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Hardness, Stiffness & Strength: Exploring Mechanical Properties of Materials
Material properties are pivotal characteristics of every material that determine how they performs under external forces (changes in shape and form). Generally, materials for CNC machining are categorized as ductile, hard, conducive, soft, etc., depending on their mechanical properties.
In CNC machining, hardness, stiffness, and strength are three essential material properties that define how a material reacts when it comes in contact with the CNC cutting tools. Although these mechanical properties are somewhat related, understanding how they differ is essential to achieving the best engineering design and manufacturing results.
This guide delves into the fundamentals of hardness, stiffness, and strength, exploring their relevance to material selection in product development. You’ll also learn helpful design practices.
The 7 Most Common Impact-Resistant Plastics
Impact resistance plastics are specialized materials designed to withstand high-impact forces without breaking or deforming. These plastics are commonly used in applications such as automotive parts, protective gear, and construction materials due to their durability and strength.
The seven types of impact-resistant plastics you need to know about include Polycarbonate (PC), Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), Polyethylene
Terephthalate Glycol(PET), Polyamide(Nylon), High-density Polyethylene(HDPE), Polytetrafluoroethylene(PTFE ) – Teflon, and PEEK.
Each type offers unique properties and benefits, making them suitable for various industrial and commercial applications.
Lightweight Metal: An Expert Guide to Choosing the Right One for Your Project
Lightweight metals are popular materials that usher innovations across industries at a good cost, rapidly advancing product manufacturing and design. Even though steel is widely used in producing various metal parts and components, manufacturers use light metals and alloys for extensive engineering applications requiring lightweight and increased performance properties.
Light metals provide sturdy structures with low weight, which is crucial to weight reduction in different industries, increasing the popularity of lightweight and robust materials. Although these materials offer low-weight parts and components without compromising structural integrity, it is essential to understand everything about them to make informed decisions about your projects.
This guide explores lightweight metals, types, properties, and production processes. Read on to the end to discover expert tips on choosing the best lightweight metal for your parts!
Polycarbonate(PC) CNC Machining: An Expert Guide
Polycarbonate is a popular CNC machining material suitable for making various structural components across different industries due to its unique combination of mechanical properties. Polycarbonate CNC machining offers many custom PC parts using the CNC milling technique.
Although polycarbonate is easy to machine and less likely to chip or crack during machining, it is crucial to understand the polycarbonate CNC machining process to attain the desired results.
This guide provides a detailed overview of polycarbonate, its properties and commonly used polycarbonate grades. Continue reading to the end to learn more about the common application and expert tips for polycarbonate CNC machining.
Polishing Titanium: A Comprehensive Guide to the Process
Polishing titanium is an important aspect of titanium parts fabrication. It includes several techniques and requires precision and patience because it removes material from the surface of titanium to smoothen and give a mirror-like polished look. The titanium finishing process helps optimize intrinsic properties, including strength, biocompatibility, corrosion, high temperature, and wear resistance.
Titanium polishing offers enormous benefits by reducing surface roughness and improving the physical properties with additional protection and a superior surface finish. However, titanium and its alloy can be difficult to polish due to the anisotropic properties of titanium alloys. Hence, it is crucial to understand how to polish titanium parts.
This guide delves into an in-depth discussion of the titanium polishing process, how to polish it, and why it is important to polish titanium parts. Continue reading to the end to learn more about the applications of polished titanium and alternative surface finishes to titanium polishing. Let’s dive in!
Kovar Alloy Machining: Top Applications and Why You Should Choose It
Kovar alloy sets the industry standard for creating components that demand exact thermal expansion compatibility, making it indispensable in sensitive technological applications.
Its remarkable adaptability not only meets but exceeds the stringent demands of various sectors, from aerospace engineering to the finesse of medical devices.
Dive into the compelling advantages and top applications of kovar alloy that underscore its value in custom machining, and discover how AT-Machining’s precision services can elevate your project’s success.
HDPE Machining: An Expert Guide to the Process
HDPE plastic machining is the core of producing precise, intricate, and quality plastic components across different industries. HDPE is one of the many commonly used engineering plastics, especially for commercial applications and the packaging industry. It belongs to the Polyethylene (PE) family of high-impact thermoplastics with variable crystalline structure.
Low-density polyethylene, High-Density Polyethylene, and Ultrahigh Molecular Weight Polyethylene are common polyethylene polymers in a unique polymer chain with varying applications. Understanding the HDPE CNC machining process is essential since it can pose limitless challenges that can hinder the success of your project.
