The materials are wrong, all in vain! In order to produce satisfactory products, the choice of materials is the most basic step and the most critical step. CNC machining can choose a lot of materials, including metal materials, non-metallic materials and composite materials.
Common metal materials include steel, aluminum alloy, copper alloy, stainless steel and so on. Non-metallic materials are engineering plastics, nylon, bakelite, epoxy resin and so on. Composite materials are fiber reinforced plastic, carbon fiber reinforced epoxy resin, glass fiber reinforced aluminum and so on.
After determining the use, starting from the actual application needs of the product, the use of the product is investigated, and its technical requirements and environmental requirements are analyzed, and these needs are transformed into the characteristics of the material. For example, parts of medical equipment may have to withstand the extreme heat of an autoclave; Bearings, gears and other materials have requirements for wear resistance, tensile strength and compressive strength. Mainly can be analyzed from the following points:
Environmental requirement
Analyze the actual use scenario and environment of the product; For example: What is the long-term working temperature of the product, the highest/lowest working temperature, respectively, belonging to high temperature or low temperature? Are there UV protection requirements indoors or outdoors? Is it in a dry environment or a humid, corrosive environment? Etc.
Technical requirement
According to the technical requirements of the product, the required capabilities are analyzed, which can cover a range of application-related factors. Such as: the product needs to have conductive, insulating or anti-static which of the capabilities? Is heat dissipation, thermal conductivity, or flame retardant required? Do you need exposure to chemical solvents? Etc.
Physical property requirement
Analyze the required physical properties of the part based on the intended use of the product and the environment in which it will be used. For parts subjected to high stress or wear, factors such as strength, toughness and wear resistance are critical; For parts exposed to high temperatures for a long time, good thermal stability is required.
Appearance and finish requirements
The market acceptance of the product depends largely on the appearance, the color and transparency of different materials are different, the finish and the corresponding surface treatment are also different. Therefore, according to the aesthetic requirements of the product, the processing materials should be selected.
Processability consideration
The machining properties of the material will affect the manufacturing process and accuracy of the part. For example, although stainless steel is rust resistant and corrosion resistant, its hardness is high, and it is easy to wear the tool during processing, resulting in very high processing costs, and it is not a good material to process. The plastic hardness is low, but it is easy to soften and deform during the heating process, and the stability is poor, which needs to be selected according to actual needs.