Many factors affect which CNC materials are best for a specific project. For example, the technical requirements to manufacture space shuttle engine components are far more demanding than those for constructing high-performance recreational equipment.
Consider the factors below and how they might affect your scenario before choosing the best material for your project.
Purpose
Use the purpose of the component to shortlist possible materials you can use for it. For example, to make toys, you should avoid using metal materials. Manufacturing insulation-related components r needs a material with low conductivity.
Indoors vs. Outdoors
A component for outdoor use must be resistant to UV rays, rain, and other weather elements. Such parts require durable material properties and a robust design. In contrast, an indoor component has no exposure to extreme environmental conditions, so a more extensive range of suitable materials is available.
Stress Load
Many manufacturers forget to account for the load-bearing stress on the part, leading to complete part failure. A component or part that must handle high-stress loading requires strong materials with good mechanical properties and superior dimensional stability, such as metals, alloys, or high-strength plastic materials.
Dimensional Tolerance
Every material has a dimensional tolerance that affects the overall accuracy of the manufactured part. In many cases, dimensional tolerance might not be a critical factor, but applications such as medical equipment require precision parts. Tolerance comes at a price, so if a project requires extremely low tolerances, you will need specialized cutting tools on the CNC machine.
Using a material with suitable dimensional tolerance initially is cheaper than having to pay to resize the part later.
Machinale bewerking
Materials with high strength and hardness might seem ideal but often take longer to machine and cause more wear and tear on cutting tools. The benefits of choosing materials with good machinability results are faster production and minimum maintenance.
Fastening
CNC machining often creates parts that form more complex components in a later assembly incorporating fasteners. The fastening measures are in the initial CNC design. But not every CNC material supports fastening, and specific properties such as galvanic corrosion resistance can be important for some fastening cases. So, choose a material that supports the specific fastening requirements.
Temperature Range
Temperature Range
Consider the operating temperature range for the final product and its environmental conditions. The material must handle the required operating temperature and any expected thermal changes. Many materials expand due to temperature variations. For example, some plastic materials can handle typical operating temperatures but break down or warp when temperatures change too frequently.
CNC machining processes like CNC milling use cutting tools that generate heat. This heat transfers to the component material. Ensure the material you choose can handle the increased temperatures during the CNC machining process without distortion.
Chemical Resistance
Chemical resistance is just as important as resistance to high temperatures. For example, a CNC machined component destined for use in a chemically reactive environment such as a lab or research facility needs to be chemically resistant. Using metal materials in an acidic environment is never a good idea.
Corrosiebestendigheid
For high-humidity environmental conditions, focus on the corrosion resistance characteristics of the material. Materials with poor corrosion resistance can rust and degrade quickly. Does the project require high-strength metals for a high-humidity working environment? Try corrosion-resistant alloys.
Weight Capacity
The weight of the material and its weight-bearing capacity are critical factors for most projects. In cases where the part will support heavy weight, you must choose a sufficiently strong material. These materials are typically heavier in weight themselves. Is the part’s weight a critical concern? Then a high strength-to-weight ratio material is the best option.
Durability and Strength
A robust manufacturing process is vital so that the part will last for its intended lifespan. So, evaluate the strength and durability requirements of the application and choose a material that meets those characteristics. Consider the factors below:
Tensile Strength: The tension a material can handle before breaking down.
Wear Resistance: The degree of resistance against abrasion or natural wear and tear during its lifespan.
Endurance Strength: How much stress an object can absorb. An impact-resistant material has high endurance strength.
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When aesthetics are a concern, choose a material that provides a high-quality surface finish. For example, a metal surface can be treated for a smooth glossy, or matte surface finish. The same is not the case for many plastic-based materials.
Raw Material Cost
Lastly, the cost is a deciding factor in choosing the best material for CNC machining. Do you have a limited project budget? Go for plastics or ceramics. Metals and their alloys have exceptional physical properties but are expensive CNC materials.
What are the Different Material Options for a CNC Machining Project?
CNC materials fall into basic classes: metals, plastics, woods, foams, ceramics, and composites. Below is a list of the different classes with examples of CNC materials in each.
