Every material can only be used to its best if you know how to exploit its physical, mechanical and aesthetic properties. When are non-ferrous metals used in precision engineering?
Precision engineering experts machine the best materials (those with particular physical, mechanical and aesthetic properties) to meet the widest range of industrial needs. Steel, whether carbon, alloy or stainless, remains the most used material, but it is certainly not the only one.
Companies specialising in quality mechanical parts have learned to use non-ferrous metals in precision engineering to their full potential.
What are non-ferrous metals?
Non-ferrous metals are metals that do not belong to the iron group and are not iron-containing alloys. Some examples? Aluminium, bronze and brass. It is their unique properties that make non-ferrous metals valuable allies in precision machining. Although each has its own characteristics, they all share certain qualities: lightness, hardness, malleability, corrosion resistance, oxidation resistance and conductivity.
Pumps, valves, fittings and all other quality mechanical components can only fulfil their purpose if the material has been chosen carefully and then machined with care. There is no standard way to machine different materials, especially considering their “machinability”. Non-ferrous metals are easy to cut and mill and do not damage machine tools.
Non-ferrous metals in precision engineering
The properties of non-ferrous metals are used in many fields of precision engineering. Bronze, for example, made of copper, aluminium and other metals, is ductile and resistant to wear and corrosion. This is why it is used for bearings, gears, valves and similar components. And what kind of alloy is brass? The combination of copper and zinc produces a ductile material used for machining parts destined for environments dominated by corrosion and abrasion, such as braking system components or methane and LPG systems.
Aluminium is also among the most widely used non-ferrous metals because it is light, malleable and mechanically strong. It is also an excellent conductor and resists corrosion. It is typically used to produce cylinders, bearings and other components of complex systems.