The plastic that replaces metal. In the hardest environments.

Yes, but with attention. Carbide tooling is standard. Sharp positive-rake geometry for unfilled PEEK. For carbon-fiber filled (PEEK-CF30), diamond-coated (PCD) tools extend life 10× — the abrasive carbon fibers otherwise destroy carbide tools quickly. Slow feeds, moderate speeds, flood coolant mandatory.

Yes, unfilled PEEK is USP Class VI certified and commonly used in long-term implants including spinal fusion cages, dental abutments, and some orthopedic applications. For commercial implantable devices, the final device still requires ISO 10993 biocompatibility testing and regulatory clearance — we supply implant-grade prototype and development parts.

PEEK has higher continuous service temperature (260 °C vs 170 °C), better chemical resistance, and better impact strength. Ultem is cheaper (roughly 1/3 the price) and transparent (amber). For mission-critical high-performance applications, PEEK. For aerospace cabin interiors, electrical insulation, and medical parts that don't need PEEK's extreme performance, Ultem is adequate and economic.

Yes. PEEK withstands repeated 134 °C steam autoclaving cycles without degradation — validated to 2,000+ cycles on surgical instruments. This is a major advantage over most engineering plastics, making it the top choice for autoclavable medical device components.

Minimum order is 1 piece. However, PEEK stock is expensive (roughly USD 300–500/kg for unfilled Victrex, higher for specialty grades), so single-piece prototypes are usually $200–800 per part depending on size. For pilot runs of 5–20 pieces, per-piece cost drops significantly.