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If you are sourcing machined plastic components, two materials come up in almost every technical conversation: PEEK and PTFE. Both handle heat and chemicals that would destroy commodity plastics like ABS or nylon, and both machine into precise, reliable parts. But their raw material prices sit at opposite ends of the spectrum, so buyers often ask us the same question: what does CNC machining actually cost for PEEK and PTFE parts?
The honest answer is that material price is only part of the story. The final cnc machining cost depends on how the material behaves on the machine, how tight your tolerances are, and how many parts you order. This guide breaks down the real cost drivers for both materials, with practical price ranges you can use for budgeting.
PEEK (polyether ether ketone) is a rigid, high-strength engineering thermoplastic. It keeps its mechanical properties at continuous service temperatures up to about 250 °C, resists almost every common chemical, and is stiff enough to replace metal in structural parts. Standard unfilled PEEK offers tensile strength around 90–100 MPa, while glass-filled and carbon-fiber-filled grades push well beyond that. It is also biocompatible, which is why it appears in medical device components and dental frameworks.
PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene, often known by the brand name Teflon) takes a different role. It is soft, extremely slippery, and chemically inert to nearly everything. Its continuous service temperature reaches roughly 260 °C, but its tensile strength is only about 20–35 MPa, and it creeps under sustained load. You choose PTFE for seals, gaskets, insulators, and low-friction sliding parts — not for load-bearing structures.
| Property | PEEK | PTFE |
|---|---|---|
| Continuous service temperature | Up to ~250 °C | Up to ~260 °C |
| Tensile strength | ~90–100 MPa (unfilled) | ~20–35 MPa |
| Chemical resistance | Excellent | Exceptional |
| Machinability | Good, similar to brass | Challenging (soft, creeps) |
| Typical realistic tolerance | ±0.01–0.02 mm | ±0.03–0.05 mm |
| Raw material cost level | Very high | Moderate |
With PEEK, the raw stock dominates the budget. Virgin PEEK rod and plate typically cost an order of magnitude more per kilogram than commodity plastics, and glass-filled or carbon-fiber grades cost more again. That single fact changes how shops quote the job:
As a budgeting rule of thumb, a simple turned PEEK bushing the size of a wine cork might land in the tens of dollars per piece in prototype quantities, dropping sharply at volume. A complex 5-axis PEEK housing with tight bores can run into the hundreds per piece for a small batch. The range is wide precisely because stock volume and tolerance drive the number.
PTFE flips the equation. The raw material is far cheaper than PEEK, but it is harder to machine accurately. PTFE is soft enough to deform under clamping pressure, creeps over time, and has a high coefficient of thermal expansion — heat from the cutting edge can grow the part dimensionally while you measure it in-process.
For simple PTFE washers, seals, and insulators in the hundreds of pieces, unit prices often fall into the single-digit to low-tens of dollars — frequently cheaper per part than an equivalent PEEK component, and sometimes even cheaper than metal alternatives. Costs climb when tolerances tighten, walls get thin, or the geometry demands multi-axis work.
Whether your part is PEEK or PTFE, the same five variables decide the final number:
The quickest way to a reliable price is a complete information package. When you request a quote for cnc machined plastic parts, include:
One practical tip: ask your supplier whether the drawing tolerances are truly functional. Loosening a non-critical dimension from ±0.02 mm to ±0.05 mm can cut the inspection and finishing burden noticeably, especially on PTFE.
At ANOK Precision Manufacturing, engineering plastics are a daily routine rather than an occasional experiment. Our team machines PEEK, PTFE, POM, nylon, PC, PMMA, and ULTEM alongside our metal workload, using 3-, 4-, and 5-axis machining centers and CNC turning equipment under an ISO 9001:2015 quality system. For parts that need it, we combine machining with stress-relief cycles and full dimensional inspection to hold tolerances down to ±0.002 mm on suitable geometries.
Whether you need one peek cnc machining prototype for a medical device or a recurring batch of PTFE seals for food equipment, send us your drawings. We will return a detailed, itemized quotation — usually within 24 hours — with DFM suggestions that often reduce cost before the first chip is cut.
Ready to price your PEEK or PTFE parts? Upload your STEP file and drawing through our contact page, or email info@anok-machining.com for a free, no-obligation quotation.