🧪 PEEK
PEEK Machining and Fabrication Suppliers in Jackson, MI
Polyether ether ketone — PEEK — occupies a performance tier above nearly every other thermoplastic in common production use, and Jackson's manufacturing community has built machining and polymer processing capability to match. With a continuous service temperature of 260 degrees Celsius, tensile strength approaching 100 MPa in unfilled form and 200 MPa in carbon-filled grades, and chemical resistance that dismisses automotive fluids, lubricants, and cleaning agents, PEEK parts are increasingly specified wherever a metal component is overengineered or a lower-grade polymer has failed. Jackson shops that already run precision machining on aluminum and tool steel adapt readily to PEEK — the material cuts cleanly and holds tight tolerances when proper tooling and thermal management protocols are followed.
ISO 9001ISO 13485AS9100
Unfilled PEEK: Baseline Properties and Where It Fits in Jackson Programs
Unfilled PEEK (polyether ether ketone) in its neat form achieves tensile strength around 100 MPa, flexural modulus of 3.6 GPa, and continuous service temperature of 260 degrees Celsius per UL 94 V-0 flammability classification. These properties make unfilled PEEK the baseline choice for parts requiring chemical resistance across the broadest fluid compatibility range — it resists hydrocarbons, ketones, esters, and halogenated solvents that attack most other thermoplastics. In Jackson's automotive and industrial supply chain, unfilled PEEK is specified for fuel system components, valve seats, fluid connector bodies, and bushings in transmission assemblies where contact with ATF or gear oil at elevated temperature is continuous.
Machining unfilled PEEK on standard CNC mills and lathes is straightforward when tooling and parameters are set correctly. Sharp, uncoated carbide or high-speed steel tooling at spindle speeds of 800 to 1,200 surface feet per minute with light depth of cut and adequate chip clearance produces excellent surface finish — down to 32 Ra microinch on turned bores — without the thermal degradation that can occur when heat builds up in the cut zone. PEEK's glass transition temperature is 143 degrees Celsius and its melting point is 343 degrees Celsius, so workpiece temperature management during machining is important: excessive heat causes surface smearing and dimensional instability as the part cools. Jackson shops use compressed air cooling rather than flood coolant on most PEEK work to avoid moisture absorption in the machined surface.
Dimensional stability is one of unfilled PEEK's underappreciated advantages. Its coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) at 47 microinch per inch per degree Fahrenheit is lower than most thermoplastics and reasonably well-matched to aluminum, which simplifies assembly design for PEEK-to-aluminum interfaces that cycle through temperature extremes. Jackson buyers specifying PEEK for electric vehicle thermal management components — coolant manifolds, busbar insulators, battery module spacers — benefit from this CTE stability, which reduces thermal fatigue stress at PEEK-to-metal joints.
Glass-Filled and Carbon-Filled PEEK for Structural and Tribological Applications
Glass-filled PEEK (typically 30 percent short glass fiber by weight) roughly doubles the flexural modulus to 7.1 GPa and improves tensile strength to 160 MPa while maintaining the base material's chemical and temperature resistance. The fiber reinforcement also reduces creep under sustained load — a critical property for structural PEEK components like bracket mounts, gear bodies, and pump impellers that must hold dimension under mechanical load at 150 to 200 degrees Celsius. Jackson shops machine 30 percent glass-filled PEEK for under-hood structural brackets, bearing retainers, and gear sector components where the weight reduction versus aluminum (PEEK at 1.32 g/cc versus aluminum at 2.70 g/cc) justifies the higher material cost when load-bearing stiffness is required.
Carbon-filled PEEK (typically 30 percent short carbon fiber) delivers the highest stiffness of the PEEK family — flexural modulus reaches 14 GPa, tensile strength 200 MPa — plus inherent electrical conductivity and a lower coefficient of friction than glass-filled grades. This combination makes carbon-filled PEEK the material of choice for bearing surfaces, bushings, and wear rings in pump and compressor applications where metal-to-PEEK contact must minimize friction without lubrication. Jackson's industrial fluid handling and compressor manufacturing sector specifies carbon-filled PEEK for piston rings, valve guides, and rotary compressor vane tips that operate dry or with gas-only lubrication at elevated temperatures.
Both filled grades require carbide tooling in machining — the glass or carbon fibers rapidly abrade high-speed steel edges — and generate abrasive dust that requires proper ventilation and personal protective equipment. Shops running carbon-filled PEEK should also address the ESD implications of the conductive chips, which can interfere with electronic controls if not contained. Jackson suppliers with filled PEEK experience have these protocols in place and can provide inspection data confirming dimensional conformance, surface finish, and material identity verification via DSC thermal analysis when required.
Quality, Certification, and Lead Time for PEEK Components from Jackson
PEEK parts for automotive production programs are typically qualified under PPAP with first-article dimensional reports, material certifications traceable to the polymer manufacturer (Victrex, Solvay, or equivalent), and process capability data on critical dimensions. ISO 9001-certified Jackson suppliers can execute PPAP Level 2 or 3 submissions; IATF 16949-certified shops add the production part approval rigor required by Tier 1 automotive customers. For medical device applications — PEEK is widely used in implant-grade form — ISO 13485 certification and full material traceability per the device's design history file are required, and Jackson suppliers serving medical programs maintain the documentation infrastructure to support FDA audit requirements.
