Plastic Components

GETTING STARTED WITH MANIFOLD DESIGN Our standard surface finish is a maximum of 32 microinch RA (.8 micrometer RA). We will finish all surfaces to that roughness unless otherwise stated. Flat areas: We can finish areas of large flat surfaces to an optical finish below 4 microinch RA (0.1 micrometer). Valve mount surface finish is maximum 32…

ALL ABOUT MATERIALS FOR MANIFOLDS Drilled manifold material choices Bonded manifold material choices Material sizes Material colors Material cost Material certifications Availability Chemical resistance Radiation resistance Temperature resistance Stress sensitive plastics Misc information Ease of machining

Ultem can be a great choice for manifolds that need thermal strength, thermal resistance, and chemical resistance. Check out the podcast to learn more.

Polycarbonate is slightly more expensive than acrylic but has more thermal and chemical resistance. It can also come in medical-grade quality. Learn more on the podcast.

When designing bonded manifolds, you have to be aware of stress-cracking risks, cost, threading, and material choice. Listen to the podcast to learn more.

COC and COP plastics offer advantages over other amorphous materials. They are chemically resistant with great light transmission capabilities. Check out the benefits.

One of the most popular materials for a wide variety of applications, acrylic is low cost and offers high light transmission. Check out the podcast to learn more.

Tom Rohlfs looks at the pros and cons of drilled manifolds. He explains the production process and outlines designs that are ideal for drilled production methods. John Maher: Hi, I’m John Maher. I’m here today with Tom Rohlfs, President and Principal Engineer at Controlled Fluidics, a plastics machining company specializing in precision manifolds. Our topic…

An injection molded manifold features injection molded components bonded together to make a manifold. Look at the production process and pros/cons of injection molded manifolds.

Microfluidic manifolds are manifolds with very small channels, typically below a half millimeter. Look at the manufacturing process for microfluidic manifolds.

Multi-layered bonded manifolds offer advantages over drilled manifolds with plugs. Multi-layered bonded manifolds allow you to create complex channel routing.

In this podcast, Tom Rohlfs talks with John Maher about the plastic manifold design process. He explains what customers should expect when they work with a manifold manufacturer through the design process. John Maher: Hi, I’m John Maher. I’m here today with Tom Rohlfs, President and Principal Engineer at Controlled Fluidics, a plastics machining company…

In this podcast, Tom Rohlfs provides an overview of manifolds. He explains their function. Then, he talks about which industries use manifolds, how they’re manufactured, and the materials used. John Maher: Hi, I’m John Maher. I’m here today with Tom Rohlfs, President and Principal Engineer at Controlled Fluidics, a plastics machining company specializing in precision…

Recently, Controlled Fluidics had the opportunity to interview the chief technologist for small payloads at NASA Ames, Dr. Antonio Ricco, and Mr. Matthew Chin, systems engineer at Ames. Controlled Fluidics produces machined plastic fluid supply manifolds for experiments conducted by NASA Ames. Dr. Ricco and Mr. Chin were kind enough to tell us more about…

We’ve got some fun news: Controlled Fluidics will now feature content exploring our work with our clients and referral partners. This is an exciting opportunity for everyone. We show how our products work, what problems they solve, and where they are used. Our partners get more exposure, and our connection strengthens. Today, we’re featuring an…

Bonded manifolds offer a variety of benefits. Ease of design flexibility means manufacturers like Controlled Fluidics can create intricate channels in almost any configuration. Controlled Fluidics’ low-pressure bonding technology means channels retain their shape throughout the bonding process. The strength of the bond itself is another advantage. Capable of handling pressures to 150 psi, the…

At Controlled Fluidics, we pride ourselves on solving our customers’ problems, no matter the challenge. Sometimes that means figuring out how to manufacture complex plastic parts involving tight tolerances, complicated geometries, and unstable materials. In fact, we have pushed the boundaries of plastic machining to help our customers design and create some of the world’s…

You can find plastic machined parts and manifolds as critical parts of devices in almost any environment: from cell counters in a climate-controlled lab to components on the International Space Station. When machining components that must perform under extreme operating conditions, a good engineer understands that selecting the right material is a critical step.  One…

When engineering devices with medical applications, it’s critical to keep patient safety at the center of all design choices. Fortunately for the engineers working on medical components, polymers combine the favorable properties of glass and metal with unique properties that create better, safer components. As a result, increased use of polymers in medical applications –…

When your manifold or precision component project is in its early stages, material selection is just as critical to success as the design itself.  Unfortunately, narrowing down your options to the ideal choice can be challenging. It might be tempting to simply choose a material that has worked fine in the past. However, a fine…