At Approved Machining, we deliver precision-machined parts across a range of materials, from steel to plastic. With our industry experience and expertise, we achieve exceptional tolerances on every project, even with demanding materials.
Among all the materials we machine, aluminum stands out as the most popular in our customers’ projects, and for good reason. This versatile metal offers an outstanding strength-to-weight ratio, cost-effectiveness, and excellent machinability, rendering it ideal for applications across nearly any industry. Our machinists’ decades of experience with aluminum allow us to deliver these parts with speed and precision every time.
Learn the advantages of aluminum, and find out how our mastery of this metal benefits our customers.
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Why Aluminum? Key Benefits for CNC Machined Parts
When evaluating materials, understanding the key advantages of each option helps inform the best choice for your application. Engineers often prefer aluminum as a standard material for a variety of reasons, including:
- Strength-to-weight ratio: Aluminum’s low density allows for lightweight parts without any compromise to performance, critical to industries such as aerospace and automotive where every gram matters.
- Corrosion resistance: Many aluminum alloys offer natural corrosion resistance, enabling a variety of outdoor applications. The material is highly compatible with various surface finishes that further enhance this protection.
- Thermal properties: Aluminum excels at heat conductivity and is often employed in thermal applications like heat sinks. Its dimensions remain stable across a wide temperature range, ideal for demanding environments.
- Cost-effectiveness: While aluminum’s raw material cost exceeds that of other options such as carbon steel, its widespread availability in different grades and forms results in lower total production costs. In addition, our faster precision machining speeds with aluminum can further reduce costs.
Aluminum’s cost-effectiveness and machinability lend themselves to many use cases engineers may never consider. For instance, designers may require more expensive metals for final parts, but aluminum could serve as an excellent prototype material, allowing teams to quickly test fit and function while keeping costs low. Similarly, it can be valuable to create display models for trade shows, where aluminum parts can be substituted for more expensive materials while retaining strong aesthetics.
Despite aluminum’s versatility, certain design requirements may call for alternative materials. For instance, steel is often a better choice for parts requiring extremely thin walls, as aluminum walls may experience warping or distortion in these cases.
The Most Requested Aluminum Alloys at Approved Machining
6061: 6061 combines magnesium and silicon to deliver balanced performance at an attractive price point. Its widespread availability and consistent machinability lead to its position as our most requested material.
7050/7075: These zinc alloys are common in industries with high-performance requirements, such as aerospace. They offer enhanced strength, although at a somewhat higher price point than 6061.
MIC-6: This aluminum cast tooling plate is ideal for parts requiring superior flatness, particularly when the part will be stock thickness. Note that MIC-6 should be avoided in vibration-prone environments due to potential cracking.
Why Our Aluminum Expertise Improves Your Bottom Line
The superior machinability of aluminum translates directly to customer benefits. The time savings, for instance, are substantial: our experience shows that carbon steel typically takes 1.5 times longer to mill than aluminum, while stainless steel can take up to twice as long.
These time differences become particularly significant in larger runs, where machining time directly impacts unit costs. While setup and programming costs are distributed across the entire production run, mill time affects each part individually-making aluminum’s faster machining speed increasingly valuable at higher quantities.
Our established network of finishing partners complements our in-house machining expertise, providing comprehensive surface treatment solutions for aluminum components. Whether you need anodizing, chromate, powder coating, or electroless nickel plating, our carefully vetted vendors consistently deliver superior quality finishes with industry-leading turnaround times. This integrated approach means you get both precisely machined and expertly finished parts from a single source, streamlining your supply chain and ensuring consistent quality.
Do you need CNC machining services for your next aluminum part? Request a quote today!