Choose the right material for your CNC machining project

1. Key Considerations for Choosing CNC Machining Materials

Basically, you can guide your decision regarding CNC machining materials choosing based on four factors. Here are our recommendations regarding them: 

1.1. How will the part be used?

 The first that you should pay attention to – the intended use of a part. You will see in the section below scopes of applications of each material.

It is already enough to rule out three-quarters of ones that will not do the work for you. The additional questions you may want to ask yourself on this stage of decision-making are the following:

• What is the industry? Well, it is expected that you already know the sphere you fabricate parts for. But, some components have a wide scope of applications. You should ensure that the material will sustain heavy-duty and be a design component, if necessary.

• Indoors or outdoors? In other words, what are the environmental conditions your part will be exposed to? It also significantly affects the decision regarding the material. Some plastics and metals are less or more moisture and wear-resistant.

• What are the stresses? Pay close attention to loads and stresses your parts are expected to sustain. They should perform well in all the intended operating conditions.

List all the factors that will impact your parts during their performance. Then, select the materials that meet the requirements the most. Such a procedure is your most devoted guide. 

1.2. Does weight matter?

The short answer will be – yes. There are industries where the weight of components is crucial. It includes: automotive, medicine, electronics, transportation, aerospace, aircraft, military and defense, and many others.

Make sure that your parts are not heavier than expected. Otherwise, they will not be popular regardless of their superior properties. Manufacturing and industrial purposes can be met by parts made of any materials, irrespective of their weight.

This is because machines carry heavy loads on the production line. In other cases, look for something lightweight. As a bonus, we may recommend you stick to what your biggest competitors craft. Do not craft heavier components not to lose your potential buyers. 

1.3. Does the part require high strength or heat resistance?

 The cost-efficiency of your material is the last key consideration. It goes further than just the cost of a metal or plastic itself. While the material may fit your budget, it will result in extra expenses in the future. Pay attention to the following factors: 

• Support and maintenance

In some cases, your fabrics may be responsible for the repair of the parts manufactured. If you save on expensive materials and compromise the quality – you may overpay for support and maintenance further. Also, it may negatively influence your brand reputation.

And it is something that is difficult to enhance. So regardless of the project budget, you are advised against saving on the quality of materials. In case you cannot afford a project – just do not start it or allocate more funds.

• Fancy materials

Sometimes you may want to choose a less cost-effective but attractive material / finished with the use of a colored coating. In most cases, it does not impact the performance of a part. Consider fancy materials redundant if they are not for decoration purposes.

In contrast, if your materials are for decorative parts – do not pick highly functional metals and plastics. They are usually more expensive, but you will not exploit their full potential this way.

• Added costs

 It may include multiple additional expenses you may sustain because of a wrong choice of material. For example: you chose that cheaper material that requires finishing instead or an expensive one that does not post-processing. You lost money on an avoidable procedure.