Types Of Aluminum Alloys For CNC Machining

DALIAN, China - May 21, 2023 - PRLog -- There are different grades of aluminum alloys suitable for CNC machining, each with different alloying elements and properties. Therefore, it is imperative that you understand the differences between these aluminum alloy grades in order to choose the right one for your project. This guide explores common aluminum alloy types suitable for CNC machining, their properties and applications.

What Is Aluminum Alloy?

Aluminum alloys are a unique combination of different metal elements for increased strength and durability. Aluminum is traditionally lightweight and has excellent corrosion resistance. These alloys are formed by combining aluminum in liquid/molten form with other elements which then cool and solidify to form a homogeneous solid material. Other elements that combine with aluminum to form these alloys may account for up to 15% by mass.

Examples of these additional elements include zinc, iron, magnesium, copper and silicon. What's more, the addition of these elements to aluminum provides the alloy with enhanced electrical conductivity, corrosion resistance, machinability and strength compared to pure metallic elements.

Properties Of Aluminum

Aluminum has many outstanding properties that make it well known and commonly used in most applications. Here are some of them:

Corrosion Resistance

Aluminum develops a natural thin oxide layer that protects the metal from reacting with the environment. Therefore, it is suitable for a variety of applications that may be exposed to corrosive agents, and aluminum alloys have higher corrosion resistance than pure aluminum.

Light

The standard weight of aluminum is exactly 2.7 g/cm³, which is about a third of the weight of steel. Its lightweight properties help to significantly reduce its manufacturing costs. The composition of the aluminum alloy type can also be adjusted to modify the weight depending on the application.

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