ABS is one of the most common thermoplastic materials with good mechanical properties, excellent impact strength, high heat resistance and good machinability.

ABS has a low density and is ideal for lightweight applications. CNC machined ABS parts are often used as prototypes before injection molding for mass production.

Nylon, also known as polyamide (PA), is a thermoplastic often used in engineering applications because of its excellent mechanical properties, good impact strength, and high chemical and abrasion resistance. But it absorbs water and moisture easily.

Nylon 6 and Nylon 66 are the most commonly used grades in CNC machining.

Polycarbonate is a thermoplastic with high toughness, good machinability and excellent impact strength (better than ABS). It can be tinted, but is usually optically clear, making it ideal for a wide range of applications, including fluidic devices or automotive glass.

Pompom, commonly known by the trade name Delrin, is the most machinable engineering thermoplastic in plastics.

POM (Delrin) is usually the best choice when CNC machining plastic parts that require high precision, high stiffness, low friction, excellent high temperature dimensional stability and very low water absorption.

Commonly referred to as Teflon, PTFE is an engineering thermoplastic with excellent chemical and thermal resistance and the lowest coefficient of friction of any known solid.

One of the few plastics that can withstand operating temperatures above 200°C, Teflon is an excellent electrical insulator. However, it has purely mechanical properties and is often used as a lining or insert in components.

High-density polyethylene (HDPE) is a thermoplastic with a high strength-to-weight ratio, high impact strength, and good weather resistance.

HDPE is a lightweight thermoplastic suitable for outdoor use and plumbing. Like ABS, it is often used to create prototypes prior to injection molding.

PEEK is a high-performance engineering thermoplastic with excellent mechanical properties, thermal stability over a very wide temperature range, and excellent resistance to most chemicals.

PEEK is often used to replace metal parts due to its high strength-to-weight ratio. Medical grades are also available, making PEEK suitable for biomedical applications as well.