CNC Machining In Aluminum
Aluminum alloy has good corrosion resistance and strength-to-weight ratio, which makes it very widely used, especially in electronics, automotive, and communication fields.
Aluminum alloy is also quite machinable and affordable, and the CNC aluminum parts after anodizing, that is anodized CNC machining parts, can also get an excellent cosmetic appearance.
Custom Aluminum Parts
Aluminum alloy is widely used in precision machining for custom parts such as machined aluminum parts, aluminum turned parts, aluminum CNC milling parts, and prototype parts.
Its superior mechanical properties, make it one of the popular metal materials.
As a professional aluminum CNC machining manufacturer in China, we are committed to being the most reliable supplier to our customers and providing them with one-stop service from prototype to mass production that includes CNC machining, CNC drilling, die casting, and metal stamping, etc.
CNC Milling in Aluminum
CNC Turning in Aluminum
Prototyping in Aluminum
Aluminum Grade & Properties
There is a wide range of aluminum grades from 1xxx series to 8xxx series.
Different grades have different mechanical properties and characteristics, and both performance requirements and cost factors should be carefully considered in designing aluminum parts.
Aluminum 6061-T6
- Tensile Strength, Yield (MPa):276
- Fatigue Strength(MPa):96.5
- Elongation(%):17
- Hardness (Brinell):95
- Density (g/cc):2.7
Aluminum 7075-T6
- Tensile Strength, Yield(MPa):503
- Fatigue Strength(MPa):159
- Elongation(%):11
- Hardness (Brinell):150
- Density (g/cc):2.81
Aluminum 7050
- Tensile Strength, Yield(MPa):490
- Fatigue Strength(MPa):160
- Elongation(%):11
- Hardness (Brinell):147
- Density (g/cc):2.83
Aluminum 2014
- Tensile Strength, Yield(MPa):414
- Fatigue Strength(MPa):124
- Elongation(%):13
- Hardness (Brinell):135
- Density (g/cc):2.8
Aluminum 2024-T351
- Tensile Strength, Yield(MPa):324
- Fatigue Strength(MPa):138
- Elongation(%):19
- Hardness (Brinell):120
- Density (g/cc):2.78
Aluminum MIC6
- Tensile Strength, Yield(MPa):105
- Fatigue Strength(MPa):N/A
- Elongation(%):3
- Hardness (Brinell):65
- Density (g/cc):2.7
Aluminum 5083-H116
- Tensile Strength, Yield(MPa):228
- Fatigue Strength(MPa):159
- Elongation(%):16
- Hardness (Brinell):85
- Density (g/cc):2.66
Aluminum 6063
- Tensile Strength, Yield(MPa):214
- Fatigue Strength(MPa):68.9
- Elongation(%):12
- Hardness (Brinell):73
- Density (g/cc):2.7
Aluminum 5052
- Tensile Strength, Yield(MPa):193
- Fatigue Strength(MPa):117
- Elongation(%):18
- Hardness (Brinell):60
- Density (g/cc):2.68
Industrial Application for Aluminum
Due to its superior mechanical properties, lightweight, recyclability, natural corrosion resistance, aluminum is widely used in diverse industries, such as consumer goods, medical, communication, automotive and aerospace industries.
Commercial Goods
Due to its low cost and light weight, aluminum is also often used in everyday consumer products, such as telescope parts, flashlight parts, e-cigs parts, etc.
Medical Devices
Aluminum alloy is also frequently used in the manufacture of precision medical component parts, such as surgical instruments, medical implants, etc.
Electronic Devices
Aluminum alloy used to make consumer electronics, such as laptops, camera cover, lighting fixtures, smartphone case, high-end audio equipment, and so on.
Aerospace
Due to its superior mechanical properties, aluminum is used in a wide range of applications in the aviation industry, such as fuselage skins, stringers, bulkheads, plane wing skins, and other parts for aircraft.
Automotive
Die-cast aluminum parts are also more common in the auto industry applications, like the front and rear covers for motors, cylinders, fluid system components, exhaust parts, oil pump housing, stator cap washers, etc.
Telecommunication
Most of the various exposed covers, housings and aluminum enclosures used in the communication industry are also made of aluminum alloy. In addition to these, also including heat sinks, radar base plates, etc.
Surface Finish for Aluminum Parts
Th component parts made of aluminum are generally bead blasted and anodized, especially for the ones with cosmetic requirements.
Anodizing is the most common surface treatment process for aluminum to allow to obtain a good-looking color.
Be it normal anodizing or hard anodizing to improve the corrosion resistance of the available aluminum alloys.
Polishing, chemical conversion coatings and metal plating can also be used on aluminum alloys to achieve diverse finishes effect.
For example, some decorative parts require polishing before chrome plating.
Cost-saving Advice
Cost is often a major consideration in most designs, and not every factory has the ability to optimize cost control.
With the experience our company has gained over the years, there are three main cost saving tips for the manufacturing process of precision custom aluminum parts.
- Design principles: When manufacturing aluminum parts, the priority for cost savings is to design following the principle of DFM and to avoid or limit the use of features that are difficult to machine.
- Material selection : The price of aluminum alloy materials varies depending on the grade. If only testing or prototyping is required, a different grade of another alloy material with similar properties may also be considered as a substitute.
- Principles of simplified design: If possible, consider splitting the complex design into separate parts and then connecting or assembling them by other processes. Should avoid one-piece complex structure designs unless necessary.