What is Cast Tool & Jig Plate?

Posted on December 26, 2018 by Agency Jet

Aluminum jig plate, cast tool and jig plate, CT&J, cast plate, and cast tooling plate are all names by which end customers refer the various proprietary product lines of aluminum cast plate products. Since each producing mill has their own unique product line, it can be difficult to choose the best product for the application. How do you know which product is the right fit for you? Trust the aluminum experts at Howard Precision Metals. With over 90 years in the metals industry and a 100% aluminum distributor, we have the knowledge and experience necessary to help you make an informed decision.

Need Cast Aluminum Plate? Contact Us Today at 800.444.0311 or click on the picture to request a quote! — With so many options for aluminum cast tool and jig plate, how do you know you are choosing the right one? Howard Precision Metals is here to help. Read our blog for answers to the most common CT&J questions.

How Many Cast Tool & Jig Plates Are There?

Every aluminum plate mill has their own cast plate product and each one of them claims to have the best jig plate available. First, Arconic, formerly known as Alcoa, produces MIC 6® cast tool and jig plate. Then, PCP (Precision Cast Plate) in Canada produces Alca 5® precision cast plate. Located in California, Alpase produces K-100S® cast aluminum tooling plate. Next, Bikar, located in Germany, produces Formodal® which they call “precision milled cast plates.” Finally, Vista Metals produces ATP-5 precision tooling plate. Other than the name and producing mill, there are more similarities in these products than there are differences. Each of these cast tool and jig plate aluminum products are manufactured in similar ways to reduce internal stresses of the aluminium plates. Each of these CT&J products have significant internal stability, which helps minimize movement during the machining process. These cast plate products are all machined with a flat surface finish, on both the top and bottom, of 32 micro-inches or better. Every mill coats the top and bottom with PVC to ensure the finish is protected in transit to the distributor. With so many cast aluminum products available on the market, it makes it very difficult to find the right fit.

Premium Cast Aluminum Jig Plate Options

With so many seemingly similar cast plate options available, it can be difficult for distributors to decide what to stock. Not at Howard Precision Metals. It was a simple task. We decided to offer the best two products: Mic-6® and Alca 5™. With proper aluminum sawing and machining methods applied, highly precise tolerances in the thousandths can be achieved. Both products, which are sometimes referred to as CT&J Plate, are ground to thickness tolerances of ±.005” and coated with PVC on both sides to protect the surface finish. Each is an optimal choice when flatness and tight dimensional control is required. Weighing about one third as much as steel plate, CT and J plate also minimizes the need for heavy equipment for setup and installation. Not to mention, the load imposed on screws and ways is minimized. You might think that this is just another opinion. But, rest assured, we tried them all. No other cast tool and jig plates performed as consistently as the two that call our shelves home. Let our experiences be used to your advantage.

Arconic’s Mic 6® Cast Aluminum Plate

For over 30 years, Howard Precision Metals has maintained a very close relationship with the makers of MIC 6®. As the first cast tool and jig plate product available, Mic-6® took the market by surprise. With “the most advanced process used in the cast plate industry”, this CT&J is still the standard by which all other mills rank their cast aluminum products. After more than 50 years of production, Arconic still produces the flattest and most stable product available. On every single plate of MIC 6 CT&J sold, Arconic aims to exceed the flatness tolerances published for their product line. In fact, they inspect each plate individually to ensure consistent products are being delivered to their customers. Because this product is produced from aerospace scrap, there is no actual chemistry. Therefore, there are no actual chemical certs available. Despite having no chemical certifications, this product is incredibly stable and virtually all machining distortion is eliminated. The one drawback of Mic 6® is that the product does not offer a consistent anodize response. The anodize response is the reason Howard Precision Metals offers another cast plate option.

The Cast Tool & Jig Plate with Chemistry: Alca-5™

In 2006, PCP began production of Alca5™ cast aluminium plates. The ingots used to produce these CT&J plates are certified, prime, 5083 alloy with chemistry. This careful control of the product results in a cast plate that offers an incredible anodize response. Alca5™ is also a great alternative to MIC 6 plate when considering weight. With a density of about 5% less than MIC 6, Alca 5™ offers a slight advantage in purchased weight. Over the years, PCP has continually invested in advancements in the production of their product. Currently, the maximum plate width of ALCA5™ that can be produced is 98” and to a maximum length of 289”. Compared to the maximum 60.5” width of Mic-6®, PCP has another clear advantage in their ability to offer extremely large cast tool and jig plate options. PCP’s Alca5 consistent performance and continual product improvement are why we at Howard Precision Metals are so proud to offer this to our customers.