Metalen
Metal parts provide the best precision and ruggedness of all CNC machining materials. However, they come at a high cost and with vulnerabilities such as corrosion in humidity. Metal alloys eliminate most of these vulnerabilities quite well. Common metals and their alloys used in metal CNC machining include:
Aluminium
Aluminum and aluminum alloys are the most common materials used in CNC machining projects. Aluminum is known for its superb strength-to-weight ratio. Aluminum parts are lightweight but can handle high stress. It has excellent machinability and low raw material costs, so aluminum is more popular for cheap mass-production projects than other metals. Different types of aluminum alloys used in CNC milling include:
Aluminum 6061
Aluminum 7075
Aluminum 6082
Aluminum 5083
Applications of CNC machined aluminium:
Consumer electronics
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Staal
Staal
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Vliegtuigonderdelen
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Roestvrij staal
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Roestvrij staal 304
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Stainless Steel 416
Marine-grade stainless steel
And more
The most sought-after quality of stainless steel is its ability to resist wear and abrasion. It is ideal for manufacturing precision parts but is costly for large-volume production.
Applications of stainless steel in the machining industry:
Medical industry
Tooling
Aircraft construction
Tankers and vessels
Food and catering utensils and equipment
Messing
Messing
Brass is one of the most expensive materials for CNC machining. Some common types of brass used in machining include C3604 and C3602. It is often the preferred choice for one-off artwork and aesthetic-based projects that do not have a limited project budget.
Brass has a smooth surface finish that is easy to polish. Brass is easy to machine, reducing the operational costs of CNC machining. Other appealing qualities of brass are its electrical conductivity, high corrosion resistance, and low friction. The qualities of brass make it ideal for:
Sanitaryware
Locks
Hinges
Zippers
Kleppen
Locks
Art installations
Titanium
The toughness and hardness of titanium make it ideal for applications that require high strength and durability. Titanium is also highly corrosion-resistant, and various surface finishes are available.
Applications of CNC machined titanium:
Aerospace industry
Sporting equipment like golf clubs
Knives
Wristwatches
Glasses
Jewelry
Sculptures
Koper
Copper has superb electrical and thermal conductivity. It is often used in CNC machining because it has high ductility, malleability, and corrosion resistance. However, the cost of copper can be high compared to other materials, including metals, making it quite expensive for mass-producing metal parts.
Applications of copper for CNC machining are:
Kleppen
Electrical connectors
Radiators
Insulation components
Heat exchangers
Other Metals and Alloys
Besides these common materials for CNC machining, some other metals and alloys can find fewer applications. These include:
Brons
Zinc
Magnesium
Molybdenum
Tungsten
Kovar
Invar
Nikkel
Hastelloy
Kunststoffen
Although metals have good physical properties, they can be expensive to mass-produce parts. For large-volume production, plastics tend to be cheaper. Many plastic resin compounds offer sufficient strength and other physical properties to make them ideal replacements for metals.
Common plastics used in CNC machining:
Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)
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Prototypes
3D-bouwproces
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Sports gear
Mechanical parts like screws, chains, gears, etc.
Small scale models
Medical equipment
Zippers
Acryl (PMMA)
Polymethyl Methacrylate, known as PMMA or Acrylic PMMA, is a common thermoplastic material. It is visually transparent, giving it the name Acrylic Glass. Several trademarked brands like Plexiglass, Lucite, and Perspex use this material. It has high flexural and tensile strength, UV tolerance, and abrasion resistance.
Applications of acrylic for CNC machining:
LED lights
Architecture
Elektronica
Industrial applications
Automotive lighting parts
Polycarbonaat (PC)
Polycarbonates (PCs) are somewhat similar to PMMA acrylics, as some grades of polycarbonate materials can be visually transparent. They have very high machinability, making them easy to mold into different parts.
Applications of polycarbonate:
Dome lights
Insulation components
Dielectrics
Sound walls
3D-printen
DVDs
Eyeglasses and sunglasses
Noryl (PPO)
Noryl is a blend of a plastic resin, such as PPO or PPE, and polystyrene. The resulting material has good dimensional stability, machinability, and low density. Noryl can also be resistant to high temperatures and incorporate electrical insulation properties.
