In modern manufacturing, precision, efficiency, and versatility are paramount. One technology that embodies these principles is Aluminum CNC Machining. It’s a technique that has revolutionized the work with aluminum, one of the most widely used materials in various industries. If you want to understand CNC Aluminum Machining, you’ve come to the right place.

From the significance of aluminum as a machining material to the transformative power of CNC technology, we’ll journey through it all.  

Let’s begin. 

Typical Aluminum Alloy Choices for Aluminum Machining Processes 

In aluminum machining, selecting the appropriate alloy is crucial as it significantly impacts the machining process. Here are some common aluminum alloys used in machining:

Aluminum 6061: This alloy is the most widely used for machining. It combines good formability, weldability, and corrosion resistance with high strength and excellent machinability. It is ideal for aerospace components, automotive parts, and general structural applications.

Aluminum 7075: Engineers use 7075 for applications where high strength is critical due to its exceptional strength-to-weight ratio. However, it can be more challenging to machine due to its hardness. It’s ideal for the aerospace and defense industries.

Aluminum 2024: Similar to 7075 in strength, this alloy is perfect for its high fatigue resistance. It is ideal for aerospace applications for structural components and aircraft fittings.

Aluminum 2011 and 6262: Machinists highly value these alloys for their excellent properties, choosing them for intricate parts like screws, bolts, and various components.

Aluminum 5052: This alloy is known for its good corrosion resistance and weldability. While not as strong as some other alloys, it finds applications in environments where corrosion is a concern, such as marine and architectural applications.

Aluminum CNC Machining Processes 

CNC machining provides precise and repeatable results, making it a popular choice for producing high-quality aluminum components. Here are some aluminum CNC machining processes:

#1. Milling 

Face Milling: This involves cutting flat surfaces on the workpiece.

Peripheral Milling: The cutter revolves along the outer edge of the workpiece to create a cylindrical shape.

Pocket Milling: Creates interior cavities or pockets in the workpiece.

Drilling: Creates holes in the workpiece.

Tapping: Threads holes in the workpiece.

#2. Turning

Facing: Creates a flat surface on the end of a cylindrical workpiece.

External Turning: Shapes the outer surface of a cylindrical workpiece.

#3. Drilling 

Spot Drilling: Creates a shallow hole to guide the drill bit for subsequent drilling operations.

Deep Hole Drilling: Creates holes with a high depth-to-diameter ratio.

#4. Laser Cutting

It uses a high-powered laser to cut through the aluminum sheet.

#5. Waterjet Cutting 

Utilizes a high-pressure stream of water mixed with abrasive particles to cut through the aluminum.

Benefits of Aluminum CNC Machining 

Aluminum CNC machining offers several benefits, making it a popular choice for manufacturing various components. Here are some of the key advantages:

Lightweight and Durable: Aluminum is a lightweight metal with an excellent strength-to-weight ratio. It makes it suitable for applications where weight reduction is critical, such as aerospace and automotive industries. 

High Precision and Accuracy: CNC machining allows for precise and accurate cutting, shaping, and drilling of aluminum parts. It ensures tight tolerances and consistent quality in the finished products.

Excellent Surface Finish: It can attain smooth surface finishes on aluminum parts, which is essential for applications where aesthetics or the reduction of friction are crucial.

Quick Turnaround Time: CNC machining is known for its relatively rapid process compared to other manufacturing methods such as casting or forging. It translates to shorter lead times for producing parts.

Low Setup Time for Prototyping: CNC machining is well-suited for prototyping because it doesn’t require extensive setup or tooling changes. It allows for rapid prototyping and iterative design processes. 

Applications of Aluminum CNC Machining

Aluminum CNC machining finds a wide range of applications across various industries due to the versatile properties of aluminum and the precision offered by CNC machining processes. Here are some applications:

Aerospace Components

Aluminum’s lightweight yet strong properties make it a go-to material for aerospace applications. It’s used in structural components, panels, brackets, and other parts to reduce overall aircraft weight.

Automotive Parts

Aluminum is utilized extensively in the automotive industry for components like engine blocks, cylinder heads, wheels, suspension parts, and heat exchangers. Its lightweight nature contributes to fuel efficiency.

Medical Devices and Equipment

Aluminum is well-suited for medical applications owing to its biocompatibility and corrosion resistance. It finds usage in items like surgical instruments, imaging equipment, and prosthetics.

Consumer Electronics

Aluminum is a popular choice for casings and frames of electronic devices like laptops, smartphones, tablets, and audio equipment. Its lightweight and aesthetic appeal are key factors.

