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Difficult-to-machine materials are currently experiencing a growing global demand. It is expected that their importance in manufacturing, both domestically and internationally, will continue to increase in the future. On our website, "Difficult-to-Machine.com" (Itec Co., Ltd.), which specializes in the processing of difficult-to-machine materials such as Hastelloy and Inconel, we provide information on the reasons why these materials are gaining attention and the industries that require them. 【Main Examples of Difficult-to-Machine Material Usage (Partial)】 ■ Aircraft ・Aluminum alloys/Titanium/CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics) ■ Jet Engines ・Inconel/Hastelloy/Stainless alloys ■ Reactors ・Stainless alloys/Inconel/Heat-resistant alloys *For more details, please refer to the related links. For further inquiries, feel free to contact us.

At "Difficult Material Processing.com," which specializes in machining difficult materials such as nickel alloys, we accept inquiries regarding difficult material processing where finding a processing destination is challenging. For those facing concerns like: “Difficult materials require too many man-hours…” “I want to reduce costs, but I can't compromise on quality…” Our professionals in difficult material processing offer a one-stop service. Additionally, we plan to introduce a high-precision surface grinding machine (Model: SGE-520SLD2-Zero3) manufactured by Nagase Integrex in June 2024. This grinding machine will enable the shaping of grinding wheels through CNC control, allowing us to perform grinding operations on shapes that previously could only be machined. It will achieve micron-level inclined processing, making it possible to meet the high-precision grinding requirements of the optical lens industry. 【Features】 ■ Commitment to 0.001 precision, handled with our own grinding and polishing machines ■ Commitment to quality through post-processing heat treatment and surface treatment ■ Commitment to creating quality within the process *For more details, please refer to the PDF document or feel free to contact us.

We would like to introduce a case study of "high-precision machining of brass" conducted at Aitec Co., Ltd. Tolerance holes and positioning key grooves are applied to each face, with requirements for flatness, parallelism, and verticality of the six faces within 0.01mm, and positional tolerance of each tolerance hole and groove within 0.03mm. For the flatness, parallelism, and verticality of the six faces, we were able to finish each face one by one using a surface grinder with a grinding wheel suitable for soft materials, while regularly checking for clogging, ensuring that we stayed within tolerance. [Case Overview] ■ Material: Brass (C3602) ■ Machined Product: High-precision block ■ Machining Details - Rough machining (5-axis machining center) - Grinding (surface grinder) - Finishing (5-axis machining center) *For more details, please refer to the PDF document or feel free to contact us.

Here is an example of "shrink fitting" conducted by Aitec Co., Ltd. The part is a cylindrical shape that is fitted into a mold called a sprue bush and is used in injection molding. Since the inner part has an outer diameter groove, shrink fitting was applied to two parts of different colors. Additionally, after the shrink fitting, polishing of the inner and outer diameters and finishing of the grooves are performed. [Case Overview] ■ Processed Item: Sprue Bush ■ Processing Content: Shrink Fitting *For more details, please refer to the PDF document or feel free to contact us.

We will provide you with basic knowledge about difficult-to-machine materials, including definitions, characteristics, types of materials, and classifications, through "Difficult-to-Machine Processing.com" (Aitec Co., Ltd.). In particular, there are various types of materials that are classified based on their characteristics. If you request processing from us, we can offer appropriate suggestions on how to handle each material. Please feel free to consult with us. *You can view the article details through the related links.

Parts used in the medical and aerospace industries can be said to require the most stringent quality control. Furthermore, as designs become more advanced, high-level technical skills are continuously demanded. On our website, we introduce how difficult-to-machine materials are utilized in the medical and aerospace industries, as well as how our company approaches these challenges. *For more details, please refer to the related links. Feel free to contact us for more information.

"Aluminum (Al)" has many properties besides being lightweight, including high specific strength, good ductility, and good machinability. Particularly, high-Si aluminum alloys exhibit extremely excellent wear resistance and are widely used in automotive engine components due to their lightweight nature. Thus, the excellent wear resistance of these metals results in significant load on tools and tool wear from a machining perspective, making their machinability extremely poor; high-Si aluminum alloys are categorized as difficult-to-machine materials. 【Features】 ■ Lightweight ■ High specific strength, good ductility, and good machinability ■ Good electrical and thermal conductivity ■ Excellent corrosion resistance ■ Excellent resistance at cryogenic temperatures *For more details, please refer to the PDF document or feel free to contact us.

