Plastic fabrication and machining

Wolf Machine & Fabrication is a metal and plastic fabrication and machining shop for Northern Nevada. This page covers the plastics half: what the work looks like, how plastic parts are cut on the same mills and lathes as metal, and what to send when you want a quote. The shop is at 4812 Longley Ln in Reno and is open Monday to Friday, 7:00 am to 3:30 pm.

At a glance

• Plastic parts made from a drawing, a sample or an idea
• Plastic parts for the medical industry
• Metal and plastic chutes for cement and mining work
• Prototypes and production runs
• Design help and free consultations

What does plastic fabrication and machining involve?

Machining shapes a part by cutting material away, and fabrication builds a finished piece from several parts. For plastic, that can mean a single block cut to a drawing on a mill, a round part turned on a lathe, or a chute where plastic sections are mounted on a metal frame. The shop lists plastics among the materials it machines, alongside aluminum, brass, bronze, copper, stainless, steels, titanium and tool steels.

Because plastic and metal are handled in the same place, you do not have to split one assembly between two vendors. The metal frame, the plastic lining and the fasteners that join them can all be planned together, so they fit when they arrive.

Metal and plastic together: chutes and assemblies

Wolf Machine makes metal and plastic chutes for the cement and mining industries. A chute carries loose material from one point to another, and the surface the material slides over takes the wear. General references describe ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene as a slick, abrasion-resistant plastic widely used to line chutes and hoppers, which is why plastic and steel so often appear in the same chute.

If you run a plant or a quarry, the useful starting point is the place where material hangs up or wears through a surface. Bring a photo, a sample of the worn part or a sketch with the key dimensions. See cement and aggregates and mining for the kinds of work that come through, and metal fabrication for the steel side of a chute.

Plastic parts for the medical industry

The shop's industries list includes plastic parts for the medical industry. Parts like these usually come with a clear drawing, a named material and a quantity, and they are often small and detailed. Send the print and any notes about how the part is used, and the shop will tell you what it needs to know before starting.

If you only have a sample or an idea, that works too. The shop will gladly work from specifications, drawings or samples, and can assist you in designing your product or part. Our page on part design from samples explains how that starts.

How plastic is cut on the same mills and lathes

Plastic goes onto the same kinds of machines as metal: CNC milling, vertical milling and lathes. What changes is the technique. Machining references note that plastics conduct heat poorly and move with temperature, so machinists use sharp tools, take lighter cuts and clamp gently, because heavy clamping can distort a soft part before it is even cut.

The practical result for you is simple. Tell us the temperature range the part will see and how it is used, and plan the design around a material that behaves well there. Read more on the plastics materials page, or see custom machining for the wider service.

From one prototype to a production run

Many plastic jobs start with one part. A prototype shows whether the shape works before you commit to more, and changes are easy to make between versions. Once the part is proven, the same drawing moves into production runs, with repeat orders handled from the same file.

Consultations are free. Call (775) 359-5570 or use the quote request to describe the job. A drawing or CAD file is ideal, but a sample part or a sketch with dimensions is enough to begin. Add the plastic you want if you know it, the quantity, where the part will be used, and when you need it. Photos of the part in place help a great deal.