by Carl Bunton 4 years ago 
Here are 7 benefits to aluminum CNC machining that might just blow your mind.
With all of the hype surrounding CNC machining these days, not much attention has been afforded to the aluminum-based aspect of this field. This is an undeserved reality because, as you will soon see in this piece, aluminum offers some advantages that are pretty much unobtainable with other materials – especially metals.
Basically, CNC involves carrying out tasks like cutting, grinding, molding, and boring under the instructions of a computer. Here, Instructions are keyed into software by a trained technician and using the computer instructions as a guide, specialized CNC tools strip, bore, and cut into the selected work material until the desired result is achieved. CNC is a fast, repeatable production mode that takes tasks that would be more cumbersome if it was done manually, and would waste time as well. These days, CNC machining is usually carried out with the help of Computer Aided Design (or CAD) software for design and fabrication. The technician keys the design into the software and then the computer goes to work analyzing the instructions to convey those shapes onto the work material.
Also important for us to look into is a short overview of what it takes to start an aluminium CNC machining business.
The first important step of note is capital. There are many options open to any willing entrepreneur. If you have difficulties borrowing funds from family members or friends, consider taking out a loan from a bank. Tidy up your credit score as well as other prohibiting factors and most likely, you can come up with the funds required.
You should also be sure to analyze how risky the business might prove relative to your own circumstance. Perform a feasibility study to understand whether or not it will be profitable in your locality with the demographic present there.Also, make sure that you have a strong differentiation strategy. These are a few crucial tasks you need to carry out before taking the dive. Business is risk.
After you’re done with risk assessment, you need to draft a comprehensive, all-encompassing business plan.Make sure, in writing said business plan, that you cover every bit of information pertaining to starting the business. How much will it cost? What is your pricing strategy? How many employees would you need to start and how much do you plan on paying them? These are some of the questions you need to answer clearly and with intent when starting an aluminum CNC service.
Ensure that your business is well planned out and has structure. In as much as you want to keep costs to a bare minimum, the fact remains that you’ll have to employ skilled people to manage the business. Implement clear channel of authority in order to facilitate the delegation of responsibilities properly so that the flow of work remains smooth. Be sure to hire people with the right skill level into your company. Compensate them fairly and ensure their general satisfaction and welfare. Keep them happy and in turn they’ll keep the customers coming back.
With all that out of the way, let us quickly take a look at 7 radical benefits to aluminum CNC machining.
• Aluminum, as a material, possesses high potential for anodization: Aluminum is greatly demanded manufacturing especially in the consumer electronics industry. This is not just because of its excellent strength to weight ratio. It is also because the metal can be treated with anodization. This process typically takes place after the machining process is completed and it usually involves passing an electric current through the component whilst it is placed in a vat of electrolytic acid. The final product is a piece of aluminum that now is more resistant to rust as well as physical impact (to some degree).
• Aluminum is also a relatively cheap material – especially when compared to others like steel, silver, and copper. This means that it can easily be sourced in large quantities.
• It is projected that the demand for aluminum in the CNC industry will rise by a cumulative 30% over the next five years. This is a result of a commensurate rise in the demand for aluminum components by the automotive, aerospace, and agro-related industries.
• It is also the most commonly used metal for CNC machining: Aluminum as a metal has a combination of properties that make it almost a literal godsend when it comes to its applicability in CNC machining. It is light, resistant to rust, malleable, and durable and these make it the most sought-after material by the aerospace, automotive, and consumer electronics industries. Aluminum bodies and frames for specialized manufacturing like that of airplanes or military applications need to be of the best grade. This can be achieved through a variety of industrial methods like those offered by specialists in commercial heat treating in Milwaukee WI.
• Aluminum has a high potential for recycling: A very important benefit to aluminum is its great recycling potential. This is great for businesses that have a high priority of reducing their environmental footprint.
• Aluminum is highly conductive (when you need it to be): Due to its ability to conduct electricity, aluminum as a metal is excellent for manufacturing electrical parts. In its pure form, aluminum has an electrical conductivity of 37.7 million Siemens per meter (spr) at room temperature. This may place it lower than a material like copper, however, it still stands above other metals like stainless steel.
Also important to note is that aluminum as a material is easy to source. It is a long way from being scarce and as such, all the hurdles that come with sourcing a rare metal aren’t present here. All over the world, there are aluminum supply companies that handle all kinds of aluminum grades and shapes.
To conclude, it is very important to note that while aluminum is a great material by itself, it also works well when combined with other metals to form an alloy. According to your use case, you can opt for a variety of combination of aluminum alloy that offer additional benefits such as increased strength, higher resistance to rust, increased temperature resistance, etc. Some industry heavy hitters use alloys like these in their products as well.