Aluminum is one of the most popular materials for industrial parts due to its excellent mechanical properties, such as durability, machinability and a high strength-to-weight ratio. Custom machined aluminum parts have a wide range of applications and can be found in the military, automotive, medical and aerospace industries. With CNC machining, custom aluminum parts can achieve a high degree of precision as well as complex shapes. Whether you need a prototype or a full production run, custom machined aluminum parts are both affordable and dependable.
Properties of Custom Machined Aluminum Parts
Aluminum exhibits both excellent malleability (the ability to be easily formed by hammering or rolling) and ductility (the ability of a metal to be formed or pressed into another shape without fracturing). It is low in density but high in strength, making it the perfect solution for applications that require high strength, lightweight materials. Custom machined aluminum parts are also good conductors of heat and electricity, non-magnetic, non-flammable, and have excellent corrosion and chemical resistance.
Industries that Benefit from Custom Machined Aluminum Parts
- Automotive – Because aluminum is strong, lightweight and easy to machine, it has numerous applications in the automotive industry. Aluminum parts help make engines more fuel-efficient and make vehicles lighter to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. They also increase safety by absorbing a high proportion of the shock created by motor vehicle accidents, thus minimizing injury to the passengers.
- Aerospace – Custom machined aluminum parts are able to handle the extreme pressures and stresses that aircraft experience at high altitudes without losing their structural integrity. By choosing aluminum parts rather than steel, engineers can drastically reduce the weight of an aircraft, thereby improving fuel consumption and increasing how many passengers or how much cargo the plane can effectively carry.
- Food packaging and processing – Aluminum parts are commonly used in food packaging assembly lines, particularly when they have been anodized (treated to form a layer of aluminum oxide on the surface). Anodized aluminum has much higher corrosion and abrasion resistance and is also stronger than regular aluminum. This makes it ideal for parts that experience high amounts of friction, such as belt pulleys.
- Telecommunications – Aluminum is used to make a wide range of critical telecommunication parts, including covers, cavities and heat sink housings. Telecom cavities require a high degree of precision, which can be easily achieved with aluminum CNC machining. Custom machined aluminum parts help protect sensitive equipment and play a critical role in transmission and distribution.
Trust Your Custom Machined Aluminum Parts to Reading Plastic and Metal
As an industry leader in tight tolerance CNC machining, Reading Plastic and Metal can deliver the reliable, precision aluminum parts you need, on spec and on time. Our expert staff and state-of-the-art-machines allow us to deliver superior parts that meet strict standards and are ISO 9001:2015 certified. If you have a project in mind, contact us today at (610) 926-3245 or site2@readingplastic.com.
