We are an establishment that is known for supplying a huge collection of top tier metal products. This includes grade 7075 aluminium bar and plate, as well as various others. With so much merchandise available, it should be easy for customers to find something that meets your specifications. Thanks to our competitive rates, you can do so without breaking the bank too.
There are many options
When choosing metal stock for professional CNC machining projects, you will find that there are many options. Certain characteristics shall influence the final results though. These include the metal’s grade, shape, and size. Hobbyists and experts need to understand these attributes. By doing so, you can choose the right goods for your custom parts.
Aluminium is one of the more common materials for low-volume manufacturing. You can use it in a variety of industries. Examples include construction and aerospace. With this material, you have numerous options in relation to sizes and shapes. For example, there is a lot of choice for plate and bar stock. A good place to start with your next endeavour would be to learn the differences between them. In this post, we will be going over the most important considerations to make when choosing between the two.
Are you wondering what you should consider before purchasing grade 7075 aluminium bar and plate? Both aluminium plate stock and bar are extremely machinable. Their strength-to-weight ratios are similar too. Yet, there are three places where there are big differences. These can influence your project.
Size ranges
Firstly, we have size ranges. Material size influences the custom part’s size, in addition to the material’s usability. Specific sizes are going to work better under particular circumstances. Also, you have to decide what size range is right for your components in terms of the end environment.
Bar stock typically comes with a narrower aspect ratio because its thickness and width are near in size. The reason for this is that you form bar stock through an extrusion procedure, producing a rod of material.
Aluminium square bar is one of the most extensively utilised aluminium products today. It is versatile and sees a lot of use in aircraft components. It is the same for truck frames as well as structural components where the great tensile strength is beneficial. Usually, you are able to source square bar up to 6″ in standard intervals. The length is able to be more bespoke since you can cut it from longer stock. Another fact is that bar stock can appear in cylindrical rod form. This is a wonderful choice for lathe turning operations.
As for plate stock, it has a flatter, more rectangular shape when in its native form. As opposed to bars, plates come with a broader aspect ratio with varying height, depth, and width. You form the plate using continuous or normal casting operations. You can make huge blanks, known as billet, at numerous thicknesses.
Plate stock is a wonderful choice for bigger workpieces. Or, you can use it for scenarios where custom-size, pre-cut stock offers benefits for milling times and machining set up. Plate material has relations to sheet metal stock too. The result is a different set of use cases. What’s more, plates also more readily hold the flatness over huge bar parts.
Edge condition
The next consideration we will discuss is edge condition. You only cut bar stock on the ends, typically with a band saw. Those natural corners of square bar stock shall come with a small bend radii from the extrusion operation. This is in addition to a linear grain on the part sides perpendicular to your cut edges.
For plate stock, you can cut it to shape with band-saw cuts or a water jet on every vertical edge. In this stock, two parallel faces shall stay untouched at least. These are normally bottom and top faces of the blank. When you order material, it is essential to consider stock tolerances of cut and natural edges. You must also add sufficient material to machine your part suitably. Contact us if you need grade 7075 aluminium bar and plate items.
Pricing
Finally, there is price. It will change depending on weight for both plate and bar. Usually, the more material that you order in sum, the bigger the cost will be. However, the way you handle stock influences price too.
Plate material is always going to cost more per pound if you compare to bar stock. This is because it needs more overhead for cutting and handling. For projects that include relatively even dimensions beneath 6″, bar stock could be more economical. This is even if you can cut the same geometry from plate.
Custom-cut plate material, such as flange shapes, rings, and rectangles, can save a lot of machine time. This is if you compare to milling every feature from a billet. Also, a plate option is typically necessary when a standard extruded rod or bar isn’t available for the part’s size.
Work with us when you need grade 7075 aluminium bar and plate
At Brindley Metals, we provide many different products. In addition to grade 7075 aluminium bar and plate, we have brasses and yellow metals. Also, there are high purity silver materials, steels, and much more. Our goal is to ensure we supply one of the most diverse collections of resources in the UK.
So, if you are interested in shopping with us, please get in touch.