Custom Sizes Available

In addition to producing phenomenal cast plate options, both of our mills assist us in supporting the needs of our customers in other ways. The most common way to achieve this is to offer custom plate sizes. Because each of the aluminum products is produced by different methods and by different mills, the rules are not the same for either product. First, Arconic will produce custom Mic 6® sizes to any custom thickness between .25” and 4.0”, any custom width between 36.5” and 60.5”, and any custom length between 75” and 150”. The only additional requirements are a 2,000-pound minimum purchase and a production lead time of approximately 3-4 weeks. Next, PCP also offers custom plate sizes of Alca5™ plates. PCP has no minimum purchase requirement; as few as one piece may be ordered. Lead time is variable and generally within 2 weeks. Finally, the sizes of customs are much more inclusive. The thickness range for ALCA 5 is .236” to 4.0”. Custom widths can be produced no greater than 96”. While custom lengths can be produced up to 289”. There are no minimum width or length requirements with Alca5™. Ordering custom sized cast tool and jig plates is one of many ways the team at Howard Precision Metals takes care of our customers.

Contact Us Today

Howard Precision Metals stock both PCP’s Alca 5® and Arconic’s MIC 6® cast tool and jig plates. At Howard Precision Metals, we offer only the best aluminum plate and extrusion products. With over 90 years in the industry and more saws under one roof than any other distributor in the Midwest, HPM has the aluminum products, sawing services, and knowledge necessary to service customers. Our customers service a wide range of industries, including: paper and packaging machinery parts, aerospace & aircraft components, pneumatic manifolds, hydraulic cylinders and tool & die manufacturing. To speak with one of our aluminum experts, call us today at 800.444.0111 or request a free quote through our website.

What is Manifold Quality Aluminum Bar?

Posted on December 21, 2018November 10, 2020 by Agency Jet

If you have lived your life in manufacturing, you know that really in comparison to other industries, not much changes. So when there is a product that offers improvements to a process, it is pretty exciting. For years most hydraulic manifold manufacturers struggled when designing a part because the tolerances offered in Aluminum extruded bar were so liberal. How can someone expect me to work with +/-.024” on a 3” square? I want to design around a 3” nominal dimension, but if it can run .024” under that I have to start 3.250” and machine it down. These are just some of the dilemmas of the past in designing manifolds for the hydraulics industry. What if someone were to improve the tolerances and put them all on the plus side? Fortunately the large hydraulics companies put pressure on the large Aluminum extrusion producers and they stepped up with a product called Manifold Quality Bar. Manifold quality aluminum bar is an extruded product with improved dimensional tolerances and characteristics that make it a preferred choice for a multitude of applications including hydraulic cylinder producers. First and most notably, all the “manifold quality bar stock” supplied bar Howard Precision Metals is extruded to half commercial AA tolerances, all on the plus side. This means that no material is produced undersized and the tolerances on manifold bar are half that of standard aluminum extruded bar stock. Available in rectangles and squares, manifold quality bar stock is also produced with improved twist, flatness, and straightness tolerances, which lend to better machinability. It is because of these improvements that manifold quality bar is able to withstand very complex machining, including removal of large voids. At Howard Precision Metals, we stock an expansive inventory of aluminum extrusions, in both manifold and standard commercial quality. We are sure to have the size you need for your next aluminum extrusion requirement.

Not all bar is produced to Manifold Quality Standards

Don’t assume that if you are buying Aluminum Bar it will meet Manifold tolerances and machinability. It takes a special extrusion process and oversight at the mill to meet the standards of Manifold Quality. The term Manifold Quality is a generic reference to the improvement on Aluminum Association Tolerances, but that does not mean you are getting the controlled chemistry that provides the improved machinability and consistency. Some of the major players have trade marked their product with it’s own name. For instance. Hydro Aluminum formerly Sapa, calls their product Acc-u-bar +, and Service Center Metals calls their product Thunderbar, while Kaiser Aluminum calls their product Kaiser Select Manifold Bar. For all intents and purposes each of these major extrusion players have refined their processes to produce the tolerances and machinability promised. It is important to note that each of these extrusions producers has the ability to cast their own billet in house, so they are able to guarantee the refined chemistry giving the improvements to the machinability. Do not be fooled by product produced at smaller or foreign extruders. Only the 3 listed above have defined the recipe and produce it in house to assure the consistency.

