Aluminum alloy CNC machining is the most widely useful subtractive manufacturing method. This sort of manufacturing involves the use of various cutting instruments to expel material from solid materials to produce pieces based on computer-aided design models. To end up with what you want, you must start with an enormous piece of material and trim it away. Making a chunk out of the material is the only similarity. Marbles may be useful as a tool to create masterpieces.
Metal and plastic machining may also be done with this manufacturing application. CNC machining is a process of programming computer software to automatically manage the operations of industrial machinery. CNC stands for computer numerical control machining. This machining technique may be useful to run various complicated machines. Another advantage of the aluminum alloy parts CNC machining services is that it guarantees 3D cutting by using a sequence of instructions.
Why Use CNC Aluminum?
CNC machining aluminum parts are often less costly because they can be machined more quickly than other metals like steel. They also don’t need any further finishes. Since pure aluminum metal is often soft, small quantities of zinc, magnesium, copper, and other elements enhance its strength. It develops a thin layer of protection when exposed to the environment, which makes it resistant to corrosion and lowers the likelihood of its surface rusting. It has excellent strength for its weight, is chemically resistant, and is simple to produce.
6 Advantages Of CNC Machining Aluminum Alloy Parts
Here are 6 reasons why aluminum is one of the most useful materials for CNC machining products:
1. Speedy Machine
Any producer of CNC machining will mention how simple it is to machine if you ask them. Because aluminum has excellent dimensional stability, you can remove a significant amount of it while still controlling residual stress. You may get a fantastic polish by using contemporary coolants and carbide tools. It can also be bead-blasted for a matt surface or anodized for a more uniform aesthetic finish and increases corrosion resistance.
The best aspect is that this machineability will aid in reducing the cost of your part. But you choose a material based on the qualities your part must have, so what else should you consider?
2. Outstanding Weight-to-Strength Ratio
- Aluminum is a wonderful choice if you want to save weight because it is lighter than other metals.
- Although the tensile strength of pure aluminum is less than 100, it may be toughened as follows:
- The grain structure improves by alloying or combining with additional elements.
- So, to produce crystals of the right size, a precise rate of heating and cooling is useful in the heat treatment process.
- Deliberately deforming the metal to alter its grain structure during work hardening. It is best during heat treatment, such as while rolling, although it is also possible to carry it out after (forging).
- A “temper” designation with the letters “H” for “hardened” and “T” for “thermal” indicates the precise state or strength of the final material.
- It’s important to remember that the majority of aluminum alloys have stronger specific strengths than stainless steel 316L.
- Although titanium is the apparent victor in the chart below when stiffness and weight reduction are crucial, high-strength aluminum alloys provide a fantastic, more affordable option if money is tight.
3. A large Selection of Materials and Alloys
In reality, many alloys may be used to fulfill your demands because aluminum is such a terrific foundation material to work with. Each of these alloys has unique features and functions.
They have nine distinct series, each of which is given a thousand-numbering, such as the 6000 series. Then, a number is helpful to split this further. 5082 and 5083 are essentially the same since, in general, the closer two aluminum grade numbers are to one another, the more similar they are.
Following are some of the more well-liked grades:
- 2024 – Aerospace grade, with high fatigue strength; by alloying with copper, it sacrifices more ductility/toughness for greater ultimate tensile strength (UTS).
- Marine grade 5083 offers superior corrosion resistance due to its greater magnesium concentration.
- Aerospace grade 6082 provides a strong balance of strength, flexibility, and corrosion resistance, making it a versatile and widely used material. This is accomplished by alloying using a magnesium-silicon combination (it is also roughly equal to 6061).
- High-strength aerospace grade 7075 has a strong combination of characteristics, especially in areas with heavy static loads. It has more zinc, magnesium, and chromium and may be heated.
4. High Resistance to Corrosion
Although corrosion resistance varies across grades, aluminum is a great material choice if you require it. The metal and its alloys have a perfect affinity for oxygen. In contrast, less reactive metals like magnesium produce a loose oxide layer when disclosed to oxygen, which yields rust on iron and steel.
When aluminum exposes it develops a passivating layer of aluminum oxide that seals the surface and stops further oxidation and erosion. The material may not require painting or surface treatments since this layer is “self-repairing” even it scratches, saving you money on both the cost of production and lifetime maintenance.
5. Excellent Conductivity
Although copper is the material for conductivity, aluminum is frequently useful in electrical components since it is both cheaper and lighter. Particularly in automotive and EV applications, it is frequently useful for busbars, battery cables, and connections. Because of its excellent thermal conductivity, it is useful for heat sinks and heat dissipation.
6. Recycling
It is encouraging to learn that an estimated 75% of all aluminum produces is still in use since sustainability is high on most people’s minds. Recycling aluminum consumes far less energy than making it, and it may be used repeatedly as long as impurities are kept under control. This kind of surface finishing improves a material’s wear and corrosion resistance while also making it simple to add color. At Portola’s, we provide type II ornamental anodizing as well as type III, which adds 50 m of layer thickness for further protection.
Through the use of acids and an electrolytic procedure, the passivating oxidized layer’s thickness is increased. This coating is extremely durable since aluminum oxide is a strong ceramic.
Conclusion
The CNC machining procedure makes it simple to produce aluminum pieces. The primary reason so many people find this procedure valuable is the accuracy you obtain when removing such components. Complex items use CNC machining. This approach is the finest option than others because of how easy it is to use and how secure it is. You should experiment with CNC machining to produce aluminum components so that you can profit from its advantages and convenience.