"Inconel" is a heat-resistant alloy primarily composed of nickel, known for its excellent high-temperature strength and oxidation resistance. Its features include the ability to maintain strength even at high temperatures. Additionally, it possesses outstanding corrosion resistance, maintaining performance even in harsh corrosive environments such as sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid. Furthermore, it can be hardened through quenching and work hardening, allowing for adjustments in hardness and strength to suit specific applications. [Reasons for Difficulties in Machining] ■ High-temperature strength is significant ■ Prone to work hardening ■ High affinity with tool materials ■ Poor thermal conductivity *For more details, please refer to the PDF document or feel free to contact us.

"Hastelloy" is excellent in heat resistance, corrosion resistance, oxidation resistance, and high-temperature properties, and is used in fields such as aerospace, space, and nuclear power. The reasons it is difficult to machine include high-temperature strength, susceptibility to work hardening, high affinity with tool materials, and poor thermal conductivity. Choosing the right tools is challenging, and machining requires utmost care, making it a material that is particularly difficult to work with among hard-to-machine materials. 【Features】 ■ Excellent heat resistance, corrosion resistance, oxidation resistance, and high-temperature properties ■ Used in fields such as aerospace, space, and nuclear power *For more details, please refer to the PDF document or feel free to contact us.

At Aitec, we collaborate with numerous partner companies to meet our customers' demands for quality, cost, and delivery time. We provide comprehensive support not only for so-called "machining" such as lathe processing and milling/machining, but also for "pre-processing" like welding, as well as "post-processing" including heat treatment, surface treatment, and polishing. Additionally, by introducing advanced processing equipment such as 5-axis machining centers, multi-tasking machines, and cylindrical grinding machines, we have gained a high reputation for producing high-precision and high-quality products. [Features] - One-stop delivery for multi-process items - Well-equipped with in-house facilities, enabling urgent responses - VA/VE that can only be provided by a device manufacturer with in-depth knowledge of machine parts *For more details, please refer to the PDF document or feel free to contact us.

We would like to introduce a case study of "canned product machining" conducted at Aitec Co., Ltd. The workpiece is a box shape with dimensions of 500mm × 600mm × 300mm × 20mm. The top surface has a flat machining with a depth of 300mm, and the machinist created a holder that allows the tool to reach the area for finishing. Additionally, there is flat machining on the front surface as well, and the perpendicularity and parallelism of each surface have been finished to tolerances in the 100s range using a horizontal machining center made by Yasuda Kogyo. [Case Overview] ■ Size: 500mm × 600mm × 300mm × 20mm ■ Material: SUS304 (Stainless Steel 304) ■ Machining Details: Perpendicularity and parallelism tolerances in the 100s range *For more details, please refer to the PDF document or feel free to contact us.

We would like to introduce a case study on "Polishing processing of 0.3mm thick SUS material thin plates" conducted by Aitec Co., Ltd. A custom-made gap gauge of SUS316 measuring 100×15×0.3mm was produced. Since the material is stainless steel, magnets could not be used during clamping, so we created a specialized fixture to enable in-process inspection. Additionally, to prevent uneven thickness caused by scorching or dripping of the items, we selected grinding wheels and adjusted the cutting amount in ten-thousandths, finishing the thickness within the specified tolerances. [Case Overview] ■ Processed Product: 100×15×0.3mm SUS316 gap gauge ■ Material: Stainless Steel *For more details, please refer to the PDF document or feel free to contact us.

We would like to introduce a case study of "polishing processing of canned products" conducted at Aitec Co., Ltd. In this case, a flatness of 0.01mm was required, and since cutting could not meet this requirement, we addressed it with polishing. Stainless steel cannot use magnets and is difficult to clamp, so we used jigs and fixtures for polishing, paying close attention to the condition of the grinding wheel and the amount of cut to achieve a flatness of less than 0.01mm without causing burns or warping. [Case Overview] ■ Flatness: Less than 0.01mm ■ Material: Stainless Steel *For more details, please refer to the PDF document or feel free to contact us.

