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Hands-on Ideas for Speeding up Manufacturing Metal Parts

While selecting a manufacturing process for metal parts, you need to determine which can complete your project in less time. You cannot pick the wrong one as it will alter the functionality of the components. In this article, we have covered the basic principles of each manufacturing process, their production speed, and the materials used. So, you can choose the right one.

How to Select the Fastest Manufacturing Process for Metal Parts?

Faster manufacturing of metal parts reduces time-to-market and increases profits. Even if you produce parts with on-demand manufacturing, you are entitled to choose the speed of your production process. Here we have highlighted the most common high-speed production processes:

Sheet Metal Fabrication

Fabrication is forming components from raw materials by combining two or more processes. 

Sheet Metal Fabrication is a subtractive manufacturing process that involves forming parts from flat metal sheets. Design the parts in 3D CAD software and connect them with various manufacturing tools through written coding. You can cut, bend, stretch, or assemble the sheets into different shapes by combining all manufacturing processes. 

Speed: You’ll find that Sheet Metal Fabrication requires various tools and machinery for each individual process. Hence, the short-run production and prototyping speed are lower than CNC Machining, which provides all-in-one processes.

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Best for Materials: 

  • Zinc.
  • Aluminum. 
  • Copper. 
  • Steel.
  • Stainless Steel. 

These materials come in gauges ranging from 0.015 to 0.635 centimeters.

You can use this process for producing: 

  • Low-cost end-use applications like device panels, enclosures, brackets, boxes, cases, and chassis.
  • Lightweight applications.
  • Thin-walled components that are not possible or cost-effective to be built with CNC Machining.
  • Projects which need complex designs, repeating shapes, and patterns.

CNC Machining

CNC stands for Computer Numerical Control, a method of automating the motion of machine tools through pre-programmed software. 

CNC Machining is a computerized manufacturing process where the software controls the movement of complex machinery. The tools cut, shape, and create different metal parts through subtractive manufacturing, a controlled material removal process. 

CNC Machining provides a fast manufacturing process for prototyping and short-run productions, where one production factor is fixed. Also, you won’t need any extra tools as the 5-axis machine reduces the time for multiple setups.

Speed: CNC machines are faster than manual ones, with a feed rate that can exceed 2,300 inches per minute (ipm). 

A feed rate refers to the speed the tool advances through the workpiece and is usually measured in inches per minute.

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Best for Materials: 

  • Brass. 
  • Aluminum.
  • Copper.
  • Stainless Steel.
  • Carbon steel.

You can use this process for producing:

  • High-quality materials.
  • Projects with tight tolerances meaning they have strict design parameters and require more precision and accuracy.
  • On a scale of up to 10,000 parts.
  • Projects that require custom finishes.

Metal Injection Molding (MIM)

Metal Injection Molding is a process that involves injecting raw powdered metal with measured polymer binders to make feedstock. 

Binders shape and hold together the metal particles until the onset of the molding process. They are removed before sintering, a method to form and compact a solid mass of material through heat and pressure without liquefying it.

The feedstock mixture is solidified and further molded to form metal components with desired strength properties. 

Speed: Metal Injection Molding is a two-step manufacturing process, and molding takes time. So, the short-run production and prototyping speed might be less. But once the metal injection shots are completed, you can instantly produce a high volume of metal parts.

Best for Materials: 

  • Steel.
  • Stainless Steel.
  • Tungsten Alloys.
  • Cemented Carbides.
  • Cobalt-Chromium.
  • Copper.

You can use this process for producing:

  • Small parts in high volume.
  • Manufacturing complicated shapes that are not cost-effective with other processes.
  • Finely detailed textures, engravings, profiled holes, and net shape features such as internal and external threads. 
  • Medical devices.

Metal 3D Printing

Metal 3D printing is an additive manufacturing process where you can create a metal design using 3D “CAD” software. The digital file is transmitted to the machine used for building components.

The process works by spreading a thin layer of metal powder and fusing the particles with the help of a laser. The process is repeated until the layers form a metal part. 

Speed: It is a fast manufacturing process with a short setup time. However,  it has concise production runs so that you can produce only ten units or less. 

Best for Materials: 

  • Super Alloys.
  • Aluminum.
  • Tool Steel.
  • Stainless Steel.
  • Silicone-Carbide. 

