolerances due to changes in material form.

4. Adaptability of machined shapes

Due to the inherent characteristics of materials such as PFA, PTFE, etc., shrinkage and deformation may occur after processing, which must be taken into account during mold development. Solid products are not suitable for injection molding or molding, while the molding process is also difficult to deal with products with complex structures such as concave holes and side slopes.

5. Production Cost Considerations

Machining does not require prefabricated molds, so it is more advantageous in both cost and speed in small production runs. In mass production, although the mold cost of molding is lower than that of injection molding and the product molding cost is also lower, the quality of molded products may be lower, and even need to manually remove the flying edges, so it needs to be considered comprehensively in mass production.

In summary, Teflon injection molding, molding and machining have their own characteristics, which are suitable for different production needs and product characteristics. When choosing the processing method, it is necessary to consider the material characteristics, production scale, precision requirements, product shape and production cost and other factors.