We would like to introduce a processing case of "thin plate polishing" conducted at Aitec Co., Ltd. This case involves a Hastelloy (C-22) plate measuring 3×305×355, with a thickness tolerance of ±0.02mm and geometric tolerances for flatness and parallelism within 0.03mm. The processing was done through surface grinding, repeatedly polishing one side. Unlike conventional clamping methods, we used a different clamping technique to finish the reference surface, and then clamped the opposite side to prevent the workpiece from warping during finishing. [Case Overview] ■ Material: Hastelloy ■ Size: 3×305×355 ■ Processing Details: Surface Grinding *For more details, please refer to the PDF document or feel free to contact us.

"Fine ceramics" are processed into shapes through grinding with diamond abrasives, which possess hardness four to five times greater than that of steel. The difficulty in processing arises from their brittle nature, which leads to the occurrence of cracks, causing the abrasive cutting edges to be guided along these cracks. Additionally, when nano-level finishing precision is required, it is necessary to carefully consider each factor, such as the selection of diamond wheels and grinding machines, in order to establish the know-how to achieve ultra-precision finishing surfaces. [Features] - High hardness and wear resistance - Materials that can also be used as cutting tool materials *For more details, please refer to the PDF document or feel free to contact us.

"Invar" is a metal material that has the characteristic of very low thermal expansion. It has significant advantages as a metal, including electrical conductivity, solderability, elasticity, and compatibility with welding. Additionally, there is also "Super Invar," which possesses even more excellent properties, with a thermal expansion coefficient less than 1/100 that of iron. 【Features】 ■ A metal material with the characteristic of very low thermal expansion ■ The expansion coefficient of Invar is approximately 1/10 that of iron and nickel ■ It has advantages as a metal, including electrical conductivity, solderability, elasticity, and compatibility with welding *For more details, please refer to the PDF document or feel free to contact us.

We would like to introduce a case of "fine thread assembly processing" conducted at Aitec Co., Ltd. This case was produced using Invar material (FN-36). The processing involved the use of a core jig and careful adjustments of clamping force to prevent deformation of the product during manufacturing. Since the male thread serves as the reference for alignment, we devised the cutting tools and processing paths to ensure that no burrs would form at the tip, allowing the female thread to fit smoothly. 【Case Overview】 ■Material: Invar material (FN-36) ■Processing Details: M31X0.5 alignment processing *For more details, please refer to the related links or feel free to contact us.

"Stainless steel (SUS)" is an alloy steel that contains chromium (Cr) or a combination of chromium and nickel (Ni) to enhance corrosion resistance. Compared to ordinary steel, it excels in corrosion resistance, oxidation resistance, and heat resistance, making it widely used in various fields such as tableware, kitchen utensils, civil engineering and construction materials, medical devices, and aerospace components. Generally, it has lower thermal conductivity, greater ductility, and a higher work hardening rate compared to ordinary steel. As a result, it is considered difficult to machine due to reasons such as shorter tool life and the hardness of chips, which makes them difficult to break. [Features] - Superior in corrosion resistance, oxidation resistance, and heat resistance compared to ordinary steel - Lower thermal conductivity compared to ordinary steel - Greater ductility and higher work hardening rate - Shorter tool life and chips that are hard and difficult to break *For more details, please refer to the PDF document or feel free to contact us.

We would like to introduce a case study of "deep hole machining of titanium (Ti)" conducted at Aitec Co., Ltd. Difficult-to-machine materials such as high-hardness materials, sintered materials, titanium, and Inconel often have limited data on tool types and cutting conditions, making them less appealing to machinists. At our company, we first determine the types of tools to be used and the cutting conditions before proceeding with the machining. One of the challenges we faced in this machining process was that the deep hole machining of a φ1.5mm diameter and 50mm depth was a blind hole. 【Case Overview】 ■ Work Size ・Φ18mm × 65mm ・Deep hole machining of φ1.5mm at 50mm depth ■ Material: Titanium alloy *For more details, please refer to the PDF document or feel free to contact us.

The three main characteristics of "Titanium (Ti)" as a metal material are said to be "light," "strong," and "corrosion-resistant." However, when machining, its excellent material properties can lead to problems such as shortened tool life and an increased tendency for chips to ignite, positioning it as a difficult-to-cut material. Additionally, it has poor thermal conductivity, and there is a tendency for alloying with the main components of cutting tools at cutting temperature ranges, as well as a stronger tendency to undergo chemical reactions. Therefore, it is necessary to use cutting machines with high rigidity and appropriate tools while simultaneously taking measures to reduce cutting speed and lower cutting temperatures. [Processing Examples] - Shafts - Plates - Sensor shoes - Pins - Attachments *For more details, please refer to the PDF document or feel free to contact us.