Marine Components

Aluminum’s resistance to corrosion in marine environments makes it suitable for boat hulls, decks, masts, and various marine accessories. 

MDA: Your Aluminum CNC Machining Partner 

Machining Design Associated is your trusted partner for advancing aluminum CNC services. Our team of experts excels in optimizing tool selection, machining parameters, and fixture design to maximize efficiency and precision in CNC machining. We specialize in minimizing material waste, ensuring quality assurance, and providing valuable guidance on material selection and cost optimization.

Whether you need rapid prototyping, assistance with complex geometries, or cost-effective manufacturing solutions, MDA is here to elevate your CNC aluminum machining experience. 

We’ll explain why aluminum is worth considering for your CNC machined parts, from cost to ease of machineability to keep your budget on track, to the material properties required for your part.

CNC (Computer Numerical Control) is a group of machining processes that include turning and milling machines. Because of the process’s versatility, it gets used for prototyping and mass production.

The use of aluminum in the CNC machining process has increased dramatically, as has the production of CNC automotive parts and other lightweight CNC parts.

Aluminum as a material

Aluminum is one of the best raw materials due to its fundamental properties.

Here are some of the characteristics that make aluminum an excellent material for machining:

• It has a high strength-to-density ratio, making it easier for machine shop owners to produce parts for industries such as aerospace and automotive.
• Because aluminum is corrosion-resistant, it is ideal for making parts for the marine industry.
• Even at the lowest temperatures, aluminum retains its primary properties as flexibility, softness, and strength.
• It has the necessary machinability for CNC machining. Because of its soft nature, aluminum cuts easily and requires less power from the machine.
• Aluminum is a highly recyclable material.

Grades of aluminum machining

Grade 2011

It is a high-strength alloy with excellent machining properties. Consequently, Alloy 2011’s high-speed machining produces fine chips that get easily removed.

Applications: Screw machines, precision gears, tube fittings, pipe stems, and precision machine parts are all examples of precision machine parts.

Grade 2024

This grade is present in the military and aerospace industries. It is because of its mechanical properties, which include high strength and resistance to wear.

Applications: Suitable for applications that require a high strength-to-weight ratio and fatigue-resistance aluminum alloys.

Grade 6061

This grade is very weldable and has good mechanical properties. It is preferable in the extrusion process due to its toughness and medium to high strength. This grade gets frequently used for aluminum machining parts in five-axis CNC machining.

Applications: Frames for aircraft and trucks, electronic components, chemical equipment, heat exchangers, military and commercial bridges, and marine components are manufactured.

Grade 6063

A medium-strength alloy contains alloying elements like manganese and silicon. Therefore, it has good mechanical properties and can be machined easily.

Applications: Window frames, doors, roofs, railings, shop fittings, and sign frames are examples of architectural applications.

Why use aluminum for CNC machining?

Easy to machine

If you ask any CNC machining manufacturer, they will tell you how simple it is to the machine. Because aluminum is dimensionally stable, you can remove a large portion of it while keeping residual stress under control. You will get a finish using carbide tooling and modern coolants, be bead blasted for a matt finish or anodized for a consistent aesthetic finish and additional corrosion resistance.

Excellent strength-to-weight ratio

Aluminum is lighter than most metals, making it an excellent choice for weight reduction. Although pure aluminum has a tensile strength of less than 100Mpa, it gets hardened in the following ways:

• The grain structure is improved by alloying, or mixing with other elements.
• To create sized crystals, heat treatment involves heating and cooling at a specific rate.

Work hardening is the deliberate deformation of metal to change its grain structure. It gets done during heat treatment (for example, rolling), but it can also be done afterward (forging).

Excellent corrosion resistance

While corrosion resistance varies by grade, aluminum is an excellent choice if this is a requirement for your material. The metal and its alloys have an affinity for oxygen; metals that are too reactive, such as magnesium, will oxidize, whereas less reactive metals, such as rust on iron and steel, form a loose oxide layer.

Excellent conductivity

While copper gets used for conductivity, electrical components frequently use aluminum because it is much cheaper and lighter. Indeed, it gets used for busbars, battery cables, and connectors, particularly in automotive and electric vehicle applications. Because of its high thermal conductivity, it gets used for heat sinks and heat dissipation.

Recyclable

With environmental concerns at the forefront of most people’s minds, it’s encouraging to learn that an estimated 75% of all aluminum produced is still in use. Recycling aluminum uses far less energy than creating it, and as long as impurities are under control, they get reused indefinitely.