This guide discusses HDPE thermoplastic and its properties, standard machining processes, and the benefits of HDPE-machined parts. Continue reading to the end to learn more about the applications of HDPE machined parts and expert tips for successful HDPE machining.
CNC Machining Material: Choosing the Right Materials for Your Machining Project
CNC Machining is unarguably the driving force of the modern manufacturing industry. This versatile technology is compatible with metals and non-metals and caters to diverse manufacturing needs across several industries, including medical, electronics, aerospace, marine, architectural, construction, and consumer goods.
Since different materials are available for fabricating various precise parts and components, choosing the suitable material for CNC machining balances factors, including material machinability, strength, and application-specific requirements.
This article delves into the types of CNC machining materials, discussing their unique properties and applications. Read on to the end to learn more about choosing the best material for CNC machining and expert tips for effective CNC machining!
Custom Shaft Manufacturing: Types, Processes and Expert Tips
Custom shaft manufacturing requires a combination of expertise, precision, and high accuracy to machine shafts with tighter tolerances and complex features. Custom-machined shafts are core to the mechanics of several industries including paper milling, aerospace, mining, manufacturing, and automotive.
These shafts have an extensive range of applications, each tailored to match the specific needs and requirements of the intended application. However, it is important to understand the differences between the types of custom shafts and compatible machining processes to determine the best fit for your project.
This guide explores the meaning of machined shaft, its types, common shaft machining processes, and compatible surface finish options. Read on to the end to learn about the helpful considerations for successful custom shaft manufacturing!
An Expert Guide to PVC Machining
Polyvinyl Chloride is a popular synthetic plastic with the third largest production in the world after polyethylene and polypropylene. Its unique properties make it applicable to various industries, from healthcare, construction, automotive, and piping. PVC plastic exhibits good insulation properties, making it a better option than most CNC plastics for electrical insulation components.
Similarly, its affordability, durability, low water absorption, and resistance to environmental elements make PVC machined components suitable for chemical processing and tank/valve applications. Hence, understanding the basics of machining PVC helps to derive peak operational benefits.
This article explores everything you need to know about PVC, its machining, and common PVC materials. Read on to the end to learn more tips on effective PVC machining!
Heat Resistant Plastics: Types and Applications
Are you still looking for a suitable heat-resistant plastic for your precision project?
Heat-resistant plastics are a diverse group of materials that can withstand high temperatures without losing their properties. They are used in a wide variety of applications, from Automotive to aerospace components.
In this blog post, we will discuss the different types of heat-resistant plastics, their properties, and their applications. We will also provide some tips on how to choose the right heat-resistant plastic for your project.
Mastering ABS CNC Machining: Tips for Precision Engineering
Plastics are core to various industries since they are mostly affordable and lightweight. Depending on the plastic, these materials provide unique properties, including elasticity, and chemical and electrical resistance.
ABS finds use in applications requiring strong, stable plastic with moderate formability. It is a suitable 3D printing and rapid prototyping material for various applications ranging from automotive interiors, plumbing fittings, home appliances, musical instruments, and consumer goods. Manufacturers rely on ABS CNC machining to produce top-quality, precise ABS parts with tight tolerances.
This article discusses ABS plastic and the benefits and setbacks of CNC machining ABS plastic. Continue reading to learn about typical ABS parts applications and expert tips for effective machining!
Corrosion Resistant Metals: An Expert Guide to Choosing the Best Option
Metals have extensive applications across industries. Product designers often employ corrosion-resistant metals in various applications, from aerospace components, musical instruments, and heat exchangers to structural components.
Although these metals offer excellent heat resistance and structural strength, like most metals, their ability to resist corrosion differs. Hence, it is crucial to use a metal with corrosion resistance properties that best suits your project requirements.
This article delves into the discussion of corrosion-resistant metals and typical corrosion-resistant metals. Continue reading to the end to learn more about the best ways to improve the corrosion resistance of metals!
Machinability of Materials: Understanding its Importance and Ways of Improving It
CNC machine shops often work with various materials to produce parts according to customer preferences. Materials such as aluminum, brass, and some plastics are typical materials that are easy to work with.
However, you’ll need advanced tooling and experienced experts to achieve desirable results in machining difficult-to-machine materials like titanium alloys like Ti-6Al-4V. As a result, it is crucial to understand what makes a specific material easier to machine than other materials.
This article explores what machinability means, its ratings, and factors affecting a material’s machinability. Continue reading to the end to learn about the standard ways of making materials more machinable and typical examples of materials with excellent machinability.
Selecting the Ideal Plastic Manufacturing Process for Your Plastic Parts
Plastic materials are valuable manufacturing materials with a host of unique properties. Irrespective of the application, plastic parts manufacturing is often cost- and time-efficient due to the wide range of physical properties of plastics.
