About Custom Aluminum Parts Fabrication
Aluminum is a common metal material for parts production. Aluminum is easy to machine and lightweight. It is also one of the most popular metal materials for mechanical engineers. The processing performance of aluminum is stable, and it is often used as one of the first choices for customized parts by the industrial and consumer goods industries.
Tirapid does custom production according to your drawings (.STEP|.STP|.PDF). Focus on the non-standard aluminum precision machining of complex knots. And provide you with the best cost to complete prototype projects and small batch OEM. We have always been at the level of aluminum processing technology and quality.
Display of Aluminum Milling Parts
Aluminum case parts are most commonly used in the communication industry, and the aluminum case plays the role of shielding and protection. Small batch CNC machining is usually produced using 3-axis and 5-axis processes.
The precision of aluminum robot parts is higher than that of plastic parts, and the machining accuracy can meet within +/-0.01mm. Using a variety of surface treatments, products with higher requirements can be met.
Most of the auto parts are made of aluminum, such as engines, brakes, radiators. General-purpose high-volume parts will use aluminum die-casting production.
7075 is a commonly used aircraft aluminum sheet. The special performance of 7# aluminum meets the requirements of aircraft parts. Aluminum impeller parts were produced using 5-axis CNC machining.
You don’t need to make molds, and there is no limit to the number of parts for custom aluminum car models. 1-100 pieces can be produced. Aluminum parts can be completed within 3 days at the fastest.
The aluminum chassis helps the engine dissipate heat. The service life is higher than that of plastic parts. The aluminum alloy tray is an indispensable component during repair.
Display of Aluminum CNC Turning Parts
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Aluminum parts account for more than 50% of mechanical parts. Because aluminum rods are cheap in metal materials, the cost of turning is low.
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Aluminum Bike Parts80% of bicycle parts are aluminum alloy parts. Bike body is produced using an aluminum extrusion process. The structure remains in one piece, more solid and beautiful.
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Aluminum Boat Parts and AccessoriesTirapid provides OEM boat parts, and the largest aluminum part size: is 700*500*300mm. Usually, the process of turning and milling is selected for processing.
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Custom Aluminum Motorcycle PartsCommonly used motorcycle aluminum parts include billet sprocket cover aluminum, pulley cover, engine stand, front fork dust cover, etc. Aluminum is the most cost-effective to process among all metal materials.
Application of Machined Aluminum Parts
Aluminum parts are used in various industries, and among all metal parts, aluminum has the most advantages in processing cost and material costs.
Automobile aluminum parts: engine parts, car body.
Sports bike: anti-vibration parts, hand brake, frame.
Mechanical equipment parts: bearings, main body.
Consumer Electronics: electronic enclosures, covers, heat dissipation enclosure
Aluminum Parts Machining Cost
Aluminum parts have the least loss of tools and equipment, and the processing speed is the fastest among all metals.
The cost composition of aluminum parts: material cost + processing cost. Average hours per hour for Aluminum CNC Machining in Tirapid are:
3-axis CNC machining: $20~40/hour.
4-axis CNC machining: $30~50/hour.
5-axis CNC machining: $40~100/hour.
Lathe processing: $30~60/hour.
The above is for reference only. Factors such as the complexity of the part, the cost of the materials, and the setup costs of the mechanic all affect the total cost.
How are high-quality aluminum parts manufactured?
Process 1: Expert team review drawings
Strictly check whether each dimensional tolerance can be met. Whether there are enough detection tools. Calculate the size of the raw material. Determine whether the fixture meets the production requirements of this project.
Process 2: Purchasing team procures tools and raw materials
Purchasing engineers place purchase orders for materials and measuring tools.
Process 3: The expert team writes the processing program
The expert team writes the processing program according to the customer’s 3D or PDF drawing.
Process 4: The mechanical engineer debugs the first product
The mechanical engineer debugs the equipment and conducts on-site inspections. After passing the test, it will be handed over to the quality engineer for inspection.
Process 5: Quality inspection of the first product
Repeat the inspection by the quality engineer, and notify the production of small batch production after judging that it is qualified.
Process 6: Low batch production by production workers
The production staff will carry out low-volume or high-volume production according to the requirements of the first sample. During the process, every 10 products are sampled for all sizes.