Applications of Noryl:
Electrodes
Electrical equipment
Water pumps
Polypropyleen (PP)
Polypropylene (PP) is the most widely produced plastic after polyethylene. It is a rugged material and has excellent chemical and heat resistance. Propylene’s high strength and rigidity make it ideal for pure water distribution systems. It is also resistant to chemical leaching and corrosion.
Applications of propylene:
Potable plumbing
Hydronic heating
Lab equipment
Bottle caps
Bottles
Drums
Loudspeaker drive units
Teflon (PTFE)
Polytetrafluoroethylene, commonly known as Teflon, is a popular polymer. It is a hydrophobic material unaffected by water or water-based liquids. It has an extremely low coefficient of friction, lower than most other solids.
Applications of Teflon for machining projects:
Wire insulation
Bearings seals
Musical instruments
Kitchen accessories
High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
HDPE, also known as PEHD, is a common thermoplastic polymer. It has high corrosion resistance and a high strength-to-density ratio. It is commonly recycled and consumed in large amounts globally.
Toepassingen:
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Bottles
Jerrycans
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Nylon
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Toepassingen:
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Woods
Woods
Woods such as plywood and solid wood used to be popular in CNC machining. However, environmental, availability and cost factors have shifted the focus to metals and plastics. Despite this change, wood is still a popular CNC machining material in some industries.
Toepassingen:
Furniture frames
Carvings
Legs for tables, chairs, and beds
Decoration pieces
Foams
CNC machining material selection is not limited to hard materials. Even softer substances like rigid and carving foams are excellent materials for CNC machining in industrial applications.
Applications of CNC foam machining:
Packaging elements
Insulations
Decor items
Props
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Ceramics are aesthetically beautiful, and their physical properties make them ideal for various applications. They are good insulators against heat and electricity and have high compressive endurance.
Applications for ceramic CNC machining:
Decor pieces
Insulator elements
Jewelry pieces
Electrical component housing
Composieten
Composites, such as FRP, have become common nowadays for their exceptional mechanical properties, ability to withstand pinpoint surface loads, tensile strength, and many other factors. They are the best materials if the job requires a robust, durable, low-cost solution.
Toepassingen:
Decor pieces like fountains
Glass replacement
Aerospace applications like radar and antenna
Aircraft industry parts
Sports
Wind turbine blades
Tips for Optimizing Material Selection for CNC Machining
So, how can you improve the material selection process and add more value to your project?
Go Beyond Metals
Many manufacturers immediately look at metals when thinking of a CNC machining project. In recent years, non-metallic materials have provided better value for money by offering similar physical properties to metals at a lower cost. They are also easier to machine.
Choosing the Right Material Grades
Many materials come in different grades. When you decide on a material for your project, say steel or foam, choose the most suitable grade of that material, as they can vary considerably in their properties. For example, rigid and carving foam have different purposes as finished parts because of their distinct properties.
Dust Filtering
Many materials, such as composites, wood, and even metals, generate excessive dust during CNC machining. Excessive dust can harm the workforce and even the finished parts, In many cases, especially aerospace and aircraft components and R&D applications, cleanliness is critical. When choosing dust-generating materials, follow proper dust removal protocols to ensure a safe workplace and preserve the integrity of finished parts.
Which is the Best Material For a CNC Machining Project?
No single material can be deemed best for all CNC machining projects. Different materials have distinct properties and purposes, although aluminum is the most widely used since its properties are flexible and suitable for most requirements.
Conclusie
Choosing the right material for CNC machining can be daunting due to the many options available. Aluminium is an excellent choice for its light weight, strength, and machinability, while stainless steel is ideal for parts that need to be durable and resistant to corrosion. Other materials, such as titanium, brass, and bronze, are also viable options for specific applications. The best material for CNC machining will depend on the requirements of a given project. When selecting a material for CNC machining, consider the properties and performance of the material, as well as its cost.
Choosing the right material is the first step. But using the right CNC machining services is also a critical decision. XTJ is the best available solution in this regard. As a leading CNC machining service provider, XTJ can handle any project requirements and offers every possible material you might need.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
Here are the answers to some commonly asked questions regarding choosing the best material for a CNC manufacturing process:
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