However, it is crucial to understand the different plastic manufacturing processes to select the ideal manufacturing process for your project requirements regardless of the part’s end-use.
This guide discusses the different types of plastic product manufacturing processes. Read on to the end to learn about helpful tips for successful plastic parts manufacturing. Let’s dive in!
Aluminum Injection Molds in Plastic Manufacturing: A Complete Guide
Conventional steel molds have long been the mainstay for mass production of plastic parts. However, with increasing demand for smaller production runs and faster turnaround times, aluminum injection molds have emerged as a compelling alternative.
Aluminum injection molds have gained favor among manufacturers seeking a balance between cost-effectiveness, product quality, and production speed. Advances in aluminum alloys have significantly enhanced their strength and hardness, making them suitable for longer-lasting molds. This extends their applicability beyond plastic prototyping and bridge tooling to full-fledged production runs.
This article delves into the details of aluminum injection molds, exploring their advantages, key features, and applications. We will also provide a design guide to help you get superior aluminum molds.
CNC Plastics: Choosing the Right Plastic for Your Project
CNC plastics are indispensable to the modern manufacturing industry. Each machining plastic offers unique mechanical properties that make it suitable for either prototypes, engineering models, or end-use products. These plastics are practical alternatives to metals for a wide range of applications.
With an extensive list of plastics to choose from, it is crucial to select one with the right properties for the intended applications and industry. Therefore, you must understand the various properties of the available plastics in the market.
This guide discusses everything you should know about CNC plastics. You’ll also learn helpful tips to consider during material selection.
Everything You Should Know About Stainless Steel Passivation
Passivation is a fundamental post-machining process for making corrosion-resistant steel parts and components. Stainless steel passivation creates a passive layer on the metal’s surface that prevents it from chemical reactivity.
This procedure eliminates contaminants like iron and dirt by producing a passive oxide layer on the stainless steel’s surface. However, various alloys and applications demand different passivation methods and techniques.
This guide discusses everything you need to understand about stainless steel passivation, its methods and techniques, benefits, and challenges of passivation. You’ll also learn helpful tips for effective stainless steel passivation. Read on to learn more about the topic!
Why You Should Consider 3D Printing Ceramic for Your Next Projects
3D printing ceramics offers significant advantages over traditional methods, including Rapid Prototyping and Iteration, cost-effectiveness, and design flexibility.
As industries seek innovative and efficient production methods, ceramic 3D printing emerges as a top contender.
This technology revolutionises ceramic production and paves the way for new applications in art, aerospace, and beyond. Let’s dive in Ceramic 3D printing technology.
Bronze vs. Brass vs. Copper: Exploring Their Differences
Bronze, brass, and copper are non-ferrous metals with a slight red tint; manufacturers generally label them “red metals.” Although these metals possess identical elemental composition and appearance, they have surprisingly unique properties, including corrosion resistance, high electrical/thermal conductivity, and malleability.
These properties differentiate them, making them suitable for several purposes in various industries like architecture, electronics, marine, construction, etc. Therefore, it is essential to understand the comparison of these metals to determine the right one for your projects.
This article discusses the differences between brass, bronze, and copper, exploring their available alloys, applications, material properties, and helpful tips for choosing the right material for your project.
Steel CNC Machining: A Comprehensive Guide
Steel is a good choice for various CNC machining operations because of its excellent machinability and homogeneity. It also offers strong workability, weldability, high ductility, and formability to fulfill any project’s specifications and is well-suited to your particular machining demands.
Steel has emerged as one of the more common industrial alloys for CNC machining projects due to its favorable physical qualities. The metal has a high tensile strength and excellent corrosion resistance, adding to the durability and part longevity of the product. This comprehensive guide explains all you need to know about steel CNC machining, including its surface finishes.
Aluminum Coating: Choosing the Right Finishes for Your Aluminum Parts
Aluminum is a versatile metal with excellent mechanical properties and extensive applications in various industries that require precision CNC-machined aluminum parts. Aluminum components often come with good surface quality.
However, manufacturers often improve the quality of these components with quality aluminum coating. For optimum results, you must choose the right surface finish to enhance these parts with better aesthetic enhancement, better physical properties, resistance to rust, wear, and chemicals, etc.
This guide discusses the common aluminum finishes and helpful considerations for choosing the ideal surface finish for your aluminum machined parts. Let’s get to it!
