How to choose the right aluminum parts for your custom project

There are countless options when selecting metal stock for professional-level CNC machining jobs, but the size, shape and grade of that stock will affect the end result. Professionals and hobbyists alike must understand these details in order to select the right material for their custom parts.

Let's say you are sourcing raw materials to make a custom part. You are interested in 6061 aluminum. Aluminum 6061-T6 is one of the most common materials used in small batch manufacturing. It is used in many industries - aerospace, construction, etc.

At Liangyin, you have nearly a dozen options for shapes, sizes, and cuts of this material. Bar and plate are the most common choices, and understanding the differences is a good place to start your next project.


Aluminum Profile

 

Considerations when choosing between bar and plate aluminum

What should you consider before purchasing a material? Both bar and plate are highly machinable. They also have similar strength-to-weight ratios. But the following different aspects may affect the success of your project.

 

Edge conditions

Bars are cut at the end only, usually with a band saw. The natural corners of square bar stock will have a small radius during extrusion and a linear grain on the side of the part perpendicular to the cut edge.

The sheet can be cut to shape using a waterjet or band saw cut at all vertical edges. There are at least two parallel faces in the sheet that will not be touched. These are usually the top and bottom sides of the blank. When ordering material, it is important to consider stock tolerances for both natural and cut edges and to add enough material to properly machine the finished part.

 

Size Ranges

Material dimensions affect the size of custom parts and the availability of the material. Certain sizes work better under certain conditions, and you must determine the right size range for your part based on the final environment.

For example, bars typically have narrower aspect ratios and their width and thickness dimensions are closer together. This is because the bars are formed by an extrusion process that results in a material bar. Aluminum 6061-T6 square is one of the most widely used aluminum alloys today. It is versatile and is often used for aircraft components, truck frames and various structural components where its high initial tensile strength is an advantage. Square bar can typically be purchased regularly in 6-inch widths, and the length can be more customized as it is often cut from larger stock. Bar stock is also available in cylindrical bars, which are ideal for lathe turning operations.

评论

发表评论

此博客中的热门博文

Comparing aluminum alloys for aluminum machining

图片
CNC machining is a versatile manufacturing process that is applicable to a wide range of materials. However, the process is more commonly used in the manufacture of products using aluminum, known as aluminum machining. Aluminum machining is a process that involves the use of aluminum in the manufacture of products because aluminum comes in a variety of grades. Aluminum is highly machinable and relatively inexpensive, and the different types of aluminum alloys are suitable for a myriad of machining applications. This includes rigid building components, aerospace parts manufacturing, and more.   In fact, the different types of aluminum alloys offer some unique and distinct advantages when used for machining. They offer a wide range of options, providing you with tremendous flexibility when starting a machining project. However, narrowing down the best aluminum alloy for the job also becomes more difficult. This guide attempts to provide a quick comparison of the five most common mach...
阅读全文

The Most You Need to Know about Aluminium for Machining

图片
Alum 6061 Aluminum 6061 is one of the most widely used alloy materials in machining due to its price, strength and versatility. Though Aluminum 2024 has a higher strength to weight ratio, it is not as corrosion resistant. The ability of  aluminum 6061  to withstand corrosion makes it economical because it doesn’t require finishing. Once exposed to the atmosphere, it develops a thin protective layer that protects it from surface rust. The combination of corrosion resistance and low weight make it an economical material to use in short production runs because parts can be created faster. In addition, it is chemical resistant and easy to machine. Parts that require multiple processes, such as machining and then welding, benefit from Aluminum 6061 because in addition to being easy to machine it is also weldable. Aluminum 6061 Tempers There are a variety of tempers for 6061 aluminum alloy, including: ►6061-F: No special treatment ►6061-O: Annealed, good for forming ►6061-T1: C...
阅读全文

How to Reduce CNC Machining Costs

图片
When it comes to CNC machining, planning is critical. Often, CNC machining designs and projects can become unnecessarily complex - and as with almost everything in life, time is money. At Liangyin, we understand that some designs require precise details that can't be simplified, but if you want to reduce costs and have the design flexibility to change design features, this blog post is for you. By understanding the CNC machining process and the factors that affect price, you can reduce the cost of your machining project while maintaining or improving functionality. Manufacturability is the level of complexity of the manufacturing process required to make a given part. In essence, the higher the manufacturability, the lower the cost. This blog post will review some of the key ways you can reduce the cost of  CNC machined parts  and enclosures.   Material Costs In machining, the harder the material, the more difficult it is to machine. This is because we must use less time ...
阅读全文