Metal Prototypes in Aluminum | Finishing Treatment
Discover the painted metal prototypes in aluminum by X Rapid Technologies. We offer finishing treatments such as the painting of plastic and metal materials.
Get aluminum prototype for superior efficient outputs
An aluminum prototype has superior practical efficiency and X Rapid Technologies provides its clients with precise and high-quality prototypes so that you can know your product well.
Making prototypes has become vital in the manufacturing industry as prototypes help manufacturers to understand the final product in a better way and make the required changes before opting for mass production. Metal prototypes are used for several tools as well as products with complex designs and functionalities. A metal prototype helps manufacturers to understand which metal can be perfect for that product so that they can opt for a suitable metal. Because of its superior practical efficiency, the aluminum is one of the most famous and preferred metal prototypes that are used by manufacturers widely across the globe.
Prototypes should be perfect and appropriate so that it reflects the designs and functionality of the product precisely. There are several technologies used for creating a metal prototype.
Which is the best process for creating a metal prototype?
CNC machining is the most preferred and affordable technology that is used to create metal prototypes. As this technology follows computer instructions, it delivers more precise outcomes along with an easy-to-use interface. CNC machining is a fast process, and with this technology, it is also easy to create duplicates of several parts. One can use almost every kind of metal in this process as this technology gives manufacturers the freedom to choose the most suitable metal. It also provides manufacturers with design freedom as this technology is efficient for crafting complex designs while creating a prototype. It is a fast and efficient technology that requires minimal human involvement, which clearly indicates that with this technology, the chances of human errors are very low. CNC machining is widely preferred for crafting prototypes. There are several companies that offer CNC machining services, but it requires proper knowledge to create a detailed and precise product with this technology, and that's why it is always advised to be wise while selecting a company for molding a metal prototype using CNC machining.
Besides that, 3D printing, sheet metal prototype, aluminum die casting and Aluminum Extrusion are also used for this purpose.
Which metal is most preferred for creating a metal prototype and why?
Aluminum prototype is the most famous option when it comes to prototyping a metal. Aluminum has several benefits that give manufacturers the freedom of design. The key reasons are mentioned below why people prefer this option
If you are willing to use your prototype and test it in every way possible, you can go for an aluminum prototype as it is perfect for the duty. It is a strong prototyping option with several other benefits.
An aluminum prototype has great heat resistance. As this metal is resistant to extreme heat, it is long-lasting and used for several purposes.
Looks matter, especially when we are talking about prototypes. An aluminum prototype has a classy look and if you compare them with plastic, they are more enticing to look at.
The quality of aluminum alloys increases the quality of an aluminum prototype. As these prototypes are usually created by using CNC machining technology, they have precise designs and accurate cuts. Besides that, the quality of aluminium makes the prototype perfect.
When you are using plastic as the prototyping element, it is not easy to change the material in the actual product. By creating an aluminum prototype, manufacturers can ease the work of mass production. The differences of the prototype and the actual product becomes lower when you use aluminum as the prototyping material.
As aluminum's physical attributes, minimise the frequency of components substitute, eventually, it decreases the expenses of production. If you are looking for a cost-effective and efficient material for prototyping, creating an aluminium prototype can be your best option.
Aluminum alloys don't only have amazing stamina and strength, but they also have a high resistance to deterioration. So, when you mold a prototype with aluminum, it will be long-lasting and will attract more individuals.
Where to go for an efficient aluminium prototype?
We, the team of X Rapid technologies, are extremely skilled in creating metal prototypes. Whether you want a prototype made of aluminium or looking for any other prototype, we are here to provide you with 100% raw materials that can offer you several benefits. We believe in 100% perfection and that's why our highly knowledgeable and professional team uses CNC machining, 3D printing, Sheet metal prototype, and other advanced prototyping processes to provide you with precise and accurate prototypes. We offer satin-painted aluminum prototypes to our clients that are not only highly functional but also able to attract the eyes with their looks. We give special attention towards the finishing. We offer our dedicatedly molded metal prototypes to our customers at a reasonable price.
