Aluminum Bronze Machining: Properties, Challenges

When you visit a metal fabrication company, you will hear a common problem, “Why does aluminum bronze require so much attention while machining?”. Although, it has a name in the aerospace and marine industry. You will get all the answers in this blog!

Fig 1: Aluminum bronze

What is Aluminum Bronze?

This alloy is composed of copper and aluminum with small other elements. Manufacturers often choose this material while producing an aerospace or marine component in their units. Its durable nature enables it to withstand harsh environmental conditions like seawater.

Is Aluminum Bronze Easy to Machine?

No, it is not easy to machine due to several reasons:

• High strength
• Good abrasiveness
• High thermal conductivity
• Copper presence
• Poor chip formation

Aluminum Bronze Machining Cost

It costs you approximately $3.00 per minute because of properties such as high thermal conductivity, poor chip formation, and high Cu content.

Key Properties of Aluminum Bronze Alloys

Below are some of the major properties and characteristics you will find in this alloy:

• High  Abrasivenesd snd wear resistance
• High strength and Durability
• High thermal conductivity
• High copper content
• Poor chip formation

Aluminum Bronze Grades and Their Machinability

Here, you will get to know about different grades of aluminum bronze and how they behave during machining:

C63000 Nickel Aluminum Bronze

This alloy will be easier to machine if you use modern CNC machining equipment but keep in mind to lubricate the parts efficiently to acquire tight tolerances.

Fig 2: C63000 Ni-Al Bronze

C95400 Aluminum Bronze

This alloy offers you good machinability but for the best machining experience, it is recommended to use a carbide tip tool along with a coolant (for overheating).

Fig 3: C95400 Al bronze

954 Aluminum Bronze

This alloy is the same as C95400 Aluminum Bronze and offers you similar machining characteristics.

CA104 Aluminum Bronze

This alloy offers you good mechanical properties along with machinability, but it also demands certain conditions including optimum cutting speed and certain other parameters for best experiences.

Fig 4: CA104 Al bronze

Def Stan 02-833 and NES 833 Alloys

In a manufacturing setup, the worker machined this alloy and rated it 20% only when he compared it with brass. So, you must use proper tool material, coolant, and experienced workers when machining this alloy.

Fig 5: NES 833 Alloy

Uses in Defense and Specialized Industries

The ability of this alloy to resist seawater due to its durable nature makes it a perfect choice for marine industries. In addition to this, the high strength-to-weight ratio of aluminum bronze favors aerospace industries to utilize this material in the best possible way.

Challenges in Machining Aluminum Bronze

In the manufacturing setup, the worker performed the machining process of aluminum bronze and concluded the following results:

Tool Wear and Abrasiveness

He observed the wearing of tool and its high abrasiveness which assured him that the tool life would be compromised.

Heat Dissipation and Thermal Management

Secondly, the material catches heat quickly which challenged him a lot during machining, but he confirmed that no quality coolant was used during the process.

Maintaining Dimensional Accuracy and Surface Finish

The copper presence in the alloy composition made it harder for the worker to acquire a smooth finish because the sticking phenomenon was discovered.

Poor Chip Formation and Debris Removal

The worker observed poor chip formation due to the phenomenon of clogged-ness.

Typical Components and Industries

Following are the industries where you will observe the usage of this alloy more frequently:

• Marine
• Aerospace components
• Industrial equipment
• Automotive
• Oil and gas sector

Fig 6: Aluminum bronze components

Performance Benefits in Marine, Aerospace, and Industrial Applications

Below are the performance benefit observed in these application:

• Mechanical strength
• Durable in high-stress environment
• Non sparking properties
• Thermal stability
• High strength-to-weight ratio

Best Practices for Machining Aluminum Bronze

When visiting the professional and experienced worker who performed machining on aluminum bronze. We observed the following parameters he followed:

Selecting Optimal Cutting Tools

He chose carbide and coated carbide tools that are famous for their durable and wear-resistant nature. Secondly, it helped him to overcome heating issues.

Recommended Cutting Speeds and Feeds

The worker adjusted the cutting speed of 60-120mpm and 0.1-0.5 mm/rev feed rate which led to counter thermal problems.

Lubrication and Cooling Techniques

The interesting thing we noticed was that the worker used a synthetic coolant and eventually got rid of tool damage.

Strategies to Minimize Tool Wear

We recommend you use the following strategies that will benefit you in minimizing tool wear:

• Timely maintenance of your tools
• Adjust parameters for machining carefully.
• Try to avoid work hardening in the alloy

Heat Treatment and Its Impact on Alloy Hardness

If your application demands modified properties especially hardness and strength in this alloy, then it must undergo a specific heat treatment process. The recommended treatment involves solution heat treating the specimen followed by aging for a specific period. This will maximize the hardness of the alloy and hopefully match your application demands that are prone to aggressive environmental conditions plus high stresses.

Surface Finishing Options for Aluminum Bronze Parts

Below are some of the available options in case your application demands extra finishing for modified properties and enhanced lifespan:

Polishing, Coating

Various tribology labs offer you mechanical and electrolytic polishing. You just need to go with the sample, and they will give you the best possible solution for increasing the shelf life of your sample.

Surface Treatment for Corrosion Resistance

The parts you manufacture can be further treated which will ensure corrosion resistance. For instance, the component can undergo anodizing, thermal spray coating, and other diffusion treatments such as nitriding.

Quality Control and Standards

To maintain the quality of this alloy, you should undergo visual testing first. If that comes ok, then follow the international standards and don’t hesitate to do destructive and nondestructive testing to ensure optimized performance.

Outsourcing Aluminum Bronze Machining: Why Choose Tuofa China

Tuofa Technology is famous for exceptional and outstanding CNC machining services with over 18 years of experience. They have experienced workers who undergo several challenges before coming to that level of perfection. So, to gather knowledge related to machining, you must visit them once as a metallurgist and manufacturer.