You can use this process for producing: 

  • Parts with complex geometries that are otherwise impossible.
  • Replacement parts for legacy systems.
  • Low-volume prototypes for functional testing.

There are many choices in Metal 3D Printing, but here we are mentioning only the renowned and most used ones:

Selective Laser Melting (SLM)

Selective Laser Melting, as the name suggests, Selective Laser Melting selects metal powder with a single melting temperature to melt it completely. 

Best for Materials: 

  • Only selective metals.
  • Stainless steel. 
  • Tool Steel.
  • Titanium.
  • Cobalt chrome.
  • Aluminum.

You can use this process for producing: 

  • Metal equipment as a whole rather than components.

Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS)

The Direct Metal Laser Sintering process uses a metal powder with variable melting points to fuse the particles at elevated temperatures. 

Best for Materials: 

  • Almost all alloys.

You can use this process for producing: 

Aerospace and automotive parts that operate under high stress.

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Principles of Design for Manufacturability (DFM) for Metal Parts 

Design for Manufacturability works on five fundamental principles that you need to consider while designing your project. Following them will produce quality metal parts in a short time. Here they are:

1.Process

Choose the proper manufacturing process regarding the materials used, the surface complexity, and the required volume of parts. In some cases, the metal components don’t require complex manufacturing. So, choose wisely.

2.Design

Designing your project is vital. Don’t forget to discuss the design with your manufacturer. Only they can ensure that it conforms to the principles of the manufacturing process you’ve chosen. Your plan will include specifications, tolerances, thickness, and texture. But don’t specify tight tolerances where they are not needed.

3.Materials

It is essential to select suitable material for your project. Consider the material properties and choose one that is easy to process. For instance, CNC machines can cut aluminum quicker than steel. Contact your manufacturer as they may have existing materials so you can secure them at lower pricing. 

4.Environment

Your project won’t matter if it won’t be operational under normal conditions. So, be sure to design it to withstand the environment in which it will be utilized. 

5.Compliance

Your project should comply with industry and third-party safety and quality standards. Only give your project to a manufacturer who can provide quality assurance.

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Conclusion

Quick manufacturing processes that can shorten production time for metal components are the need of the hour. After reading the article, we hope that you’ll now be able to choose materials and a manufacturing process suitable to your project needs. But be sure to keep your design free of ambiguities. Moreover, be clear about your objective to your manufacturer. 

Having said that, at QBH Technology, we take pride in producing custom metal parts at competitive rates. We have decades of experience providing manufacturing services for CNC Machining, Laser cutting, server rack & cabinet, and much more. Our expertise includes CNC Machining and Metal Sheet Fabrication. We ensure to manufacture your product with great precision and accuracy in a short duration. Contact us for a free quote!

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How to Design a Waterproof Enclosure in Manufacturing?

Introduction

Water is life. But, it makes life difficult for products that aren’t waterproof. Manufacturers are always in search of waterproof enclosures that render their products waterproof and rugged. What does designing waterproof enclosures involve? In this post, we will dive into the world of product design to learn how to design waterproof enclosures for manufacturing purposes. We will understand the different waterproof grading/rating systems, the required parts, and the material best suited to design waterproof enclosures. So, let’s cut to the chase and jump into the content!

What are the different waterproof grade rating systems?

  • Ingress Protection (IP)

Ingress Protection or International Protection (IP) is a marking system that evaluates how well a product’s sealing protects it from water and other solid objects. Mostly used to define the waterproofing ability of electronic products, IP rating is mentioned on the device using IPxx inscription. In this, IP stands for Ingress Protection, and ‘xx’ is the two-digit number that defines the waterproofing ability. The first digit in the number shows protection against physical objects, while the second digital shows protection against liquids. The higher the IP rating of a product, the better is its waterproof enclosure. 

  • NEMA rating system

National Electrical Manufacturer Association or NEMA is another popular rating system that is mainly used for industrial products. It is different from IP rating as it focuses on protecting a product from highly intrusive parameters like ice, corrosives, oil, and more. Not just that, it takes into consideration factors like environment (indoor or outdoor), exposure to corrosive agents, and frequency of the product getting in contact with water. NEMA rating is different from indoor and outdoor use. For indoor usage, the industrial product is rated from 1 to 13.

