/ MATERIALS / ALUMINUM
Aerospace Aluminum CNC Machining
7075-T6 for structural load paths. 6061-T6 for general structure and avionics housings. 2024-T3 for fatigue-critical applications. The alloy matters — we machine it correctly.
/ MATERIAL OVERVIEW
Aerospace Aluminum — Alloy Selection and Properties
Aerospace structural aluminum spans several alloy families with meaningfully different mechanical properties and machinability profiles. Selecting the correct alloy for the application determines both the part's structural performance and the cost and complexity of the machining program.
7075-T6 delivers the highest strength of the common aerospace aluminum alloys — tensile strength around 83,000 psi — at a cost in machinability relative to 6061. 2024 series alloys are selected for fatigue-critical applications where the fatigue crack growth rate matters more than peak tensile strength. 6061-T6 is the general-purpose structural alloy where the load requirements are within its envelope.
- 7075-T6: ~83,000 psi tensile, aerospace structural, AMS 4045 / AMS 4044
- 6061-T6: ~45,000 psi tensile, general structure and housings, AMS 4027
- 2024-T3: ~70,000 psi tensile, fatigue-critical structural, AMS 4037
/ APPLICATIONS
Aluminum Aerospace Applications We Machine
Structural Frames and Brackets
Fuselage frames, wing ribs, spars, and structural brackets in 7075-T6 where high specific strength is required. These applications typically involve large material removal ratios — up to 90% of the billet removed — producing thin-web structures with complex pocket geometry that require 5-axis simultaneous machining and rigid fixturing strategy.
Avionics and Electronics Housings
Avionics enclosures, electronics housings, and heat sink structures in 6061-T6. These applications combine geometric complexity with finish requirements on sealing surfaces and connector interfaces. Thermal management requirements often drive wall thickness and fin geometry to the boundary of what standard tooling can machine.
Prototype and Development Hardware
Prototype structural hardware for structural test programs, wind tunnel models, and development components where rapid iteration and tight dimensional accuracy are required simultaneously. Aluminum prototype programs often have aggressive schedules that our quoting-to-production timeline is designed to accommodate.
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