Company Profile: KGL Machinery (KINNEX PRECISION)
Founded in 2013 in Shenzhen, China, KGL Machinery has grown from a 2-CNC startup to a 100+ machine facility spanning 12,300 sqft. We serve 200+ global clients across aerospace, medical, robotics, semiconductor, and petroleum industries.
Attribute
Detail
Founded
2013
Employees
110+
Machines
100+ CNC (5-axis, 9-axis, 4-axis, horizontal, gantry)
Facility
12,300 sqft
Annual Output
RMB 100M+
Fixed Assets
RMB 65M+
Certifications
ISO 9001:2015, ISO 13485:2016, AS9100D, National High-Tech Enterprise
Patents
15 (7 utility models + 8 invention patents)
Clients
200+ global enterprises, multiple Fortune 500
Leadership: Dr.Jason Hu
Our founder and General Manager, Dr. Jason Hu, is a mechanical engineer with 26 years of industry experience and a PhD from NLBA Business University, Netherlands. His doctoral research on lean manufacturing has been directly implemented at KGL, achieving ±0.003mm precision on Mazak 5-axis equipment and a 30% production cycle reduction.
Quality Infrastructure
Hexagon GLOBAL S 07.10.07 + Zeiss CAPTUM 7/10/6 Verity CMMs (0.0015mm precision)
Olympus DPO6500 alloy spectrometer
Keyence IM-8010 image dimension measurement (0.003mm)
IQC-IPQC-FQC three-tier quality control system
The Challenge: SAFRAN PEI Wastewater Treatment Components
Client & Application
SAFRAN, a Tier-1 French aerospace OEM, required a series of PEI (Polyetherimide/Ultem) components for an aircraft wastewater treatment system. The parts needed to withstand internal pressure to 3 bar, thermal cycling from -40C to +80C, and chemical exposure to aerospace fluids—all while maintaining ±0.01mm geometric tolerance.
Material: German Röchling PEI
PEI was sourced directly from Röchling Engineering Plastics GmbH in Germany under aerospace-grade protocols. Key properties:
Property
Value
Machining Impact
Glass Transition Temp (Tg)
217C
Heat management critical
Thermal Conductivity
0.22 W/mK
Heat concentrates at tool tip
CTE
56 ppm/C
±1.8C = ±0.01mm deviation on 100mm part
Tensile Strength
105 MPa
High cutting forces, spring-back
Hardness (Rockwell M)
109
Tool wear, burring
Four Critical Challenges
1. Extreme Deformation & Burring: PEI's toughness causes elastic recovery and ragged edges during machining.
2. ±0.01mm Tolerance with Thermal Sensitivity: Machining heat causes dimensional drift; CTE of 56 ppm/C makes temperature control essential.
3. Poor Weldability: PEI's high Tg resists thermal softening; conventional welding methods failed.
4. 3D Printing & Injection Molding Rejected: Additive manufacturing produced ±0.1-0.3mm tolerances and anisotropic properties; injection molding required $50K+ tooling and 12-16 week lead time for only 200-500 units/year.
Our Solution: Mazak 5-Axis + 9-Axis CNC + Proprietary Welding
Equipment: Mazak 5-Axis Cluster
Five Mazak 5-Axis VARIAXIS C-600 / J-500 centers provided the geometric flexibility to machine complex internal channels, asymmetric ports, and thin-wall sections in a single setup—eliminating rechucking errors that would destroy the ±0.01mm tolerance.
Positioning Accuracy: ±0.003mm
Control: Mazak SMOOTHX CNC with thermal compensation
Work Envelope: Ø500-600mm
Equipment: Mazak 9-Axis Mill-Turn
For components combining cylindrical and prismatic features, we deployed two Mazak INTEGREX i-250H/HS 9-axis mill-turn composite centers:
Positioning Accuracy: ±0.003mm
Turning Diameter: Ø670mm
Turning Length: 1,011mm / 1,519mm
Key Advantage: Single chucking for turning + milling + drilling + side-milling—critical for thermally sensitive PEI
The INTEGREX's single-chucking capability was decisive: each rechucking introduces thermal disturbance and mechanical stress. By completing all operations in one setup, we maintained thermal equilibrium and achieved Cpk > 1.67.
Machining Strategy: Multi-Parameter Optimization (MPO)
We developed a proprietary MPO strategy optimizing seven interdependent variables simultaneously on our Mazak platforms:
Parameter
Conventional
KGL Optimized
Cutting Speed
200-400 m/min
80-120 m/min
Feed Rate
0.1-0.3 mm/rev
0.05-0.08 mm/rev
Depth of Cut
2-5 mm
0.2-1.0 mm
Tool Material
HSS / Carbide
Polycrystalline Diamond (PCD)
Coolant
Flood cooling
Chilled air + minimal mist
Workholding
Standard clamping
Vacuum + conformal support
Spindle Speed
10,000-20,000 RPM
3,000-8,000 RPM
Result: 72% reduction in burr formation, 85% improvement in dimensional stability.
Thermal Management: TDMS
Our proprietary Thermal Dynamics Management System (TDMS) integrates FEA predictive modeling, infrared thermography, and real-time CNC compensation through the Mazak SMOOTHX macro programming interface. The closed-loop system achieves ±2 micron thermal compensation accuracy—well within our ±10 micron tolerance budget.
Ultrasonic Welding Breakthrough
After 8 months of R&D, we developed a proprietary 35 kHz Ultrasonic Welding process with a micro-serrated energy director (0.1mm pitch) that increases effective weld area by 40%:
Test
Requirement
Result
Status
Tensile Strength
≥80% base material
87% (91.4 MPa)
PASS
Burst Pressure
≥3.0 bar
4.2 bar (+40%)
PASS
Thermal Cycling
-40C to +80C, 500 cycles
No failure
PASS
Helium Leak Test
<1×10-6 mbar·L/s
<5×10-8 mbar·L/s
PASS
Need high-precision polymer components for critical applications?