Metal prototypes are prototypes made in metal materials, such as aluminum, stainless steel, copper, zinc, magnesium, etc. The aluminum prototype is one of the most commonly applied metal prototypes. Metal prototypes are usually produced via CNC machining, 3D printing, casting, sheet metal fabrication, extrusion, etc.
In this case, we would like to show you our previous work of CNC machined aluminum prototypes in gray satin painting with pictures shown at the end of the article.
Why did the client choose metal as the material, not plastic?
Prototype materials are determined by the material of the end-use product, part structures, prototyping methods, and budgets. In most cases, the end-use product material is the top priority. Because the purpose of a prototype is to test the design. It is better to use the same material as the end-use product. As the products were designed to be in aluminum material, our client chose to make aluminum prototypes but not plastic ones.
Despite considering the end-use material, compared to plastic prototypes, metal prototypes are more accurate, firmer, and usually last for a longer time. Aluminum is often commonly used metal material because it is light, easy to be manufactured, and cheap. Also, CNC machined aluminum prototypes can precisely reflect the engineering design. After surface treatment, aluminum prototypes can even look better than those by mass production.
Why did we CNC machine the aluminum prototypes?
Several methods can be used to manufacture an aluminum prototype. Among them are CNC machining, 3D printing, sheet metal fabrication, die casting, and extrusion. In this case, CNC machining is the best choice because of the following reasons:
1. The costs of 3D metal printing are estimated based on the weight of metal powder needed. It is relatively expensive. The tolerances are not as high as that of CNC machining. And the surfaces are rough as well.
2. The material thickness for sheet metal fabrication is very limited, usually, it is less than 6 mm. But in this case, the thickness of the aluminum parts is more than 6 mm. Sheet metal fabrication is not possible to make them.
3. Though aluminum prototypes produced by die casting are highly durable, it requires expensive tooling for production. CNC machining is more cost-effective.
4. Aluminum extrusion is usually used to make squared bars or hollow profiles. The part shapes are quite limited. CNC machining embraces greater design flexibility.
Painting finishing
Painting is the most widely-used finishing treatment, by which you can get glossy, matte, satin, or textured surface. There are two kinds of painting: coating spraying and powder spraying. The processes for plastic and metal prototypes are different.
Before the plastic prototypes are painted, the finishing technician first has to polish them. When it is sanded, it has to be polished smooth, make corners clear, and remove the obvious glue marks. The sanding must be done several times. After grinding the parts for the first time, the technician sprays primer paint and then grinds again. After filling ashes and other processes, the painting is finished with the last time of grinding.
For sheet metal prototypes, after it is prefinished, the technician sprays the coating on the surface with a spray gun. Just waiting for the coating to dry out, and the painting work of the sheet metal prototype to be done. The painting process of sheet metal prototypes is simpler than that of plastic ones.
Before painting aluminum prototypes, the technician needs to polish the surfaces. But don’t take polishing for granted. You must pay attention to precision requirements, and keep the smoothness and clear angles accordingly. The paint for aluminum prototypes is generally metal paint.
However, some materials are difficult to be painted, such as PP, Nylon, and POM. The painting is easy to fade. They are suitable to be high wear-resistant prototypes, mainly as gears and other parts for assembly, rather than appearance prototypes.
Pictures of aluminum prototypes with tapping
Pictures of other painted metal prototypes in aluminum for the same project
FAQs of Metal Prototypes
1. Why should I choose metal prototypes?
Prototypes made of metal are better mechanically, more accurate, and more aesthetically pleasing.
2. In metal prototypes, why the aluminum prototype is a good choice?
Aluminum material is the cheapest metal material for metal prototypes. It is relatively easy to machine and has excellent electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and corrosion resistance.
3. What’s the most commonly-used aluminum material?
Aluminum 6061. It is the cheapest aluminum alloy material. When developing aluminum prototypes, AL 6061 is always the first choice.
4. Instead of painting in this case, what are other finishings for aluminum prototypes?
Other finishings include sandblasting, anodizing, electroplating, e-coating, and thermal transfer printing. With these treatments, you can enhance the surface hardness and wear resistance, expand its application range and prolong the usage life. Anodizing is currently the most commonly applied finishing for aluminum prototypes.