The level of protection improves as the rating increases. Products designed for outdoor use ratings like NEMA 3, 3R, and 3S. NEMA 4 is the rating used exclusively for industrial products used in high-pressure water conditions.

  • MIL-SPEC rating system

Lastly, we have the MIL-SPEC rating system developed around WWII. The US Department of Defense uses the MIL-SPEC rating system to test a product’s manufacturing, maintenance, materials, and design. It takes factors like humidity, rain, altitude, fungus, temperature, salt fog, dust, san, vibration, transport, leakage, acceleration, and explosive atmosphere into consideration. The best thing about this rating system is that it is always evolving. Hence industries following the MIL-SPEC rating system always end up producing better products. 

waterproof enclosure

How to design waterproof enclosure seals?

  • Gasket sealant

Industrial products involving mechanical joints gain strength when an adhesive glue, paste, or spray is used to join them together. It significantly improves the waterproofing ability of the enclosure and keeps it from any mechanical breakdown when parts come in contact.

A gasket is helpful, especially when making complex face-to-face seals that involve multiple cavities. We highly recommend you consider factors like compressions, tolerances, and thickness of the joints before using a gasket to connect them. Thankfully, you don’t have to worry about standards, as gaskets can be easily customized.

  • Static O-Ring seals

O-rings are incredibly successful in producing water seal designs and repairing similar products. Although they have one shape, O-rings come in different sizes, which makes them universally accepted. Every O-ring has two numbers denoting the inside- and the outside-diameter.

Static O-rings are perfect for products that are circular in shape. These work best when the mating gland parts do not move relatively. This makes sure that there is no movement in the sealing surface. As a result, status O-rings make low maintenance sealants. These require less lubrication as well.

  • Dynamic O-Ring seals

Another important O-ring type is the dynamic O-ring. Industrial products with mating gland parts that move make the best use case for dynamic O-rings. Since the parts are moving, dynamic O-ring requires more maintenance and lubrication. Not just that, the sealant should be tougher than static O-rings, and the mating gland parts should have a surface finish. An abrasive surface can lead to wear and tear in the sealant.

  • Button

Does your industrial product require interfacing? Buttons will give your product the best seal. These are highly useful in sealing directional pads, triggers, panel switches, and other products, as buttons can be made from different materials. Buttons are ideal for both light and heavy-duty designs. Molded rubber buttons can seal products that require a low-pressure waterproof design. Buttons made from harder materials work best for heavy-duty waterproof button design. Many waterproof enclosures use both O-Ring and button seals. However, you should use multiple seals with caution as these are prone to seal failure.

How to choose a suitable material for waterproof enclosures?

Material selection is core to making a solid waterproof enclosure design. Selecting the right material requires one to understand the important factors involved. In this section, we will help you get acquainted with factors that will help you make the right choice.

  • Figure out the stages of product development

The stages of development your product will undergo matter when choosing a waterproof enclosure material. For instance, product development usually starts with prototyping the actual product. Since it is a prototype development stage, you wouldn’t want to go all the way and use high-quality material. Instead, you will go for low-level material to capture the right fit and function. Once you identify the errors in the prototype, you can go ahead and use original materials to develop the product. 

  • Refer to the use and design guide

The design guide plays a crucial role in determining the type of materials required in manufacturing waterproof enclosures. Manufacturers receive a design guide which is nothing but documentation for how the product is to be made. The guide is quite informative as it helps manufacturers determine the product dimensions, materials required, and the procedure suitable to manufacture the product. 

  • Environment where the product will be used

When choosing the material, we will also have to consider the environment where the industrial product will function. You should know if the waterproof enclosure material suits indoor or outdoor usage. The material selection will play a huge role in determining the durability of the product.

waterproof enclosure

Which material is best to design waterproof enclosures?

So, which material is suitable for designing waterproof enclosures? Plastics and metal alloys are quite popular across waterproof enclosures. Let’s discuss both in detail.

  • Plastics

Plastics make a perfect choice of material where strength isn’t an issue. It is a versatile choice of material since plastics are easy to mold, corrosion-free, and replaceable. However, superior waterproof enclosure designs usually ditch plastics and go for metal and alloys.

