Metal Materials

Materials
There are many different material types to choose from when undertaking a project. For the
purposes of our discussion, the materials are grouped roughly into two categories, these being
"Non-metallic" and Metallic". In respect to metallic materials these are then subsequently
grouped into two groups being ferrous and non-ferrous. Each of the materials has their own
characteristics and requires different machining techniques. Careful consideration needs to be
given to the correct material selection for its application. (Definition: Ferrous as in containing
Iron, e.g steel - Non-ferrous as in not containing Iron e.g aluminium, copper) A simple test for
ferrous/non-ferrous materials is to use magnet as a magnet will sick to ferrous materials due
to its iron content.
Aluminium Alloy
There are many kinds of Alloys to choose
from but often, Aluminium is chosen as it is
lightweight (about 2700 kg/m3 density), it is
comparatively soft and its process-ability is
good. From a machining viewpoint pure
aluminium (JIS A1000) greatly differs from
Al-Cu alloy (JIS A2000) .
Pure aluminium is easy to bend but it is
difficult to process as it is too soft and easily
clogs cutting tools. On the other hand, the AlCu alloy, such as A2011 or A2017 (called
duralumin) is easy to handle and cut with
several of the grades having strength similar to
that of steel. However, one of the drawbacks
of aluminium is that it is difficult to weld,
solder and bend.
It is very difficult to distinguish between the
pure aluminum, the Al-Cu alloy and etc. When
they are cutting with a machine, we may
recognize the material.
Stainless Steel

Fig.1, Aluminum Alloy (JIS A2017)

A typical stain less steel is JIS SUS304. The

benefits of stainless steel is that it has high
strength, great heat-resistance, and and it
resists staining e.g rust. Due to its high
resistance to heat it makes an ideal material
for mechanical parts that are subjected to
heating such as a heater of a Stirling engine.
Also, due to the materials resistance to rusting,
it is ideal for use where it is exposed to water.
Other examples of its use is in drive shafts
where both strength and corrosion resistance is
needed.
Stainless Steel tends to be a bit sticky in
respect to cutting and machining and as it is a
relatively hard material it tends to shorten the
life of the cutting tools being used. Such
cutting tools need to be sharpened often
particularly in prolonged cutting operations.
Stainless Steel can usually be identified by its
glossy silver colour.

Fig.2, Stainless Steel (JIS SUS304)

Carbon Steel
Typical carbon steel materials are JIS S45C
and JIS SS400. They are very cheap, excelling
in weldability, and they can be subjected to
various heat treatments. Since many machine
tools are designed to cut mild steel material, it
is very rare to encounter problems while
machining.
I hardly use mild steel apart from cases where
welding is required as I mostly make
experimental models as therefore issues such
as low manufacturing costs are not a
consideration in the work that I do.
Generally, mild steel has a black surface and
this surface is very hard, if possible, this
surface should be left intact as it offers
additional protection.
Brass

Fig.3, Carbon Steel (JIS S45C)

Brass is an alloy which is made from a

combination of copper and zinc as the main
ingredients. In compared with carbon steel or
stainless steel, the machine-ability of brass is
good, and it also has good soldering
properties.
Brass is very heavy due to its high density so
it is ideal for heavy parts, such as a flywheel
or balance weight for model engines.
Brass is prized for the highly polished finish it
can produce however, since brass surface will
oxidise when exposed to the elements, it it
preferable to apply a clear lacquer protective
coating.

Fig.4, Brass (JIS C2800)

Brass is very expensive when compared to

other materials so it is used very selectively.
Material Identification
Usually, a billet (column) of material is sold
in unit lengths of 1 to 2 meters (or more).
These billets typically carry the material
identification written on the end of the
billet as seen in the photos on the right. As
the billet is usually cut to provide the work
piece, take care to cut from the end
opposite the markings so as to leave the
markings for subsequent identification.

Fig.5, Material Indication

Common Shapes
Material is usually supplied as common shapes and these are (a) Billets (columns), (b) flat bar
(boards), (c) Angle (L-shaped), (d) "C" channel (C-shaped) and (e) pipe. The correct selection
of material assists in simplifying a project.

Fig.6, Common Material Shapes

Common machining sizes of billets

Common billet sizes are: 30mm, 40mm, 50mm, 60mm and 80mm (However many other
sizes can be ordered). As the surface finish of many billets is not satisfactory for a finished
project, they often have to be machined to suit the project. Should you want a finished
diameter of the above mentioned sizes, then it is necessary to commence with the next
larger size in the range and machine this down to the desired diameter. The exception to this
can be stainless steel with diameters of 10mm or less as the surface finish of these is quite
high and sometimes suitable for the job in hand.
Sumber :
http://www.nmri.go.jp/eng/khirata/metalwork/basic/material/index_e.html