Manifold Bar Alloy and Temper

As a stand-alone element, aluminum is not very strong but alloying it together with other elements makes it nearly as strong as steel. Manifold bar is produced in an alloy and temper designation of 6061-T6511. With the addition of silicone, magnesium and other elements to aluminum, the result is the 6061 alloy. Properties such as a high strength-to-weight ratio, nice surface finish, and machinability make alloy 6061 an economical choice for a variety of applications and products, including extruded aluminum bar. The temper, -T6511, adds heat treatment and artificial aging for additional strength and stretching for stress relief. With the tolerances and the characteristics of 6061-T6511, it is the optimal choice for manifold bar production, but Manifold Quality Bar is not your standard 6061 T6511 chemistry. A refinement of the recipe has been created to not only improve the machinability but also to offer a guaranteed increased strength. Where typically 6061 T6511 has a tensile of 38,000ksi tensile and 35,000ksi yield, manifold quality offers 42,000ksi Tensile and 38,000ksi Yield.

What is Unique About Manifold Quality Bar?

In addition to being produced to half-commercial, plus side only tolerances, manifold bar is known for its ability to undergo complex machining processes successfully with high metal removal rates. When compared against other bar products, it offers enhanced and repeatable performance – piece-to-piece and lot-to-lot. Additional improvements of manifold bar include dimensional control, flatness, and straightness.

Properties of Manifold Bar

Manifold bar offers significant hardness and enhanced mechanical strength. Smaller chip sizes and reduced burr formation contribute to its high machining performance. Machining throughput is improved due to the compact chips that are a result of boring and drilling. This enables consistency during the mechanical process.

Available Sizes

Manifold bar is available in rectangles and squares, with manifold quality rectangles produced in sizes from 1.00″ x 1.25″ and available up through 6.00″ x 8.00″, and manifold quality squares produced in sizes from .875″ and available as large as 7″. Our premier mill sources also have the ability to produce custom rectangle and square sizes to manifold quality specifications. For more information on manifold bar or aluminum products call Howard Precision Metals today at 800.444.0311 or request a quote on our website.

Things to Consider When Choosing an Aluminum Grade

Posted on December 17, 2018 by Agency Jet

Aluminum is available in an extensive range of alloys, tempers, and products. Because of aluminum’s versatility, the aluminum alloy and product required will vary from project to project. At Howard Precision Metals, we offer an extensive selection of aluminum extrusions, shapes, sheets, plates, alloys, tempers, and sizes commonly used in industrial and commercial applications. As a 100% Aluminum Supply Company and over 90 years in the metals industry, you can rest assured that Howard Precision Metals will provide you with only the very best aluminum products and services.

A convenient breakdown of aluminum alloys and performance characteristics is given below:

Formability or Workability
Excellent – Alloys 1100, 3003
Good – Alloys 2011, 2024, 5052, 6061, 6063
Poor – Alloy 7075

Weldability
Excellent – Alloys 1100, 3003
Good – Alloys 5052, 6061, 6063
Poor – Alloys 2011, 2024, 7075

Machining
Excellent – Alloys 2011
Good – Alloys 1100 (Best if Hard Temp), 3003, 6061 (T4 and T6 Tempers Only)
Fair – Alloys 2024 (Best in Annealed Condition), 5052 (Best if Hard Temper), 6063, 7075 (Best in Annealed Condition)

Corrosion Resistance
Excellent – Alloys 1100, 5052, 6061
Good – Alloys 3003, 6063
Average – Alloy 7075
Poor – Alloys 2011, 2024

Heat Treating
Is Heat Treatable – Alloys 2011, 2024, 6061, 6063, 7075
Is Not Heat Treatable – Alloys 1100, 3003, 5052

Strength
High Strength – Alloy 2024, 7075
High Mechanical Strength – Alloy 2011
Medium to High Strength – Alloy 5052, 6061
Medium Strength – Alloy 3003, 6063
Not Used for High Strength or High Pressure – Alloy 1100