The Ultimate Guide to Understanding Aluminum CNC Machining
Aluminum is a non-ferrous metal commonly used in different applications. Manufacturers often utilize aluminum for various products because it is inexpensive, non-toxic, recyclable, and machinable, making it ideal for CNC machining. However, it is crucial to understand aluminum CNC machining to exploit its full potential of aluminum.
This article discusses aluminum CNC machining, the benefits of using aluminum for CNC machining, and the different grades of aluminum used in CNC machining. You’ll also learn about the standard aluminum CNC machining techniques and applications. Let’s get to it!
Top 7 Types of Aluminum Finishes To Elevate Your CNC Parts
Aluminum finishes are crucial in enhancing the performance and aesthetics of CNC parts made from this versatile metal. Designers and manufacturers widely favor aluminum for its remarkable strength-to-weight ratio, good thermal and electrical conductivity, and excellent corrosion resistance.
However, aluminum parts often require additional finishing procedures to ensure optimal functionality in various applications. By selecting the right aluminum finish for your products, you can elevate their cosmetic appearance, performance, and wear resistance, among other benefits.
This guide explores the importance of aluminium finishes, the common types, and helpful tips for choosing the ideal finish for your aluminum products. Read on to learn more about the topic!
Safety First: Everything You Need to Know About Magnesium Machining
As industries increasingly turn to magnesium for its lightweight and robust properties, understanding the intricacies of safely machining this metal becomes paramount.
The highly flammable nature of magnesium, coupled with the hazards of its dust and chips, makes it a challenging material to work with.
Delve into this guide to uncover the essence of magnesium, the risks it presents during machining, and the quintessential safety protocols that can safeguard your projects.
The Best 7 Types of UV-Resistant Plastics for Custom Manufacturing
In the vibrant world of custom manufacturing, choosing the suitable material is critical. Among the multitude of considerations, one aspect often overlooked is UV resistance.
This quality can dramatically affect the longevity and visual appeal of a product.
Today, I will explore UV-resistant plastics, their importance, and how they can offer robust solutions for custom manufacturing.
A Comprehensive Guide to Brass CNC Machining
Brass is a metal alloy of copper which used across various industries, such as electrical, plumbing, and medical. Its excellent mechanical properties, such as corrosion resistance and low friction point,make CNC machining an excellent option for manufacturing parts using this alloy.
Brass is one of the easiest materials to machine due to its high machinability, good ductility, flexibility, and high feed rate. CNC machining brass produces quality brass components with extreme precision and aesthetic surface finish. It facilitates the production of parts like light fixtures, pipes, fittings, flare fitting, gears, etc.
What other properties make brass excellent for CNC brass machining? What are the commonly used brass grades for brass CNC machining? Which surface finish is ideal for use when CNC machining brass? Read on as we answer these questions while explaining CNC machining Brass in more detail.
Acrylic CNC Machining: Everything You Need to Know
Acrylic, known chemically as plexiglass, has excellent optical clarity, strength, and rigidity. Due to its high transparency, manufacturers use it heavily as a glass replacement. Although many processes are used for acrylic production, acrylic CNC machining is the most common.
CNC machining acrylic leads to the production of acrylic parts with highly accurate shapes and sizes. It does this by using optimal force during the cutting process, which helps prevent damage to acrylic material while speeding up the process. Rough-cut lathes and cut mills are the two major machines used by manufacturers to cut acrylic.
So, how is Acrylic CNC machined? What are the properties of this plastic? Are there advantages of using acrylic for parts over other transparent plastic materials? Keep reading as we answer these questions and give you an in-depth understanding of CNC acrylic machining.
PEEK Machining: A Quick Guide to Machining PEEK
PEEK is a well-known thermoplastic polymer found in various objects, such as medical implants and insulations for electric cables.
The popularity of PEEK stems from its excellent mechanical properties and high resistance to corrosive substances products. Furthermore, its high melting point makes it suitable for subtractive processes such as CNC machining.
This article guides you through PEEK properties, components, and industry applications. Here, we’ll share tips to help you get the best from your PEEK machining process. Let’s go right to it!
6 Things You Need to Know About Plastic CNC Machining
CNC machining is a common rapid prototyping manufacturing process due to its accuracy, precision, compatibility with complex design, etc. It is a subtractive process that involves a computer controlling a CNC tool via techniques such as milling, turning, etc., to remove part of a workpiece used to form the required product.
CNC machines are compatible with many materials such as metals, plastics, and wood. However, With the telling development of polymer plastics, many plastic products manufacturers now use plastic CNC machining, which involves manufacturing plastic products using different CNC machine techniques.
There are many things to plastic CNC machining. Therefore, this article will introduce seven essential things you need to know about the process.