Process 7: Quality inspection (full inspection or sampling inspection) full inspection or sampling inspection
Sampling inspection or full inspection by quality engineers, full inspection for less than 20 pieces. Make test report. Reviewed by quality supervisor.
Process 8: Deburring deburring
Carry out the treatment of surface burrs and burrs, and clean the oil stains on the surface.
Process 9: Surface Finishing (optional) Optional
According to the surface requirements of the parts, Tirapid matches the best surface treatment factory for processing. All surfaces are provided with a surface treatment inspection report.
Process 10: Safe and reliable packaging
With many years of packaging experience, I customized packaging for parts of different shapes.
Process 11: Shipping
Tirapid currently cooperates with three major international express companies (DHL, FedEx, and UPS).
Materials and Surface Finishing Options
1. Aluminum 6061
The most commonly used type of aluminum for milling and turning, has good weldability and stable anodizing properties.
2. Aluminum 7075
7075, also known as aviation aluminum, is often used in parts with high hardness requirements, and it has high corrosion resistance.
3. Aluminum 5052
The ductility is the best of all aluminum types, most suitable for aluminum sheet metal parts.
4. Aluminum 2024
2# Aluminum, mostly used in military products, has good corrosion resistance and wear resistance.
5. Aluminum 6063
6063 is cheaper than 6061 and is often used in construction parts with low requirements, such as door handles and decorative panels.
6. Other types of aluminum
Aluminum 2017, Aluminum 5754, Aluminum 6060, learn more.
After the aluminum parts are completed, they undergo secondary finishing treatment to finally achieve exquisite appearance and functional requirements. There are more than 30 surface treatment options commonly used by Tirapid, such as:
◉ Deburring
◉ Bead Blasting
◉ Anodization
◉ Oxidation
◉ Electro-Polish
◉ Chemical Conversion
◉ Powder Coating/Painting
◉ Chrome Plating
◉ Zinc Plating
Aluminum plate specification:
Thickness: less than 5mm (0.196inch),
Length & width: greater than 300mm (15.748inch),
Length & Width: less than 600mm (23.622 inches).
Flatness requirement: // 0.02mm or less
Part structure: There are large-area hollow structures and porous parts.
There are 6 solutions:
●Perform secondary leveling processing
When the flatness of raw materials does not meet the requirements, secondary leveling processing can be carried out.
●Increase the thickness of raw materials
Raw material thickness increased by 3-5mm. For example, if the thickness of the product part is 5mm, then the minimum thickness of the raw material needs to be 8-10mm.
●Drilling first and then milling the surface
The hole and shape of the product parts are processed first, and then the size of the surface is processed.
●Increase the number of milling
Increase the number of plane milling and perform multi-layer processing. After each process of milling, check whether there is any change in the plane size, and adjust the process in time.
●Reduce the amount of cutting each time
The amount of milling of the plane is minimized, and it is not necessary to process it in place at one time, and leave 1-2 hours for the material to release the stress.
●Milling direction is consistent
The running direction of the tool needs to be consistent, and the feed rate, depth of cut, and spindle speed cannot be changed arbitrarily.
The average price of aluminum sheets commonly used in China is USD6~10/KG.
Additional shipping and cutting charges apply for very small quantities. Then the total price of a piece of aluminum material will also rise accordingly.
Special aluminum plate prices are priced according to customization, such as imported materials and customized materials.
In industrial aluminum, 7075 aluminum alloy is the representative of aviation aluminum. It has strong corrosion resistance, light weight, high strength, and a higher melting point than 6061.
7075 aluminum is suitable for a variety of surface treatments, such as hard anodizing, electroplating and other secondary finishing.
Therefore, it is used in the industry fields of aircraft accessories, defense applications, high-end automobiles, gears and shafts.
Yes, of the RC parts, half are aluminum.
The choice of aluminum to make RC parts not only improves the quality of the parts, but also has a functional effect.
The precision of aluminum parts is higher than that of plastic parts. In key components, the use of metal aluminum parts can greatly improve the precision of mechanical properties.
The temperature resistance of plastic parts is not as good as that of aluminum. Aluminum can have better thermal performance and also increase the service life of parts
