Preventing Burr Formation and Needle Damage with ABS Plastic

Background Information

A manufacturing client contacted us after experiencing frequent damage to precision needles used in their production equipment. The issue occurred when a φ0.7 mm needle was threaded through a φ1 mm guide hole made from polypropylene (PP). Because the process required extremely fine tolerances, even slight imperfections caused costly downtime and rework.

Problem Statement

At first, it was unclear whether the problem came from the needle itself or from the machined guide hole. To pinpoint the root cause, we recreated the through-hole and needle under identical conditions to conduct a controlled verification test.

During testing, we discovered that burrs forming inside the φ1 mm through-hole of the PP guide were scraping and damaging the needle. PP’s tendency to generate burrs during fine machining made it unsuitable for this precision application.

Solution Implementation

To prevent burr formation and maintain dimensional accuracy, we evaluated materials with smoother machining characteristics—specifically POM (Duracon®) and ABS. Both offer excellent machinability and produce clean edges, but ABS also allows for reliable adhesive bonding, which was necessary for this guide’s assembly.

We ultimately recommended switching the guide material from PP to ABS. ABS provided the right balance of strength, machinability, and bondability while reducing the risk of burr-related defects.

Results

The switch to ABS eliminated burrs completely, preventing needle damage and improving product consistency. The client resumed stable production with reduced maintenance and material waste.

Customer Feedback

“Thank you for identifying the cause. Your explanation of the material options was clear and convincing, which put my mind at ease.”
(Manufacturing Industry / Tokyo)