QuotedPartCost guides · Updated 2026-10-30
When is PEEK worth the extra cost over Delrin?
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At ten bushings, PEEK is $35.50 each and acetal is $28.43 under these assumptions. The stock inputs are $60/lb and $7.50/lb, exactly eight to one, but the finished-part ratio is smaller because both routes still need setup and machining. Buy PEEK when an approved service requirement justifies it, rather than because it is the premium option.
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Compare a component both materials might make
The reference is a cylindrical bushing one inch in outside diameter, two inches long, with a half-inch through bore and a ±0.005-inch general tolerance. The standard stock rule selects 1.125-inch solid rod. We use identical nominal geometry and the same work centers so changing material does not silently buy a different design.
The catalog names its acetal entry Delrin. A purchase order must still identify the approved resin family, supplier grade and condition; a generic acetal entry does not prove the delivered bar is a specific branded homopolymer. Unfilled PEEK is likewise distinct from carbon-filled, glass-filled or bearing grades. The table does not qualify a substitution among those products.
| Plastic | Qty | Setup min/lot | Run min/part at qty | Stock | Setup | Machine/labor | Outside | Markup + floor | Sell/part |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PEEK | 1 | 117.3 | 3.30 | $30.23 | $170.62 | $4.47 | $0.00 | $61.60 | $266.92 |
| PEEK | 10 | 117.3 | 3.30 | $5.77 | $17.06 | $4.48 | $0.00 | $8.19 | $35.50 |
| PEEK | 100 | 117.3 | 3.30 | $5.77 | $1.71 | $4.48 | $0.00 | $3.59 | $15.54 |
| Acetal | 1 | 117.3 | 3.00 | $4.07 | $170.62 | $4.02 | $0.00 | $53.61 | $232.32 |
| Acetal | 10 | 117.3 | 3.00 | $0.78 | $17.06 | $4.03 | $0.00 | $6.56 | $28.43 |
| Acetal | 100 | 117.3 | 3.00 | $0.78 | $1.71 | $4.03 | $0.00 | $1.95 | $8.46 |
Pay for a requirement you can explain
Ensinger describes its unfilled TECAPEEK natural as a high-temperature material with chemical resistance and good machinability. Mitsubishi's POM overview describes acetal's dimensional stability and distinguishes copolymer from homopolymer behavior. Those manufacturer descriptions explain why material selection needs actual operating conditions; they do not establish suitability of this fictional bushing for a particular fluid, load or temperature.
Ask the designer to specify the environment, contact conditions, expected life and acceptance tests. If both approved grades satisfy those requirements, the less expensive material may be the rational choice. If the application exceeds the selected acetal grade's capabilities, its low purchase price is not a meaningful saving. Engineering approval belongs before a material substitution reaches the shop traveler.
Separate stock premium from production premium
The PEEK density input is 1.31 grams per cubic centimeter and acetal is 1.41. Their relative machining inputs are 0.9 and 1.5. The model therefore changes both purchased material and nominal cutting time. Those factors are estimating choices, not a guarantee that the operator can achieve that speed while meeting finish and dimensional requirements.
Turning is $90/hour, programming $95, bench deburr $55 and inspection $75. The estimates apply 30% markup and a $65 line minimum. At a single piece, programming and minimum stock purchases matter strongly. At a larger order, the repeated bore and stock consumption reveal more of the material difference. Eligible running operations use the quantity adjustment shown in the table.
Neither scenario includes annealing, conditioning, special cleaning, dedicated tooling, lot certification or a tight bearing fit. Enter those as actual operations when required. The $60 and $7.50 rates are illustrative catalog values, with no independently verified current distributor offer. A dated supplier quote and a trial on the selected material are stronger evidence than treating an eightfold stock ratio as an eightfold selling-price rule.
Plastic comparison inputs
- • FinishedØ1 ×2 in, Ø0.5 through bore, ±0.005 in; inferredØ1.125 stock; quantities1/10/100.
- • PEEK$60/lb density1.31 factor0.9; acetal$7.50/lb density1.41 factor1.5. No volume tier; not verified current supplier prices.
- • Lathe90/CAM95/bench55/inspect75 USD/h; 30% markup, $65 minimum, no automatic rules; stock and quantity model active. Excludes conditioning, cleaning, qualification, tax and freight.
| Plastic | Qty | Setup min/lot | Run min/part at qty | Stock | Setup | Machine/labor | Outside | Markup + floor | Sell/part |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PEEK | 1 | 117.3 | 3.30 | $30.23 | $170.62 | $4.47 | $0.00 | $61.60 | $266.92 |
| PEEK | 10 | 117.3 | 3.30 | $5.77 | $17.06 | $4.48 | $0.00 | $8.19 | $35.50 |
| PEEK | 100 | 117.3 | 3.30 | $5.77 | $1.71 | $4.48 | $0.00 | $3.59 | $15.54 |
| Acetal | 1 | 117.3 | 3.00 | $4.07 | $170.62 | $4.02 | $0.00 | $53.61 | $232.32 |
| Acetal | 10 | 117.3 | 3.00 | $0.78 | $17.06 | $4.03 | $0.00 | $6.56 | $28.43 |
| Acetal | 100 | 117.3 | 3.00 | $0.78 | $1.71 | $4.03 | $0.00 | $1.95 | $8.46 |
Sources and limits
Claims are dated where they can change. Product calculations are examples from the stated inputs, not a promise about a customer's quote. Competitor wording is attributed to the source shown.
- Ensinger describes unfilled TECAPEEK natural as heat- and chemical-resistant with good machinability; application approval is separate. — source (checked 2026-10-30)
- Mitsubishi's POM overview discusses acetal dimensional stability and differences between homopolymer and copolymer. — source (checked 2026-10-30)
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