Raw PEEK stock for machining is available in rod (0.25 inch to 12 inch diameter), plate (0.25 inch to 4 inch thickness), and tube from US distributors, with standard unfilled PEEK in-stock lead times of one to two weeks. Filled grades (30 percent glass, 30 percent carbon) run two to three weeks for standard sizes; specialty grades like PEEK-GF30 in thin sheet or PEEK bearing grade (PTFE and carbon filled) may require four to six weeks. Machined prototype PEEK parts from stock material can typically be delivered in one to two weeks from order. Jackson shops that stock common PEEK grades in-house — a practice common among shops serving high-mix automotive programs — can reduce prototype lead time to three to five days for simple turned or milled geometries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Specify PEEK when the application exceeds the thermal or chemical limits of lower-cost polymers and redesigning to a metal alternative would add unacceptable weight or cost. Nylon 66 is limited to roughly 130 degrees Celsius continuous service and degrades in hydrolysis above 80 degrees Celsius in wet environments; Delrin (acetal) is limited to about 90 degrees Celsius continuous and is not recommended for strong acid or base environments. PEEK handles 260 degrees Celsius continuous, resists hydrolysis at elevated temperatures, and is compatible with virtually all automotive and industrial fluids. The per-pound cost of PEEK rod is roughly 20 to 40 times higher than nylon or acetal, so the economic justification requires that the application genuinely needs those properties. Common legitimate PEEK applications in Jackson's automotive and industrial markets include under-hood fluid connectors cycling above 140 degrees Celsius, pump components in contact with hot hydraulic fluid or solvent at elevated pressure, and bearing bushings running dry at high PV (pressure times velocity) where nylon or acetal would creep and seize.
Jackson CNC shops machine unfilled PEEK to tolerances of plus or minus 0.001 inch on general features as a standard capability, with tight work to plus or minus 0.0005 inch achievable on critical bore diameters and shaft fits using finish boring or reaming with fresh tooling. Filled PEEK grades (glass or carbon-filled) hold similar tolerances but require more frequent tool edge changes to maintain dimensional accuracy as the abrasive fibers wear cutting edges. For medical implant-grade PEEK, some Jackson suppliers with ISO 13485 certification machine to plus or minus 0.0002 inch on critical implant interfaces using dedicated fixtures and in-process CMM verification. Surface finish on machined PEEK achieves 32 Ra microinch routinely on turned ODs and IDs; milled faces reach 63 Ra microinch. Post-machining stress relief at 150 degrees Celsius for two to four hours is recommended for high-precision PEEK parts to stabilize dimensions before final inspection, particularly for complex shapes machined from rod stock where residual manufacturing stresses in the raw material can relax after machining.
Yes — PEEK is an excellent fit for several EV thermal management and high-voltage isolation applications. Its continuous service temperature of 260 degrees Celsius exceeds the demands of battery thermal management systems (typically 60 to 85 degrees Celsius operating, up to 120 degrees Celsius in fault conditions), and its volume resistivity above 10 to the 16th power ohm-centimeter provides excellent electrical isolation for busbar support, module spacers, and battery terminal seals. Carbon-filled PEEK is excluded from electrical isolation applications because the carbon fiber imparts conductivity, but unfilled and glass-filled PEEK maintain high dielectric strength above 20 kilovolts per millimeter. Jackson suppliers serving the Michigan EV supply chain machine PEEK coolant manifold bodies, header end caps, and battery module frames that must resist the glycol-water coolant mixtures at 60 to 80 degrees Celsius continuous. The combination of chemical resistance, thermal stability, and dimensional accuracy makes PEEK a genuine engineering solution for EV programs rather than a premium material substituted for its own sake.
Victrex PEEK 450G and Solvay KetaSpire KT-820 are both unfilled PEEK grades with very similar mechanical and thermal properties — tensile strength around 100 MPa, Tg at 143 degrees Celsius, melting point at 343 degrees Celsius. The practical difference for machined parts sourced from Jackson suppliers is primarily in material certification documentation and supply chain traceability rather than performance. Victrex PEEK 450G is the most widely specified grade in automotive and medical device drawings and has the longest qualification history; if your engineering drawing references Victrex PEEK, substituting Solvay requires an approved deviation. For new programs where the drawing references the ASTM D6262 performance specification rather than a specific brand, either source is acceptable provided the supplier furnishes a material certification with tested property data. Jackson shops should stock material certified to the specified grade with lot traceability to the polymer manufacturer's test data, regardless of brand, to support PPAP documentation requirements.
Yes — PEEK is compatible with several secondary surface treatments that enhance specific performance properties. PTFE-filled PEEK composite grades are available from stock for applications requiring maximum dry-running lubricity in bearing and wear applications; these are machined to finished dimensions and need no additional coating. For parts requiring enhanced wear resistance on specific contact surfaces, hard-anodize analog treatments are not applicable to PEEK, but physical vapor deposition (PVD) diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings can be applied to PEEK surfaces at low temperatures to reduce friction coefficient to below 0.1. Etching with chromic acid or sodium etching solution improves PEEK surface adhesion for bonding or potting applications where the inherent low surface energy of PEEK limits adhesive bond strength. Jackson suppliers can arrange PVD coating through regional coating vendors, and shops with in-house plasma treatment or chemical etching capability can prepare PEEK surfaces for bonding in a single-source operation. Buyers should specify the coating requirement on the engineering drawing with the applicable specification rather than leaving it as a verbal requirement.
Last updated: July 2026
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