Staff who supervise an aluminium CNC machining centre need specific skills, including a good knowledge of the materials and how they behave during machining.
Aluminium and its alloys are among the most widely used materials in precision engineering, for parts destined for many sectors, such as food and aerospace. Light, relatively soft and easy to machine, aluminium is ideal for components where low weight is essential, such as parts for ultralight aircraft.
Working at aluminium CNC machining centres requires skills that go beyond the purely mechanical operations. As well as knowing the CNC control software, machining aluminium calls for an understanding of how the alloy behaves when it heats up during cutting. To keep the part’s structure and surface intact and avoid defects that could weaken it, operators must watch out for aluminium chips sticking or welding onto the workpiece and the tool. Correct cleaning of the chip extraction channels and proper coolant use help prevent this problem.