Aluminum CNC Machining Service

Aluminum provides outstanding machinability, strength, lightweight properties, and cost-effectiveness, making it an ideal choice for a wide range of parts across various industries.

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Why Opt for Aluminum in CNC Machining?

Aluminum is widely preferred for CNC machining thanks to its lightweight nature, strong mechanical properties, high thermal and electrical conductivity, and resistance to corrosion. Alloys like 6061-T651, 7075-T651, and 2024-T351 are frequently chosen for their optimal balance of strength, machinability, and affordability.

Key Advantages:

  • Superior machinability
  • High strength and durability
  • Excellent heat resistance and corrosion protection
  • Efficient electrical conductivity
  • Versatile in various applications
  • Cost-effective

Applications

Aluminum parts are widely used across various industries, particularly in automotive, aerospace, industrial machinery, and consumer electronics.

  • Automotive: Lightweight components that offer an excellent strength-to-weight ratio.
  • Aerospace: Housing, brackets, and parts designed to support heavy loads while maintaining a lightweight structure.
  • Industrial Equipment: Fixtures, calipers, and various other components used in industrial machinery.
  • Consumer & Computer Electronics: Enclosures, panels, consoles, knobs, and other components for electronics.

Aluminum Alloys for Machining

AIXI provides a variety of aluminum alloys from our extensive list of available manufacturing materials.

Aluminum 7075 T651 and T7: Known for its high strength, hardness, lightweight, corrosion resistance, and excellent heat tolerance.

Aluminum 2024 T3: This alloy offers a superior strength-to-weight ratio and excellent corrosion resistance, making it ideal for demanding applications.

Aluminum 6061 T651: While not as strong as other aluminum alloys, this option provides exceptional corrosion resistance and a smooth, aesthetically pleasing finish after anodizing.

Compare Aluminum Materials

  Temper Ultimate Tensile Strength Elongation Hardness More Information
Aluminum 2024 T351 68 ksi 19% 120 HRB Data Sheet
Aluminum 6061 T651 45 ksi 17% 95 HRB Data Sheet
Aluminum 7075 T651 67-78 ksi 3-9% 150 HRB Data Sheet
Aluminum 7075 T7 61-69 ksi 6-7% 135 HRB Data Sheet

Finishing Options for CNC Machined Aluminum Parts

Anodizing is a popular finishing choice for CNC machined aluminum parts, providing excellent corrosion resistance and improving the overall appearance of metal components. Protolabs offers three different types of anodizing for aluminum:

  • Type I – Chromic Acid Anodizing: This provides a thin but durable layer, commonly used for welded parts and assemblies or as a primer before painting. It is non-conductive, like all anodized finishes.
  • Type II – Sulfuric Acid Anodizing: Offering a tougher and more resilient finish than Type I, it is ideal for applications like carabiner hooks, flashlight handles, motorcycle components, and hydraulic valve bodies.
  • Type III – Hard Anodize or Hardcoat: The thickest and toughest anodizing option, commonly used in high-demand industries such as automotive, aerospace, heavy equipment, marine, general manufacturing, and military/law enforcement.

This provides clarity on the different anodizing options and their specific uses.