Materials
CNC machining allows you to manufacture
parts and tools precisely and repeatedly. These parts and tools call for particular materials: one grade of metal instead of another. Or possibly plastic or
composites. There may also be heat treatments or coatings. Regardless
of your industry, when you work with Alart Machine, you can access a wide range of materials and methods.
Our capabilities include parts that are less than an inch in length to single
pieces that weigh up to 5,000 pounds. Whether your finished product is a delicate
instrument designed to take precise measurements or a very large rotating
assembly in a manufacturing or packaging process, we’ve got you covered.
CNC Machining Materials Offered
Many CNC-machined parts are
metal. This is due to the impressive characteristics of metals: strength, durability,
and responsiveness to methods of machining and manufacturing.
Plastics and composites are also used in CNC machining. Many of these have been
formulated to perform in specialized environments, often alongside metal
materials. The plastics and composites offered by Alart Machine have been
widely proven in diverse industries and are ideal in a variety of applications.
Metal
• 1018
• 1045
• 4130
• 4140
• 4140
heat treated
• 4330-V
*
• 4340
• 6061
– T6 aluminum
• 8620
• 8630
• Aluminum
bronze *
• Brass
• Copper
• D-2
*
• Hastelloy
*
• H-13
*
• S-7
*
* More challenging metals. Alart
Machine has extensive experience with complex and exotic requirements.
Plastic
• Acetal
(polyoxymethylene or POM)
• Delrin
• High-density
polyethylene (HDPE)
• Ultra-high
molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE)
Materials FAQ
In most cases, the part has been produced before, and your team probably has a drawing that specifies the material to be used. If, however, you’re in the prototyping stage, or you have a part for which there is little or no documentation, you may want to talk with somebody knowledgeable. Either way, you want a partner like Alart Machine – with experience in the performance and machining of materials. Your engineers will ask all sorts of questions before deciding on specifications. For example:
Is today’s requirement the same as when the part was first engineered?
Things change, and your machine shop partner can help you to evolve. For example, it’s not uncommon for companies to determine that the material specifications and machining tolerances for a given part have grown to become significantly in excess of what’s actually required. This can happen when a company changes the way that it uses parts. It can also happen when newer or upgraded materials enter the market.
Will you need additional units produced in future?
If your team is confident in the performance of a longstanding part or tool, it may be advantageous to produce a larger quantity and to keep a reasonable number of pieces in reserve. In some cases, buying material in larger quantities, and manufacturing all the pieces in a single job, can be a more efficient use of your budget and logistics than relying on piecemeal jobs.
Will this part be produced in multiple locations?
Many companies come to us after they discover that a critical part is produced exclusively by one machine shop in a single location. We can help you to diversify your portfolio of production so that sourcing of materials and parts is more resilient and more aligned with market pricing. Furthermore, we can suggest stamping or laser etching to identify the source of each part. This can help with the management of inventory as well as the maintenance of quality KPIs across multiple vendors.
Choose the Right CNC Machining Materials for Your Project
When seeking CNC machining materials, businesses must consider various specifications. At Alart Machine, the array of metal and plastic CNC machining materials offered can meet many application requirements. For over 50 years, we have worked with the public and have high standards for quality control. Contact us to find out more about our services and material.