What makes CNC machines so unique and widely used in a broad range of industries?
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Product designers looking to turn their product idea into reality often ask this question. And the answer goes beyond the high accuracy and precision that CNC machines offer.
Without a doubt, accuracy and precision are essential criteria when choosing any machining technology. But what sets CNC machines apart from other machining technologies is their compatibility with a broad range of engineering materials, including aluminum.
But just because CNC machines simplify aluminum machining, it doesn&#;t mean fabricating aluminum parts is any less complex than it used to be. There are many aluminum grades (or alloys) available in the market today, and the success of your project will depend on you choosing the most suitable aluminum alloy for your project.
This article presents seven aluminum grades commonly available in the market today, including their properties, advantages, and suitability for different design requirements. It will serve as a guide to help you make the right choice for your project.
Some Benefits and Drawbacks of Aluminum for CNC MachiningHere are some of the benefits of aluminum for CNC machining.
Like with many other engineering materials, aluminum has its drawbacks. Here are the disadvantages of aluminum for CNC machining:
Table 1 shows seven common aluminum grades with their properties and applications.
Table 1. Aluminum grades for CNC machining compared
Aluminum Grade Description Machining Strength Corrosion Resistance Workability Applications Alloy Commercially pure aluminum with excellent corrosion resistance, good machinability, and workability. It is also soft and ductile. Good Low Excellent Excellent Heat exchanger fins, dials, nameplates, and chemical and food processing industries. It is also suitable for applications that require bending, stamping, and roll forming. Alloy A high-strength alloy that machines exceptionally well. The high-speed machining of alloy produces fine chips that can easily be removed. Excellent High Poor Poor Screw machines, precision gears, tube fittings, pipe stems, and precision machine parts like speedometer parts, cameras, and clocks. Alloy A heat-treatable aluminum alloy with a primary alloying element of copper. It is generally stronger than most aluminum alloys. Fair High Poor Poor Suitable for applications that demand aluminum alloys with high strength-to-weight ratio and fatigue resistance, for example, aircraft wings and fuselage structures. Alloy A medium-strength alloy with a primary alloying element of manganese. Good Medium Good Good Ductwork, sheet metal work, cooking utensils, food containers, pressure vessels, and chemical equipment. Alloy Aluminum combines great mechanical properties with workability and corrosion resistance to satisfy a broad range of application requirements. Good Medium Excellent Good Aircraft and truck frames, electronic parts, chemical equipment, heat exchangers and commercial bridges, and marine components. Alloy A medium-strength alloy with manganese and silicon as its primary alloying elements. It has good mechanical properties and is fairly machinable. Fair Medium Good Good Suitable for architectural applications like window frames, doors, roofs, railings, shop fittings, and sign frames. Alloy A high-strength alloy with a primary alloying element of zinc. It is fairly machinable and has high fatigue resistance. Fair High Average Poor Aerospace parts like aircraft wings, fuselage structures, gears, and shafts.Is Aluminum the Right Choice for Your Project?
As you may have realized, aluminum offers several desirable properties and is easily machinable using CNC machines. But is aluminum the right choice for your product design project?
If you&#;re looking for a readily available metal with a high strength-to-weight ratio and good machinability, aluminum could be the right choice for your project. In addition, you should opt for aluminum if your part or component will be exposed to moist environments since aluminum alloys are generally resistant to corrosion.
But even after you take the plunge with aluminum for your project, you still need a high level of CNC machining expertise to create your parts accurately and precisely.
Gensun Precision Machining is a leading provider of CNC machining services across the globe. We have a team of highly qualified engineers, machinists, and quality control experts capable of creating aluminum parts accurately and precisely.
Learn more about our CNC machining services.
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CNC machining is a great way to create parts without relying too much on the workforce. And aluminum is a popular choice of materials for CNC machining due to its density and flexibility. Its popularity has led to various aluminum alloys. It&#;s always interesting to learn more about the different options available in today&#;s market.
This article will explain the five most popular aluminum alloys for CNC machining in addition to some details about each alloy and its properties.
At this point, it&#;s easy to see why -T6 is one of the most popular aluminum alloys on the market and one of the standard grades for CNC machining. It offers a good balance between strength and machinability and tolerances that are typically quite close.
Referred to as an extruded alloy, it is very versatile and easy to machine in the CNC machining industry. Engineers can use this alloy in many applications like chassis, bicycle frames, valves, computer parts, etc.
-T6 aluminum, manufacturer uses this alloy in all applications with high-stress or high-performance requirements. This grade is considerably stronger and offers excellent corrosion resistance if appropriately treated. Manufacturers use this alloy in aerospace, military industries, and typical applications include aircraft fittings, missile parts, and fuse parts.
However, there are trade-offs to using aluminum -T6. It is more expensive and less flexible than many other grades of aluminum alloys. And this grade of aluminum is more prone to cracking than different grades and has a lower elasticity.
-T4 aluminum is a standard aluminum alloy used in sheet, plate, and extrusions for various applications. This alloy is commonly found in welding electrodes and applications where components must have high purity and strength at elevated temperatures. The primary use for -T4 is as an aerospace material.
Generally, you can use this type of alloy to include aircraft fuselage, transport vehicle parts, and wing tension members. However, it can be attacked by acids, alkalis, or seawater. It also has high thermal conductivity, which means it can be heat treated to form extremely brittle material.
It is the best alloy to use to produce Stable and high-tolerance plates. Aluminum MIC 6 has a specific combination of alloy and casting methods, which is why it comes in a unique category.
This metal has higher strength-to-weight ratios, excellent accuracy, good elasticity, and excellent thermal stability while remaining relatively easy to the machine compared with other aluminum alloys.
There is one drawback also of this alloy. MIC 6 threads aren&#;t as strong, leading to early thread failure. Engineers should keep this limitation in mind during the material selection phase as a manufacturer.
Aluminum has a higher tensile strength. Further, it&#;s exceptionally corrosion-resistant. aluminum alloy is a good option for manufacturers who want more power at an affordable price.
Aluminum is promising for general-purpose applications that require an added degree of toughness. Aluminum material is popular in construction and preferable in bridges, towers, and trusses. However, product designers should remember that it&#;s daunting to get thin walls using aluminum .
Aluminum alloys -T4, -T6, and are best for high-performance applications, while and MIC 6 can be used in most cases where an all-purpose aluminum will suffice.
If you&#;re in the market for a CNC machining vendor, we hope that this guide will help you better understand what alloys suit for which applications. These analyses can be helpful to engineers across several industries and regions, helping them make educated decisions on what materials to choose when it comes time to purchase materials for their projects.
CNC machinery by Delahenty Machinery is the place to go for robust machines that can help your business flourish. Our machines are high-quality, and customer service is our top priority. If it&#;s time to buy a new CNC machine, check out our latest listings.
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