Precision CNC machining of 6061-T6, 7075-T6, MIC-6, 2024, 6063, and 5052 aluminum — the materials behind aerospace brackets, semiconductor chamber components, defense electronics housings, and optomechanical hardware. Fixturing, toolpaths, and inspection workflows tuned around aluminum, not bolted on as an afterthought.
Each alloy machines, finishes, and behaves differently. We've built tooling and fixturing libraries around the six aluminums below — what a procurement engineer needs to know about each, and where it ends up in our shop.
The default for most aerospace bracketry, defense electronics housings, fixtures, and general structural work. Excellent machinability, good corrosion resistance, anodizes cleanly to Type II clear or black. About half of our daily output.
High-strength aerospace and defense work — aluminum's strongest commercial alloy. Used where 6061 isn't stiff or strong enough: structural brackets in launch vehicles, defense housings under shock load, high-load fixturing. Less corrosion-resistant — gets anodized or alodine-treated.
Pre-stress-relieved cast aluminum tool plate — dimensionally stable across temperature. The right answer for optomechanical baseplates, semiconductor wafer fixturing, and inspection tooling where flatness needs to hold across a thermal cycle. Doesn't move after rough cuts.
Aerospace structural alloy — high strength, good fatigue resistance. Used for skin structures, structural fittings, and legacy aerospace programs that spec 2024 by drawing callout. Machines well, requires more careful chip control than 6061.
Extrusion-grade with excellent surface finish — used where the part needs to look as good as it functions. Architectural-class anodize, optomechanical housings, customer-facing enclosures. Lower strength than 6061 but takes a beautiful finish.
Marine-grade and weldable. Used when downstream welding or bending is part of the assembly process. Good corrosion resistance, ductile, machines slower than 6061. We mostly see this for sheet-form components and welded subassemblies.
Tolerance, surface finish, envelope, and inspection a procurement engineer can use to confirm fit on aluminum work in thirty seconds.
6061-T6 (general structural and aerospace), 7075-T6 (high-strength aerospace and defense), MIC-6 (cast aluminum tool plate for fixtures and optical baseplates), 2024 (aerospace skin and structural), 6063 (extrusion-grade, finish-critical), and 5052 (marine and weldable). 6061 and 7075 account for the bulk of daily output. Other tempers and grades on request.
Tight features called out on the print and CMM-verified: ±0.0005" (±13 µm). Production typical: ±0.001" (±25 µm). Default unless called out: ±0.003" (±75 µm). The glass-scale Datron M10 Pro handles the tightest aluminum work; the Hermle C250 5-axis handles complex geometry.
Our customer programs concentrate in aerospace, semiconductor equipment, defense electronics housings, and optomechanical hardware — all sectors where aluminum's strength-to-weight, thermal stability, and machinability are the right material answer. We've optimized fixturing, toolpaths, and inspection workflows around aluminum specifically.
Yes — through a coordinated network of qualified finishers in New England. Type II clear / black / color anodize, Type III hardcoat, chem film (Alodine 1200), passivation, and bead blast. One PO, one delivery, one COC. We've worked with the same finishing partners long enough that lead times and quality are predictable.
32 µin Ra is standard as-machined on 6061-T6 with a proper finish pass. 16 µin Ra is achievable on critical features with the Datron M10 Pro and the right toolpath. For optical-grade finish (below 8 µin Ra) we coordinate diamond-turning or post-machining lap/polish through partners.
Yes. 7075-T6 is one of our two highest-volume alloys, mainly for aerospace structural brackets, defense electronics enclosures under shock load, and high-load fixturing. We hold tight tolerances on 7075 through CMM verification on the Mitutoyo Mistar 555.
STEP, IGES, SolidWorks, or PDF. Material callout, alloy, temper, and finish in the package if you have them. Most aluminum quotes return within one business day — with price, lead time, and any DFM notes worth flagging.