We would like to introduce a case study of "flat grinding and hole processing of non-magnetic metals" conducted by Aitec Co., Ltd. A flat grinding process was performed on an aluminum plate measuring 200mm × 400mm × 6mm, requiring a parallelism and flatness of 0.03mm, and 2000 through holes of Ф0.5mm were processed. For the hole processing of 0.5mm, we adjusted the feed while machining with a machining center at a maximum speed of 20,000 rpm, successfully completing the work without breaking the drill. 【Case Overview】 ■ Size: 200mm × 400mm × 6mm ■ Material: Aluminum ■ Processing Details ・Flat grinding requiring a parallelism and flatness of 0.03mm ・Processing of 2000 through holes of Ф0.5mm *For more details, please refer to the PDF document or feel free to contact us.

We would like to introduce a case of "Screw Alignment Processing (A7075)" conducted at Aitec Co., Ltd. A7075 is one of the materials with top-class strength among aluminum alloys. In addition to the material itself, processing the screw section is very challenging, as there are no dimensional specifications for the screw section, and the requirement was to accommodate a supplied male part without any drawings. First, we measured the male screw using a three-dimensional measuring instrument and an image measuring instrument, and then we manufactured a dedicated cutting tool. Using the manufactured tool, we determined the processing values while aligning the male screw and completed the finishing. 【Case Overview】 ■Material: Aluminum Alloy A7075 ■Requirements: Accommodate a supplied male part without any drawings ■Processing Details: Screw Alignment Processing *For more details, please refer to the PDF document or feel free to contact us.

We would like to introduce a processing example of "parts for printing machines (A5052)" conducted by Aitec Co., Ltd. The key point of the shape is that it has been processed with unevenness in the direction of advancement to improve the sliding of printed materials. Since printed materials need to flow smoothly, precision is required for surface roughness and the angles of curved surfaces. Additionally, high precision is also required for perpendicularity and parallelism, as multiple parts need to be combined. 【Case Overview】 ■Material: Aluminum ■Processing Content: Uneven processing *For more details, please refer to the PDF document or feel free to contact us.

We would like to introduce a case study of the production of "Inconel housing" conducted by Aitec Co., Ltd. This product involved a significant amount of material removal, so the key point was how to perform rough machining. We took our time with the rough machining to prevent thermal deformation of the base material. For the wall thickness of approximately 3mm with a tolerance of 0.02mm, we created a fixture during the finishing process to ensure that no deformation from clamping or chatter due to the thin wall occurred, allowing us to finish within the specified tolerance. [Case Overview] ■ Material: Inconel 718 ■ Machining Process: Turning and Cutting *For more details, please refer to the PDF document or feel free to contact us.

We would like to introduce a processing case of "Block <Brass>" conducted by Aitec Co., Ltd. This block features a dimensional tolerance of ±0.02 and flatness of 0.02, made of brass (C3602), with dimensions of 80×80×100, and processed using a 5-axis machining center and surface grinding. Please feel free to consult us when you need assistance. 【Case Overview】 ■ Material: Brass (C3602) ■ Size: 80×80×100 ■ Processing Method: 5-axis machining center / Surface grinding ■ Features: Dimensional tolerance ±0.02 / Flatness 0.02 *For more details, please refer to the PDF document or feel free to contact us.

We would like to introduce high-precision grinding using the high-precision surface grinding machine manufactured by Nagase Integrex, which we have realized. It is capable of high-precision grinding with flatness and parallelism of less than 1µm, and mirror finishing with a surface roughness of less than 1µm. Utilizing the CNC control of the Zero series, it allows for free shaping of the grinding wheel, making it possible to finish grooves and spherical surfaces that could only be processed by cutting until now. We have numerous polishing achievements in the semiconductor and optical industries, and we can also accommodate curved surface polishing. 【Features】 ■ High-precision grinding with flatness and parallelism of less than 1µm ■ Mirror finishing with a surface roughness of less than 1µm ■ Free shaping of the grinding wheel ■ Ability to finish grooves and curved surfaces that could only be processed by cutting ■ Maximum processing size: 650X230X200 (height) *For more details, please download the PDF or feel free to contact us.