알루미늄 CNC 가공: 완전 가이드 2026

Why aluminium dominates CNC

Aluminium hits a sweet spot of properties no other commodity material matches:

• Light — about 1/3 the density of steel (2.7 g/cm³ vs 7.85). Critical for aerospace, drones, robotics.
• Strong enough — 6061-T6 yields at 276 MPa, comparable to many mild steels.
• Cuts fast — soft enough to remove material at 3–5× the rate of stainless or titanium.
• Anodises beautifully — every colour, hard surface, integral to the part.
• Conducts heat — ideal for heat sinks, electronics enclosures, LED housings.
• Corrosion-resistant by default — the natural oxide layer protects without coating.
• Recyclable — chips and offcuts have real scrap value, lowering net cost.

Alloy comparison — which one and why

Machinability and cycle times

Aluminium machines fast — but how fast depends on alloy choice and tooling. Indicative cycle times for a representative 50×50×25 mm bracket with moderate complexity:

Achievable tolerances on aluminium

Aluminium's thermal expansion (~23 ppm/°C) is roughly twice that of steel — so for ±0.005 mm tolerances on parts longer than 100 mm, ADFCNC machines in a temperature-controlled cell. See our tolerances and GD&T guide for more.

Finishes that work on aluminium

Industry applications

• Consumer electronics — laptop chassis, phone frames, camera bodies. 6061 + Type II anodise dominates.
• UAV and drones — frames, motor mounts, gimbals. 7075 for structural, 6061 for non-critical. See UAV parts.
• Aerospace — brackets, instrumentation housings, ground support. 7075 + 2024 dominate. See aerospace manufacturing.
• Robotics — joint housings, drive arms, gripper bodies. 6061 + hard anodise common. See robotic parts.
• Heat sinks & LED housings — 6061 or 6063 for thermal conductivity, anodised black for emissivity.
• Optical & imaging — MIC-6 cast tool plate for dimensional stability over time.
• Automotive prototypes — 7075 for race-car components, 6061 for OEM-grade prototypes.

Real cost ranges

Indicative pricing for a typical 50×50×25 mm aluminium bracket, anodised type II, batch quantities:

Want to lower your aluminium part cost without redesigning? See our cost reduction guide — typical savings: 20–40% by relaxing tolerances, switching from 7075 to 6061 where possible, and consolidating setups.

Design tips that save money on aluminium

1. Internal corner radii ≥ 1 mm — lets us use larger, faster end mills.
2. Wall thickness ≥ 0.8 mm — thinner walls deflect during cutting.
3. Use 6061 unless you have a strength reason to upgrade — saves 30–40% on material + machining.
4. Specify Type II anodise unless hardness is required — Type III roughly doubles finish cost.
5. Don't demand mirror polish on cosmetic surfaces — bead blasting before anodising looks great and costs less.
6. Tolerance only critical features — use ISO 2768-mK default for non-mating dimensions.
7. Add 0.3 mm chamfers to all external edges — eliminates manual deburring labour.
8. Avoid pockets deeper than 4× tool diameter — deep pockets need slow finishing passes.