  • Metals and alloys

If you are looking for a high-quality, robust, and durable waterproof enclosure, you must consider the following metals and alloys –

  • Steel

Steel is the preferred metal alloy, especially when you need to install a waterproof enclosure in an environment prone to corrosion. Also, steel makes a perfect waterproof enclosure material since it is strong, robust, and is scratch-resistant. However, you will not want to use steel in a product used primarily in corrosion-causing agents or the environment. 

  • Stainless Steel

Stainless steel delivers qualities like steel, but it goes an extra mile to ensure the product functions in a high-corrosion environment. It makes one of the most durable waterproof enclosures that can outlast even the most challenging conditions.

  • Aluminum

Aluminum is a corrosion-resistant material that provides waterproof enclosure stability in saltwater. It makes an easier choice for manufacturers that are looking for enclosures with better physical attributes. Moreover, aluminum is lightweight. However, we will not recommend you use it in an alkaline environment as it readily reacts in such conditions.

Waterproof Enclosure

Conclusion

Now that you have a basic idea of what it takes to design a waterproof enclosure, it will be easier to make firm decisions regarding the various factors involved in the process. You are in the best position to determine what you need to design a waterproof enclosure for an industrial product. We highly recommend you plan the interfaces well in advance, so you know the size of O-rings and button styles suitable for your project. Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments. Also, don’t forget to check out other informative posts on the blog!

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An Overview of Heat Treatment Processes & Benefits

Introduction

Metals require heat to get in the desired shape, become harder, and be less brittle. Since modern machining thrives on sophistication and precision, it is crucial that we heat treat the metals appropriately to help them gain a permanent set of properties. Hardness, strength, machinability, elasticity, formability, and other critical properties change when metals undergo heat treatment. When heat-treated properly, metallurgists can harness the remarkable chemical and physical properties of metals and prepare them well for machining. Let’s understand the heat treatment of metals in more detail, shall we?

What is heat treatment?

Heat treatment is a simple process in which the metal or alloy is heated to a certain temperature and cooled. The heating and cooling of the metal changes the microstructure of the metal and brings out the desired chemical and physical properties required for a project. While the very definition of heat treatment is heating and cooling of a material, we must understand that the process is conducted in a controlled manner. This is because you want the shape of the metal component to remain intact. Before discussing how heat treatment of metal or alloy works, let’s learn how the process benefits metallurgists.

heat treatment

Benefits of heat treatment

Why should you heat treat metals? Here are some of the most crucial benefits of the heat treatment process. Let’s discuss them in detail.

  • Boosts metal strength

Heat treatment is known to boost metal strength. However, it reduces toughness and introduces brittleness in the metal. More importantly, you should heat treat metal as it can significantly impact yield strength, tensile strength, and fracture toughness. Heat treatment generally makes the material ductile and flexible.

  • Changes metal properties

Metal properties change dramatically when heat-treated in a controlled environment. You can heat treat materials to yield the required mechanical, electrical, chemical, and magnetic properties to make sure a component is compatible with other materials. The change in mechanical or physical properties plays a crucial role in machining.

  • Improves brittleness

Are you working with metal that weakens or breaks when exposed to extreme working conditions or environment? Heat treatment will come to the rescue. When heat-treated, metals gain the ability to overcome environments that would otherwise make them break. 

  • Makes metal wear-resistant

Heat treatment will improve the wear resistance and durability of your metals. It does that by hardening the material on the surface or all the way through. Metals and alloys like steel, titanium, and other copper alloys become stronger, tougher, and more resistant to wear after heat treatment.

  • Reduces material stresses

What about workability and machinability? Well, heat treatment takes care of that as well. Heat treatment helps manufacturers remove internal stresses and make the metal or alloy suitable for sheet metal fabrication,CNC machining, stamping, welding, and any kind of hot or cold work. 

Heat treatment

How does heat treatment work?

To help you understand heat treatment better, we have divided the process into three crucial steps. Basically, the process involves heating the metal, holding it at a certain temperature, and cooling it down. The high temperature disrupts a metal’s microstructure, which causes changes in its chemical, mechanical, and electrical properties.