Is aluminum the best material for your project?

As you may have guessed, aluminum has several advantageous properties and is machinable with CNC machines. Is aluminum, however, the best material for your product design project?

Aluminum could be the right choice for your project if you need a readily available metal with a high strength-to-weight ratio and good machinability. Furthermore, if your part or component will get exposed to moist environments, you should choose aluminum because aluminum alloys are generally corrosion-resistant.

CNC aluminum machining at MDA

MDA is a world-class provider of CNC aluminum machining services. We have a team of highly qualified engineers, machinists, and quality control experts who can accurately and precisely create aluminum parts.

Aluminum as a material is one of the first choices for machinists in CNC machining. The material has immense potential and properties such as high strength, durability, lightweight nature, ease to machine and more. With the machined parts needing to be precise and of top quality, there is no chance for compromise. There are various aluminum alloys, and choosing the right one depends on your industry and the machined part you need.

This article covers the benefits of aluminum, commonly used aluminum alloys, and their industrial applications.

Benefits of Using Aluminum for CNC Machining

Aluminum offers what other materials cannot. Therefore, it is one of the primary choices for CNC experts. Here are the benefits of aluminum machining that make it a viable option over other materials:

Aluminum is easier to manufacture.

It is a practical reason to use aluminum for your CNC machined parts. Aluminum is easier to manufacture. The equipment can get machined via punching, folding or drilling. You can use it to form any shape or type of the parts you need. Aluminum material chips easily, and it can get cut quickly with CNC machine tools. The short time frame saves time, and good machinability means minor deformation of the part.

Aluminum offers an ideal strength-to-weight ratio.

Aluminum has physical properties that make it a perfect material for CNC machining. Aluminum provides the best of both worlds, high strength and lightweight. This property makes aluminum apt for industries such as automotive and aerospace. The different grades of aluminum can get used for various purposes. Common grades such as 6061 are ideal for multiple parts, and grades such as 7075 get used in aerospace and marine applications.

Aluminum is affordable.

Most CNC experts use aluminum as it is more affordable than other materials such as zinc or copper. It is more expensive than steel. But aluminum saves money during the CNC process. So, it is a better option than most CNC materials.

Aluminum is recyclable. Reusing aluminum saves around 90% of the energy needed to manufacture the metal from scratch. When the excess material gets removed during the manufacturing process, it results in enormous waste. Recycling this waste reduces the carbon footprint and allows you to recoup the initial costs.

Corrosion resistance.

Aluminum material is nonferrous. It means the material won’t develop any rust or corrode. The most common aluminum grade 6061 is corrosion resistant. It brings the metal extra durability points as it can better withstand moisture, chemical damage, oxidation and rust.

Common aluminum alloys for CNC machining

There are various ways to categorize different types of aluminum used during CNC machining. One of them is by using the aluminum grade. Different grades have a different composition that impacts the properties of unlike aluminum alloys. The table given below highlights other aluminum alloys with the necessary factors to save your time:

Industrial Applications of Aluminum Alloys

Most industries use CNC machining aluminum. It allows them to manufacture machined parts with ease. Some of the industrial applications are below:

Aerospace industry

Aluminum alloys have excellent properties ideal for the aviation industry. The material offers a high strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion resistance, and flexibility. Commonly used aluminum alloys in the aerospace industry are:

• Aluminum alloy 5052
• Aluminum alloy 2024
• Aluminum alloy 6061

Automotive industry

Aluminum can withstand the weight and therefore is suitable for the automotive industry. This property is ideal when manufacturing body parts and components. Aluminum also helps to achieve emission reduction that results in energy saving. Commonly used aluminum alloys in the automotive industry are:

• Aluminum alloy 6016
• Aluminum alloy 2008
• Aluminum alloy 5754

Marine industry

For the marine industry, non-heated alloys are ideal because they provide high corrosion resistance and the material’s ability to get welded. The marine industry requires precisely machined parts which are smaller in size. It is possible with aluminum material. Commonly used aluminum alloys in the marine industry:

• Aluminum alloy 5052
• Aluminum alloy 5086
• Aluminum alloy 6063

Why is MDA the Ideal Choice for CNC machining Aluminum?

After going through this article, you know about the benefits of aluminum, commonly used aluminum alloys and industrial applications. But if you are unsure about the aluminum alloy that suits your parts, you can request a quote and get in touch with our team.

MDA gives the option of various aluminum alloys for your custom aluminum machining needs. We have a qualified team of engineers and machinists capable of CNC aluminum machining parts accurately and precisely.