Most metals can be CNC-machined, and the same applies to many plastics. However, not all materials behave in the same way in the machine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The material affects how quickly the part can be machined, which tools are used and what the surface finish will be like. It is therefore a good idea to be aware of these differences right from the stage of selecting the material.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Steel is one of the most widely used materials in sheet metal working<\/a> and CNC machining. It is stable, predictable and delivers good results in both CNC milling and CNC turning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Standard structural steel is relatively easy to machine. Hardened steels are tougher and place greater demands on both tools and machinery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stainless steel is used where components need to withstand moisture, chemicals or high hygiene standards. These same properties make the material more difficult to machine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stainless steel is tough and does not dissipate heat as effectively as ordinary steel. The heat builds up at the tool, causing it to wear out more quickly. Machining is therefore often carried out at a lower speed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Aluminium is soft and light, and can be machined at high speeds. This makes the material time-efficient, particularly for parts that require a great deal of milling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As it is soft, aluminium can stick to the tool. However, with sharp tools and the right cooling, the surfaces will still turn out well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Brass is considered one of the easiest metals to machine. The chips are short, there is little wear on the tools, and the surfaces often turn out smooth straight away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For this reason, brass is often used for components with many machined surfaces or where a high standard of finish is required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Copper is an excellent conductor of heat and electricity, and is often used in electrical components. However, it is a more difficult material to work with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Copper is soft and ductile, which produces long chips and makes it more difficult to achieve clean edges. This requires sharp tools and the correct settings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many plastics can also be CNC-machined. They are soft and easy to cut, but sensitive to heat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If it gets too hot, the plastic may melt or become deformed. Plastic also expands and contracts more than metal in response to temperature changes, which makes it more difficult to maintain tight tolerances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The time it takes to machine a part is largely determined by the material. Stainless steel and copper require a lower speed and a gentler machining process, whilst aluminium and brass can be machined considerably faster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s not just about the cutting process itself. A tough material can also produce more burrs that need to be removed, and require more tool changes during a production run. When CNC machining<\/a> Therefore, the same component may take different lengths of time to produce, depending on the material it is made from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is the function of the component that primarily determines the choice of material \u2013 for example, whether it needs to be corrosion-resistant, lightweight or able to conduct electricity. The manufacturing process is of secondary importance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, if several materials would be suitable, it may be worth choosing the one that is easiest to machine. This can shorten the lead time without compromising the quality of the part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At Linde Maskiner, we use CNC machining for the final machining of sheet metal structures. With both CNC milling <\/a>and CNC turning <\/a>we tailor the machining process to the drawings and requirements. Contact us<\/a> today, and we will help you further.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" De flesta metaller g\u00e5r att CNC-bearbeta, och detsamma g\u00e4ller m\u00e5nga plaster. Men alla material beter sig inte likadant i maskinen. Materialet p\u00e5verkar hur snabbt detaljen kan bearbetas, vilka verktyg som anv\u00e4nds och hur ytan blir. D\u00e4rf\u00f6r \u00e4r det bra att k\u00e4nna till skillnaderna redan n\u00e4r materialet v\u00e4ljs. St\u00e5l \u2013 det vanligaste materialet i bearbetning St\u00e5l […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":670,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_breakdance_hide_in_design_set":false,"_breakdance_tags":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[25,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1729","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-artiklar-om-cnc-bearbetning","category-kunskapsbank"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lindemaskiner.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1729","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lindemaskiner.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lindemaskiner.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lindemaskiner.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lindemaskiner.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1729"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.lindemaskiner.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1729\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1730,"href":"https:\/\/www.lindemaskiner.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1729\/revisions\/1730"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lindemaskiner.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/670"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lindemaskiner.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1729"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lindemaskiner.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1729"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lindemaskiner.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1729"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Stainless steel \u2013 more durable but more demanding<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Aluminium \u2013 quick to machine<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Brass \u2013 one of the easiest materials to work with<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Copper \u2013 soft but tough<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Plastic \u2013 can be processed but requires other considerations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The material affects the time and cost of processing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Choose materials based on their function \u2013 but bear in mind the machining process<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Do you need help with CNC machining?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n