Step 1: Heating

Metallurgists begin the process by heating the metal to a prescribed thermal profile. When heated, the metal or alloy will turn into a mechanical mixture, a solid solution, or a combination. Since each state brings different properties and qualities to the metal, one must heat the metal according to the associated phase diagram. 

Step 2: Holding

As the term suggests, holding refers to keeping the heated metal at a specified temperature. This step is also called the soaking stage, as the metal is made to stay at the achieved temperature for a period of time. However, the soaking time depends on the metal being heat treated. You will also have to consider the material type and part size. Large materials or parts will require more soaking time.

Step 3: Cooling

Finally, you will have to cool the material once the soaking period is over. Make sure the metal is cooled in a prescribed manner. Since structural changes might occur in the cooling stage, you should conduct the process in a controlled environment. It will help make the heat treatment process more precise.

heat treatment

Different types of heat treatment methods in metals

Since you want to leverage different qualities of the metal through heat treatment, you can choose from a variety of heat treatment techniques. Here are some of the common heat treatment methods you should know of.

  • Hardening

Hardening is the most common heat treatment process that, as the name suggests, increases the hardness of a metal. The metal is heated to a specified temperature and then cooled rapidly by putting it in a cooling medium. One can use oil or water to cool the metal. This results in the part achieving increased hardness and strength. However, the metal’s brittleness increases as well. Some of the common types of hardening processes are induction hardening, differential hardening, flame hardening, and case hardening. 

  • Tempering

Tempering is the heat treatment technique that helps reduce the excess hardness in the metal introduced during the hardening process. Besides that, it also relieves the internal stresses, making the metal suitable for the application. Tempering involves heating the metal at a temperature much lower than that of hardening. 

  • Ageing (Precipitation Hardening)

Ageing or precipitation hardening is the heat treatment method that boosts the yield strength of malleable metals. The properties of metal change as this heat treatment method produces uniformly dispersed particles within the metal’s grain structure. In this, the metal is heated to medium levels of temperature and then cooled quickly. 

  • Annealing

Annealing involves heating the metal beyond the upper critical temperature. Once heated, the metal is cooled slowly, which makes it suitable for cold working and forming. Annealing is the best heat treatment method to soften the metal before usage. It reduces the stresses and plastic deformations in the metal when heated beyond the upper critical temperature. Also, there are plenty of annealing techniques like recrystallization annealing, partial annealing, full annealing, final annealing, and more.

  • Normalizing

Normalizing is a heat treatment method that helps relieve internal stresses in the metal caused due to welding, casting, quenching, and similar processes. It involves heating the metal to a temperature of 40°C above the upper critical temperature. As the name suggests, normalizing involves cooling the metal in the air after holding it at the temperature for a designated period of time. Normalizing helps make the metal stronger and tougher. 

  • Carburisation

Carburisation is a unique heat treatment method as it involves heating the metal in the presence of another material. The material, however, should be able to release carbon on decomposition. The metal surface absorbs the carbon, which makes it harder than the inner core!

  • Stress relieving

Stress-relieving is another heat treatment method that helps eliminate the stresses introduced by processes like forming, rolling, straightening, machining, and more. It is a common heat treatment technique for boiler parts, accumulators, air bottles, etc. In this, the metal is heated to just below its lower critical temperature. The metal is then cooled slowly.

heat treatment

Best metals for heat treatment

So, which are the best metals for heat treatment? Finding suitable metals for heat treatment isn’t challenging. While most ferrous metals are suitable for heat treatment, you can also heat-treat alloys of magnesium, aluminium, nickel, copper, brass, and titanium. The heat treatment techniques shared above are generally applied to ferrous metals. However, annealing, ageing, and quenching are suitable for metal alloys. Aluminium, one of the most used metals around the globe, is heat-treated using methods like annealing, solution heat treating, and ageing. To be frank, not all heat treatment methods are beneficial for all materials. Therefore, we recommend you study the metal’s behavior under different conditions before selecting a heat treatment method.

FAQs

What is heat treatment?

Heat treatment is a group of industrial, thermal and metalworking processes used to alter the physical, and sometimes chemical, properties of a material. The most common application is metallurgical. 

What are the major the majority of heat treated materials?

alloys of copper, magnesium, aluminium, nickel, brass, and titanium can be heat treated.  About 80% of heat treated metals are different grades of steel.