| Processes | Lead Time | Finishing Options | Tolerance | Price | Applications | Alloys |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CNC Mill | As fast as 3 days | Available as-machined, media blasted, or hand-polished | ISO 2768 | $$$ | Bus bars, gaskets, wire connectors, and other electrical applications | 101, 110 |
101 and 110 copper alloys offer excellent thermal and electrical conductivity, which make them natural choices for bus bars, wire connectors, and other electrical applications. While 101 (also known as super-conductive copper) offers higher conductivity due to its purity (99.99% copper), 110 is generally easier to machine and thus more cost-effective.
110 Copper
Yield Strength | Elongation at Break | Hardness | Density | Maximum Temp | McMaster Part Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
55,000 PSI | 22% | Rockwell B90 | 0.284 lbs / cu. in | 500° F | 89885k117 |
101 Copper
Yield Strength (tensile) | Elongation at Break | Hardness | Density | Maximum Temp | McMaster Part Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
55,000 PSI | 22% | Rockwell B90 | 0.284 lbs / cu. in | 500° F | 89885k117 |
Copper has a shiny reddish-orange finish, which varies slightly based on the surface finish method. Copper can be media-blasted and polished to achieve many different cosmetic surface finishes.
Min Wall Thickness | Min End Mill Size | Min Drill Size | Max Part Size | Undercuts | Radii : Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0.5 mm | 0.8 mm (0.03 in) | 0.5 mm (0.02 in) | 1200 x 500 x 152 mm [x,y,z] (mill) 152 x 394 mm [d,h] (lathe) | Square profile, full radius, dovetail profiles | Depth must not exceed 12x drill bit diameter. For end mills, depth must not exceed 10x tool diameter. |
Cost Saving Tip
To reduce costs, limit the number of part setups, the number of inspection dimensions or tight tolerances, and deep pockets with small radii. If surface finish is not a concern, you may design your part to be made from the closest stock thickness, specified in a drawing.
ABS plastic is a low-cost engineering plastic, widely used for pre-injection molding prototypes. CNC machined ABS is a great option for production-like parts, where detail and mechanical properties are important.
Depending on the desired outcome for the project, ABS plastic can either be cut or engraved using CNC milling.
ABS plastic is an excellent choice for general purpose prototyping, pre-molding prototypes, parts that will receive impact and require toughness, or when low cost is desired.
In mechanical engineering, creep is a metallurgical phenomenon where a metal slowly deforms due to prolonged exposure to stress below its yield strength. Read on to learn more about creep and how it works, then see some visual creep depictions and examples. What is Mechanical Creep? In Engineering Fundamentals Refresh: Strength vs. Stiffness vs. Hardness, […]
CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machining is an automated, subtractive manufacturing process where a CNC machine is controlled with a set of commands that, when followed, will produce a part. CNC operators create these commands through a process called CNC programming. This article describes CNC programming and the different types of CNC programming methods. What Is […]