Typical Industry Applications of Aluminum Grades

Alloy 1100 – General Fabrication and Metal Spinning
Alloy 2011 – General Machining
Alloy 2024 – Aerospace
Alloy 3003 – Chemical & Food Equipment / General Fabrication
Alloy 5052 – Marine / General Fabrication
Alloy 6061 – Structural / General Fabrication
Alloy 6063 – Architectural
Alloy 7075 – Aerospace

With the right alloys, you can optimize the design and performance of your end product to achieve the necessary strength, efficiency, weight, and cost-effectiveness. Why trust any metals distributor? Let Howard Precision Metals be your aluminum supply company. We know aluminum better than anyone else because aluminum is all that we do.

For your next aluminum requirement, contact trust the experts at Howard Precision Metals. Call 800.444.0311 or request a free quote via our website.

Qualities That Make Aluminum Ideal for Manufacturing

Posted on December 12, 2018 by Agency Jet

Aluminum is a vital material used in various types of construction, manufacturing, architectural design applications. Because of aluminum’s unique qualities, it is the optimum choice for everything from the most basic shapes to the most complex structural and design components. At Howard Precision Metals, we are an experienced and trusted distributor of aluminum extrusions and shapes for various industries. Our industry experience spans more than nine decades. As a 100% aluminum distributor, supplying our customers with the perfect aluminum product for their application is our forte.

What makes aluminum so versatile? Aluminum offers a wide range of properties that can be engineered precisely to the demands of specific applications through the choice of alloy, temper, and fabrication processes. Characteristics such as strength, corrosion resistance, thermal and electrical conductivity, and recyclability are key reasons that aluminum is used in such a wide array of applications.

Strength

The strength-to-weight ratio of aluminum is one of its most desirable characteristics. In the aerospace and automotive industries where maintaining strength and keeping weight to a minimum are vital, aluminum alloys are often the material of choice for parts such as wing skins, engines, fuel cells, space vehicles, and satellite components. Aluminum also retains its strength at low temperatures, therefore cryogenic applications often utilize aluminum. Because pure aluminum is very low strength, the addition of alloying elements such as copper, magnesium, and silicone, is necessary to improve the strength-to-weight ratio of the metal. Aluminum and aluminum alloys are available in a wide range of strength values, from low strength, pure aluminum to very high-strength alloys with ultimate tensile strengths approaching 100 ksi. At one third the weight of steel, aluminum alloys can meet, or in some instances exceed, the strength of steel. Today, aluminum is surpassed only by steel in structural applications.

Corrosion Resistance

When aluminum surfaces are exposed to the atmosphere, a thin visible oxide skin forms immediately, which protects the element from further oxidation (corrosion). Aluminum is highly resistant to weathering and corrosions resistant to many acids, which allows for aluminum elements to have a fairly long service life. In industrial applications where other elements may corrode, aluminum is often the solution. Because of this corrosion resistance, aluminum can be used in adverse environments, such as in marine applications, pipelines, power lines, chemical tanks, and beverage containers.

Thermal and Electrical Conductivity

Both thermal and electrical conductivity are desirable attributes of aluminum. First, thermal conductivity is important when the transfer of energy (either heating or cooling) from one object to another is involved. With aluminum having approximately 60% of the thermal conductivity as copper, it has proven to be a cost effective option in applications such as heat exchangers and cooking utensils. Secondly, aluminum’s electrical conductivity is quite unique. The only metal other than aluminum with a high enough electrical conductivity to be used as an electric conductor is, again, copper. Because aluminum is significantly less dense than copper, a pound of aluminum will go twice as far as a pound of copper in electrical applications. These characteristics make aluminum a suitable and cost effective option for a myriad of applications.

Recyclability

With nearly two-thirds of all the aluminum produced in the U.S. is still in use today, aluminum is one of the most recycled materials on earth. Unlike other recyclable materials, aluminum can be recycled back into itself over and over again in a true closed loop. In addition, aluminum more than pays for its own recycling because recycling aluminum, instead of producing new metal, saves 90% on energy costs. For these reasons, aluminum has become one of the most recycled metals in the United States

For your next aluminum requirement, call us today at 800.444.0311 or complete the quote request form on our website.

Month: December 2018