Medical implants. Aerospace bearings. Chemical resistance.

PEEK raw material: $120–180/kg for unfilled, $200–400/kg for medical-grade (Invibio PEEK-OPTIMA). Compare to nylon at $8/kg or Delrin at $12/kg. The premium reflects PEEK's unique combination of properties — continuous service to 260 °C, FDA biocompatibility in medical grades, chemical resistance approaching PTFE, and mechanical strength matching aluminum. Use PEEK when the application genuinely requires these properties; otherwise choose Ultem, PPS, or PPSU.

Unfilled PEEK: chemical processing, food contact, transparent applications. Medical-grade PEEK (Invibio PEEK-OPTIMA): implantable medical devices with FDA/CE compliance. PEEK-GF30 (30% glass): structural applications, better strength and stiffness. PEEK-CF30 (30% carbon): electrical conductivity, lowest thermal expansion, best wear resistance. Contact us for DFM review to confirm grade selection.

Yes, for prototypes and pre-production samples in Invibio PEEK-OPTIMA LT1 (Implantable). For commercial-scale implantable devices, final production typically moves to FDA-registered implant manufacturers due to QSR requirements. We support the prototype-through-clinical-trial journey with documented traceability, machining-only contact (no secondary contamination), and USP Class VI compliant handling.

General PEEK: ±0.05 mm standard, ±0.025 mm precision with CMM verification. Medical precision PEEK: ±0.01 mm achievable on critical features. Surface finish Ra 0.8 µm single-pass on unfilled PEEK, Ra 1.6 µm typical on glass/carbon-filled grades (glass fibers affect finish). Polished PEEK: Ra 0.2 µm achievable for cosmetic or optical applications.

Unfilled PEEK in stock: 5–7 business days typical. Medical-grade PEEK-OPTIMA: 7–14 days due to material lead time from Invibio (reserved inventory). Glass-filled PEEK-GF30: 7 days with stock, 14 days if material must be ordered. Carbon-filled PEEK-CF30: similar to GF30. For urgent orders, specialty-material expediting available at premium cost.

Sometimes — but with caveats. PEEK strength (yield ~96 MPa) is lower than stainless (yield ~200 MPa for 316L). Where PEEK wins: weight (1.3 g/cc vs 8 g/cc), magnetic-free, lower thermal conductivity (for thermal isolation), no galling in sliding applications. Where stainless wins: mechanical load, cost, weldability. Common replacement: stainless bearings on rotating shafts → PEEK bushings (no lubrication needed, runs dry against steel).