Which Aluminum Alloy Machining Method Is Best For Your Product?

Choosing the right way to make your aluminum parts can be tricky. Pick wrong, and you waste time and money. This guide helps you find the best method.

The "best" aluminum alloy machining method really depends on your product's design, how many you need, what finish you want, and your budget. Common, effective methods include CNC milling, CNC turning, extrusion, and sometimes die casting for large volumes.

So, you have a design for an aluminum part, and you're wondering how to get it made. It's a common question I hear from clients like Mark Chen in Canada, who need top quality but also good value. The truth is, the aluminum alloy itself plays a big role in deciding the best manufacturing approach. There are many ways to shape aluminum.

At Worthy Hardware, we use methods like CNC milling for complex shapes and CNC turning for round parts. We also guide clients on when extrusion or even die casting might be smarter for larger quantities. Let's look at how alloy choice and machining methods work together, so you can make an informed decision for your project.

What is the best aluminum alloy for machining?

So many aluminum alloys exist! Which one cuts cleanly and gives a good finish? Choosing a difficult alloy can mean more tool wear and slower production.

Alloys like 6061, 7075, and 2024 are generally great for machining. They produce good chips and allow for smooth surface finishes. Many people find 6061 to be a very popular, all-around choice for its versatility.

When my clients ask about the "best" alloy for machining, I often start by discussing a few common favorites.

6061 Aluminum: The All-Rounder

This is probably the most common one we see at Worthy Hardware. 6061 aluminum offers a fantastic balance of good strength, excellent corrosion resistance, weldability, and, importantly, great machinability. It’s easy to work with, which helps keep machining times down and costs reasonable. We use it for a huge range of custom CNC parts. It's also suitable for extrusion, creating custom profiles that can then be further machined.

7075 Aluminum: Strength for Demanding Parts

If you need high strength, similar to some steels, then 7075 is a top pick. It's much stronger than 6061, but it's a bit tougher to machine and not as good for welding. We often use 7075 for aerospace components or high-stress industrial parts where strength is critical. Our precision machining capabilities ensure we meet tight tolerances even with these stronger alloys.

2024 Aluminum: Good Strength and Fatigue Resistance

2024 is another high-strength alloy, known for its good fatigue resistance. It's often used in aircraft structures. Like 7075, it’s more challenging to machine than 6061. When we work with these alloys, our experienced engineers ensure the machining process is optimized. We can hold standard tolerances of +/- 0.005 inches, and even tighter, sub +/- 0.001 inches, when your design calls for it.

Which is the best aluminium alloy?

"Best" can mean different things. How do you pick the right aluminum alloy for your specific job? The wrong one could mean your part doesn't work as expected.

Honestly, there isn't one single "best" aluminum alloy overall. The "best" choice truly depends on what you need the part to do. You have to think about strength, corrosion resistance, if it needs welding, and cost.

I always tell my customers, like Mark, that "best" is relative to their application.

Defining "Best" for Your Needs

To pick the best alloy, we first need to understand what the part will do. Will it be under a lot of stress? Does it need to resist saltwater? Will it be welded to other parts? Is cost a primary driver, or is performance paramount? Answering these helps narrow down the choices from over 100+ materials we can work with.

Common Aluminum Series and Their Uses

Aluminum alloys are grouped into series. For example, the 5xxx series (like 5052) is great for marine applications due to excellent corrosion resistance. The 6xxx series (like 6061) is versatile. The 7xxx series (like 7075) is for high strength. The 3xxx series is good for general formability. Understanding these basic categories helps.

How Form Affects Method Choice

The initial form of the aluminum also influences the best processing method. If you need many identical, complex parts, perhaps starting with an extrusion (for long parts with a consistent profile) or die casting (for intricate shapes in high volume) is best, followed by some finish machining. For sheet metal parts, we might use CNC routing or laser cutting. For parts from bar stock, CNC milling and turning are typical. We often help clients optimize designs; sometimes a slight change means a more cost-effective production method can be used. For instance, if a part can be made from an extrusion blank, it can save a lot of milling time.

Which alloy is best for machine parts?

Need strong, precise parts for machines? Choosing the right alloy is key. A weak alloy might cause parts to fail too soon under load, leading to costly downtime.

For machine parts, 6061-T6 aluminum is very widely used because it has good strength, machines well, and can be welded. For even higher strength needs, 7075-T6 is a strong option, though it's not as easy to weld.

When it comes to making robust machine parts, a few alloys stand out. At Worthy Hardware, we make a lot of custom CNC parts for various industries, so this is a common discussion.

6061-T6: The Go-To for Machine Components

The T6 temper of 6061 aluminum means it has been solution heat-treated and artificially aged, giving it very good mechanical properties. It’s strong enough for many machine components, has good fatigue resistance, and its excellent machinability means we can produce parts efficiently. We can make milled parts up to 80 inches long and lathe parts up to 62 inches in length from 6061-T6, meeting general tolerances of +/- 0.005 inches routinely.

7075-T6: When High Stress is a Factor

If your machine part will face very high stresses or impact loads, 7075-T6 is often a better choice. It's significantly stronger than 6061-T6. However, it costs more and is less forgiving to machine. It’s also not generally recommended for welding. We use our 5-axis CNC machining capabilities to create complex 7075-T6 parts for demanding applications.

Machining Methods for Optimal Machine Parts

For most aluminum machine parts, CNC milling and CNC turning are the primary manufacturing methods. These processes allow for high precision and complex geometries. For very specific requirements, like extremely smooth surfaces or ultra-tight tolerances on certain features, grinding might be used as a secondary operation.

We always ensure 100% inspection because quality is critical, especially for machine components where failure is not an option. Our engineers can also help review designs to ensure they are optimized for manufacturing, potentially saving costs.

What is the best aluminum plate for machining?

Making flat parts from aluminum plate? Which type should you use? Using the wrong plate can lead to warping during machining or a poor surface finish, ruining your parts.

6061-T651 aluminum plate is excellent for machining because it's stress-relieved, which helps prevent warping. Cast tool and jig plate, like MIC-6, also offers great stability and flatness for precise machined parts.

Machining parts from aluminum plate requires careful material selection to ensure stability and achieve the desired precision.

Why T651 Temper Matters for Plates

For general plate machining, 6061-T651 is a top choice. The "T651" temper is important. It means the plate has been solution heat-treated, artificially aged, and then stress-relieved by stretching. This stress relief is key because it minimizes internal stresses in the material, which greatly reduces the chances of the plate warping or distorting as material is removed during machining. This is something I always emphasize to clients like Mark, who value quality and minimal rework.

Cast Aluminum Tool & Jig Plate

Another excellent option, especially for applications requiring very high flatness and dimensional stability, is cast aluminum tool and jig plate. Brands like MIC-6 or ATP-5 are well-known.

These plates are produced to be very flat and have a fine grain structure, making them ideal for precision machining applications like fixtures, molds, or high-accuracy machine components. They machine beautifully and provide a great surface finish.

Processing Aluminum Plates: Milling, Routing, and More

The main method for detailed work on aluminum plates is CNC milling. We can handle large plates, with milled parts up to 80” x 48” x 24”. For simpler profiles or cutting out shapes from thinner plates, CNC routing services are also very effective. For very intricate internal cutouts or profiles in conductive aluminum alloys, wire EDM (wire cutting) can be an option, though less common for general plate work than milling. The choice of plate material and the right machining strategy ensures we deliver flat, accurate parts to our customers every time.

Conclusion

Choosing the right aluminum alloy and machining method depends on your specific needs. Understanding alloy properties and available processes helps you get the best result for your product.