Production Manager Nathan’s Lesson Series #1: Characteristics of MC Nylon Blue

Author: Rumiko (Rumi) Inoue (sales and marketing leader)

Hello from Yumoto Vietnam! I’m Rumi, the sales and marketing leader of Yumoto Vietnam, and today, we are kicking off a new blog series: Production Manager Nathan’s Lesson Series. Nathan’s first lesson is about MC Nylon (Blue).

What are some common characteristis of MC Nylon (blue)? 

MC Nylon is one of the most commonly used plastic materials for CNC machining, along with POM plastic. It is a relatively affordable material – it is about 7~8 USD per kilogram for Korean MC Nylon. We often use MC Nylon to manufacture gears, rollers, bearings, and other types of precision components.

While MC Nylon is a commonly used material, the machining process is not simple. Because it has high tensile and compressive strength, it is difficult to cut. Its high elasticity also makes it hard to achieve tight tolerances, and parts are prone to deformation after machining.

Characteristics of MC Nylon from Korea

In Vietnam, there are two types of MC Nylon available, high-quality MC Nylon from Korea and lower-cost MC Nylon from China. At Yumoto Vietnam we normally use the Korean MC due its higher quality, but the Korean material still has the following drawbacks:

1. High deformation rate

2. Thicker plates often contain air bubbles

3. Dimensions change with environmental temperature

4. After machining, the dimensions naturally expand unevenly within 2–3 days, depending on the thickness and geometry of the part

5. High impurity content causes fast tool wear

6. Surfaces may turn white if the pressing force exceeds the cutting force

7. Appearance after machining is not smooth or glossy

Example of defective product using MC Nylon (Korea). The material could not handle the heat generated when making the thread part, so you can see many large white burrs on the product. 

Example of OK/pass product using MC Nylon (Korea): With proper settings, we were able to machine the thread without causing surface to turn white. 

Characteristics of MC Nylon Japan

Due to the above drawbacks of Korean MC Nylon, when products require tight tolerances such as H7 or tolerances less than +/- 0.02 mm, it is highly recommended to use Japanese MC Nylon which is of superior quality:

1. High tensile and compressive strength

2. No impurities inside the material, which also significantly reduces tool wear during machining

3. The material is properly annealed, so deformation after machining is minimal. For complex shapes with uneven cutting forces, slight deformation may still occur.

However, since it is imported from Japan, the price is very high and may be difficult to import in small quantities.

If you have any doubts whether to use MC Nylon from Korea or Japan, our sales representatives or our experienced engineers can look at your drawing and suggest the most suitable for your precision component.

Examples of precision components made from MC Nylon (Blue)

Our production manager, Nathan (Nguyen Van Nam), has worked at the CNC machining industry for over 10 years. He worked in Yumoto Electric in Osaka, Japan as a CNC machining engineer for about 7.5 years, before returning to Vietnam to become Yumoto Vietnam’s production manager. We will share some of his expertise about different types of materials and production methods biweekly.

Learn more about Yumoto Vietnam's CNC machining service and contact us here for quotations or specific questions about our capabilities.