Wrong materials, everything is in vain!
There are many materials suitable for CNC machining, and to find materials suitable for the product, there are multiple factors that restrict it. A basic principle to follow is that the performance of the material must meet the technical requirements and environmental usage requirements of the product. When selecting mechanical component materials, the following five aspects can be considered.
01
Is the rigidity of the material sufficient
Rigidity is the primary factor to consider when selecting materials, as products require a certain degree of stability and wear resistance in practical work, and the rigidity of materials determines the feasibility of product design.
According to industry characteristics, non-standard tooling design usually selects 45 steel and aluminum alloy; For the design of machining fixtures, 45 steel and alloy steel are more commonly used; The tooling design in the automation industry mostly chooses aluminum alloy.
02
How is the material stability
For a product with high precision requirements, if it is not stable enough, various deformations may occur after assembly or occur again during use. In short, it constantly deforms with changes in temperature, humidity, and vibration, which is a nightmare for the product.
03
How is the material processing performance
The processing performance of materials means whether the parts are easy to process. Although stainless steel is rust resistant, it is not easy to machine due to its high hardness, which can easily cause tool wear during the machining process. Machining small holes, especially threaded holes, on stainless steel can easily break the drill bit and tap, which can result in very high processing costs.
04
Rust prevention treatment of materials
Rust prevention treatment is related to the stability and appearance quality of product use. For example, 45 steel is usually treated with "blackening" for rust prevention, or parts are painted and sprayed with plastic. Depending on the usage requirements of the environment, sealing oil or rust prevention liquid can be used for protection during use
There are many rust prevention treatment processes, but if none of the above methods are suitable, it is necessary to replace the material, such as using stainless steel. Anyway, the rust prevention issue of the product cannot be ignored.
05
What is the material cost
Cost is an important consideration in selecting materials. Titanium alloy has light weight, high specific strength, and good corrosion resistance, and is widely used in automotive engine systems, playing an immeasurable role in energy conservation and consumption reduction.
Despite the superior performance of titanium alloy parts, the main obstacle to the widespread application of titanium alloys in the automotive industry is their high cost. If it's not really necessary, please choose a cheaper material.
There are many materials suitable for CNC machining, and the following are some common materials and their key characteristics used for machining parts:
Aluminum 6061
This is the most commonly used material for CNC machining, with medium strength, good corrosion resistance, weldability, and good oxidation effect. But when exposed to salt water or other chemicals, aluminum 6061 has poor corrosion resistance. For higher demand applications, it is not as sturdy as other aluminum alloys and is typically used as a material for automotive parts, bicycle frames, sports equipment, aerospace fixtures, and electrical fixtures.
Aluminum 7075
Aluminum 7075 is one of the strongest aluminum alloys. Unlike 6061, aluminum 7075 has high strength, easy processing, good wear resistance, strong corrosion resistance, and good oxidation resistance. It is an ideal choice for high-strength entertainment equipment, automotive, and aerospace frames.
brass
Brass has advantages such as high strength, high hardness, chemical corrosion resistance, and ease of processing. It also has excellent conductivity, thermal conductivity, ductility, and deep drawing ability. It is often used in the manufacturing of valves, water pipes, connecting pipes and radiators for internal and external air conditioners, various complex shaped stamping products, small metal parts, various parts of machinery and electrical appliances, stamping parts, and musical instrument parts. There are many types of brass, and as the zinc content increases, its corrosion resistance decreases.
Purple copper
Pure copper (also known as red copper) has a conductivity and thermal conductivity second only to silver, and is widely used in the production of conductive and thermal conductive materials. Red copper has good corrosion resistance in the atmosphere, seawater, certain non oxidizing acids (hydrochloric acid, dilute sulfuric acid), alkali, salt solutions, and various organic acids (acetic acid, citric acid), and is commonly used in the chemical industry.
Stainless steel 303
303 stainless steel has good cutting performance, fire resistance, and corrosion resistance, and is used in situations where easy cutting and high surface finish are required. Commonly used in stainless steel nuts and bolts, threaded medical devices, pump and valve parts, etc. However, it should not be used for marine grade accessories.
Stainless steel 304
304 is a versatile stainless steel with good processing performance and high toughness. In most normal (non chemical) environments, it is also more resistant to corrosion and is an excellent material choice for industrial, architectural, automotive decoration, kitchen accessories, water tanks, and pipelines.
Stainless steel 316
316 has good heat resistance and corrosion resistance, and has good stability in environments containing chlorine and non oxidizing acids, therefore it is usually considered as marine grade stainless steel. It is also very tough and easy to weld, commonly used in building and ship accessories, industrial pipelines and tanks, and automotive decoration.
45 steel
High quality carbon structural steel is the most commonly used medium carbon quenched and tempered steel. 45 steel has good comprehensive mechanical properties, low hardenability, and is prone to cracking during water quenching. Mainly used for manufacturing high-strength moving parts, such as turbine impellers and compressor pistons. Shafts, gears, racks, worms, etc.
40Cr steel
40Cr steel is one of the most widely used steels in the mechanical manufacturing industry, with good comprehensive mechanical properties, low-temperature impact toughness, and low notch sensitivity.
Used for manufacturing parts with medium speed and medium load after quenching and tempering treatment; After quenching and high-frequency surface quenching, it is used to manufacture parts with high surface hardness and wear resistance; Used for manufacturing heavy-duty and medium speed impact parts after quenching and medium temperature tempering; Used for manufacturing heavy-duty, low impact, and wear-resistant parts after quenching and low-temperature tempering; Manufacturing transmission parts with larger dimensions and higher low-temperature impact toughness after carbonitriding treatment.
