How to choose the right tool to machine aluminum parts

Due to the characteristics of aluminum, no matter the machining process of any machine tool, the efficiency, life and glossiness of the workpiece are not very good. Therefore, how to choose the right tool and processing technology when processing aluminum has become a concern of everyone.

We first understand the processing characteristics of aluminum and aluminum alloy: aluminum has low strength, low hardness and large plasticity, which is suitable for plastic forming processing, but it is strong in deformation during cutting, easy to stick to the knife, and it is difficult to process a smooth surface. The strength and hardness of the aluminum alloy are much higher than that of pure aluminum, but the strength and hardness are lower than that of the steel, the cutting force is small, and the thermal conductivity is good.

Since the aluminum alloy is soft and plastic, it is easy to stick to the knife during cutting, and a built-up edge is formed on the tool. At high-speed cutting, a welding phenomenon may occur on the blade, which causes the tool to lose the cutting ability and affect the machining accuracy and surface roughness. In addition, the aluminum alloy has a large coefficient of thermal expansion, which tends to cause thermal deformation of the workpiece during cutting and reduces processing accuracy.