Struggling with similar polymer machining tolerances? Contact our engineering team for a 48-hour rapid prototyping evaluation.
Results & Quality Verification
Dimensional Inspection (Sample)
All measurements conducted on Hexagon/Zeiss CMMs (0.0015mm resolution) after 24-hour thermal stabilization:
Feature
Nominal
Actual
Deviation
Status
Port A Diameter
25.000mm
25.003mm
+0.003mm
PASS
Center Distance
85.000mm
85.006mm
+0.006mm
PASS
Wall Thickness
2.500mm
2.498mm
-0.002mm
PASS
Surface Roughness (Ra)
0.800μm
0.650μm
-0.150μm
PASS
Process Control Metrics
Metric
Value
Standard
Status
Cpk
1.72
≥1.33
EXCEEDS
Production Yield
98.2%
>95%
EXCEEDS
First Article Inspection
100% Pass
100% Required
PASS
On-Time Delivery
100%
>95%
EXCEEDS
Why Mazak CNC Beat 3D Printing & Injection Molding
When deciding how to manufacture aerospace PEI components, engineers typically evaluate 3D printing, injection molding, and CNC machining. Here is why CNC is superior for low-volume, high-precision needs:
Criterion
3D Printing
Injection Molding
Mazak CNC (KGL)
Tolerance
±0.1-0.3mm
±0.05-0.1mm
±0.01mm
Surface Ra
3.2-12.5μm
0.8-1.6μm
0.4-0.8μm
Material Properties
Anisotropic, porous
Isotropic, molded
100% base resin
Tooling Cost
N/A
$50K-150K
$2K-5K fixtures
Lead Time (First Parts)
8-12 hrs/part
12-16 weeks
2-4 weeks
Minimum Order
N/A
1,000-5,000
1-10 parts
Geometric Freedom
High
Limited by mold
Unlimited (5-axis+9-axis)
Cost (Low Volume)
$150-250
$50-150
$20-40
For SAFRAN's 200-500 units/year with complex internal channels and no draft angles, Mazak 5-axis + 9-axis CNC machining was the only viable method.
Component Gallery
Figure 1: PEI Component Assembly
Figure 1: Primary PEI component assembly--complex multi-port geometry machined on Mazak VARIAXIS J-500 5-axis center.
Figure 2: Internal Geometry Detail
Figure 2: Internal channels and cavity features showing precision surface finish.
Figure 3: Top-View Precision Geometry
Figure 3: Symmetric port arrangement with amber-transparent PEI optical clarity.
Figure 4: Circular PEI Component
Figure 4: Complex circular component with multiple precision ports and internal channels.
Figure 5: PEI Impeller/Disk
Figure 5: Impeller component with complex vane geometry for fluid handling.
Figure 6: Multi-Feature PEI Housing
Figure 6: Main housing with mounting bosses, bores, and interface surfaces.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Why is PEI (Ultem) difficult to machine?
A: PEI has a high glass transition temperature of 217°C and a high CTE of 56 ppm/°C, making it extremely sensitive to machining heat, which causes rapid thermal expansion and dimensional drift.
Q: Why choose CNC machining over 3D printing or injection molding for aerospace PEI components?
A: Additive manufacturing lacks the required structural integrity and tighter tolerances (producing ±0.1–0.3mm vs. CNC’s ±0.01mm). Injection molding requires prohibitive tooling costs ($50K+) and 12–16 week lead times, which are impractical for low-to-medium production runs (200–500 units/year).
Q: How does KGL achieve tight ±0.01mm tolerances on temperature-sensitive polymers?
A: We combine multi-parameter optimization (MPO) on Mazak 5-axis/9-axis platforms, low-heat spindle speeds, customized PCD tooling, and our proprietary Thermal Dynamics Management System (TDMS) for real-time thermal compensation.
Conclusion
The SAFRAN PEI project demonstrates what 26 years of machining experience, Mazak 5-axis and 9-axis technology, and systematic R&D investment can achieve. By solving problems that 3D printing and injection molding could not, KGL Machinery (KINNEX PRECISION) has proven that Chinese precision manufacturing can deliver custom aerospace polymer components at ±0.01mm tolerance.
Our combination of Mazak VARIAXIS J-500 5-axis and Mazak INTEGREX i-250H/HS 9-axis mill-turn centers, proprietary TDMS thermal management, and advanced ultrasonic welding creates a genuinely differentiated capability for PEI, PEEK, POM, and other high-performance polymers.
As a leading provider of PEI machining services in China, KGL Machinery offers proven capability, AS9100D certification, and competitive positioning for global OEMs—backed by 100+ machines, 110+ employees, and 13 years of relentless pursuit of precision excellence.
24-hour technical response | 48-hour rapid prototyping | Full quality traceability
About the Author
Dr. Jason Hu is General Manager of KGL Machinery & Electronics Co., Ltd. He holds a mechanical engineering degree and a PhD from NLBA Business University, Netherlands, with 26 years of precision machining experience. Under his leadership, KGL has grown from 2 machines in 2013 to 100+ machines serving 200+ global clients.
Contact
KGL Machinery & Electronics Co., Ltd.
Website: www.kglmfc.com | www.kglprecision.com
Email: kgl@kglmfc.com
Location: Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
Facility: 12,300 sqft manufacturing floor
Certifications: ISO 9001:2015 | ISO 13485:2016 | AS9100D | National High-Tech Enterprise