CNCs, including lathes and mills, are a versatile and useful tool for prototyping and series production. Due to its versatility, the use of aluminum in CNC machining processes has increased significantly, especially in the manufacture of lightweight CNC parts and CNC automotive parts.To overcome the limitations of aluminum's softness, ductility and high thermal conductivity during milling, it is important to apply proper machining techniques. Effective results and increased productivity can be achieved by using the right techniques. ● Run A Precise Feed Rate To avoid reaching the limits of your machine's capabilities when machining aluminum, it is recommended to use a speed and feed calculator to determine optimum values. This is critical because aluminum has a tighter specific feed and speed window than other materials.
● Take A Right Cutter
When working with aluminum, choose a smaller diameter tool with a higher RPM to avoid tool deflection issues. Rigid tools are critical when machining smaller diameters. Also, when dealing with long, unbroken aluminum chips, use carbide cutters with fewer flutes. ● Get A Fewer Cutter When working with aluminum, choose a carbide tool with fewer flutes or a tool with a smaller diameter at higher RPM to avoid seizure. ● Use Carbide Endmills Milling aluminum requires a higher recommended RPM, which can be easily achieved by using carbide tools instead of HSS or cobalt tools because they move faster. ● Set Proper coolant Flow Adequate coolant flow speeds up heat dissipation.Easy to machine Aluminum is easy to machine because of its stability. With carbide tools and modern coolants, you can achieve a clean finish, whether matte bead blasting or a consistent anodized aesthetic finish that provides additional corrosion resistance. Excellent strength-to-weight ratio ● Due to its lower weight, aluminum is an excellent choice for reducing weight compared to other metals. ● Although the tensile strength of pure aluminum is less than 100Mpa, it can be strengthened in many ways. This includes alloying or mixing with other elements to improve its grain structure. ● Heat treatment can also be used to create crystals of a certain size through specific heating and cooling processes. ● work hardening, which involves intentionally deforming the metal to change its grain structure, can occur during heat treatment or post-processing, such as by forging. Excellent corrosion resistance Aluminum is a good choice if you need a corrosion resistant material as it is available in different grades. Because of its tendency to bond with oxygen, it is less reactive than other metals like magnesium that oxidize over time. With less reactive metals such as steel and iron, an oxide layer forms that is less prone to corrosion. Excellent conductivity Unlike copper, which is primarily used to conduct electricity, aluminum is often used in electrical components because of its affordability and light weight. In automotive and electric vehicle applications, it is commonly used in bus bars, battery cables and connectors. Additionally, its high thermal conductivity makes it ideal for use as a heat sink and heat dissipation. Recyclable Aluminum production has a lasting impact on the environment. However, the good news is that due to its high recyclability, most of the aluminum produced is still used. Recycling materials can save a lot of energy compared to making materials from scratch, and as long as impurities are controlled, they can be reused many times.1. CNC Laser Cutting Process Aluminum material can be efficiently cut to size using CNC laser cutting, especially for large aluminum sheets and tubes. 2. CNC Milling Process The key to making complex aluminum parts is through milling, which is an important method in aluminum processing. 3. CNC Turning Process Aluminum tubes are most efficiently cut using turning operations, allowing for efficient production of aluminum parts.If you're looking for a metal that has a high strength-to-weight ratio and is easy to machine with a CNC machine, aluminum could be a viable option for your product design project. Additionally, aluminum alloys have good corrosion resistance, making them ideal for components exposed to wet environments.Teamwork's team of skilled engineers and machinists provide high quality CNC aluminum machining services. Using their expertise, Teamwork can manufacture precise aluminum parts to customer specifications. Quality control experts ensure that each component is thoroughly inspected before delivery.
