There’s no arguing the versatility of aluminum. Its light weight, strength, and corrosion resistance make it ideal for machining components for industries such as aviation, marine, and automotive. Its machinability makes it ideal for prototyping components quickly and inexpensively compared to other metals like titanium and steel. Both the versatility and machinability contribute to the reason many machine shops here in the San Francisco Bay Area and all over the world rely on aluminum during production. 

If you’re trying to determine where to buy aluminum for machining, consider the following:

• Does the supplier have a wide range of quality aluminum stock at affordable prices?
• If they sell aluminum remnants, are they verified?    
• Does the supplier offer other services to meet your specific needs?
• Does the supplier offer local pickup and national delivery?  

In this article, we’ll discuss the importance of each of these factors when deciding where to purchase aluminum for machining. 

The Convenience of Aluminum Alloy Variety

Even if your current aluminum requirements are limited to only one or two alloys, you can benefit from a supplier that carries a wide range, including the most frequently used alloys such as MIC 6, 2024, 5083, 6061, 7050, and 7075. In the event you need to obtain another type of alloy to create a prototype or start a new production run, partnering with a supplier of a wide variety of alloys saves you from having to hunt for another supplier.

The Advantages of Verified Aluminum Remnants

New aluminum directly from the mill isn’t a requirement for machining. Many shops that don’t require certified metals find that aluminum remnants are adequate, and in fact, come with huge cost savings. 

Aluminum remnants verified with a Thermo Fisher Scientific XRF analyzer, for example, ensure that the aluminum meets the alloy specifications defined by the ASTM B209M standard. An aluminum supplier who offers an extensive inventory of aluminum remnants can be a key partner in your production process by providing top-quality aluminum at much lower costs than new metal.

If you need a single piece of aluminum for a prototype or a one-of-a-kind custom component, remnants can be your most convenient and cost-effective option. In addition to the often lower price compared to new aluminum stock, there’s typically less machining and waste when you’re buying verified aluminum remnants because the metal will be starting closer to your needed size vs. buying a full plate.  

The Benefits of Precision Sawing Services 

When determining where to buy aluminum for machining, consider the value of a metal supplier who also offers precision sawing services. Machine shops of any size can benefit from these services as they’ll receive cut-to-size aluminum for machining, thereby eliminating the need for in-house sawing resources. Cut-to-size aluminum stock is often easier to handle and store and produces less waste. 

Whether you need sawing services regularly in support of long-term production schedules or a one-time cut-to-size aluminum blank for a sample machining, a metal supplier who offers precision sawing can be an invaluable partner. 

Where To Buy Aluminum for Machining

Industrial Metal Service specializes in supplying manufacturers, fabricators, and machine shops in the San Francisco Bay Area and all over the country with a wide variety of certified and verified aluminum alloys. We typically have more than 500,000 lbs. of aluminum inventory on hand, provide cut-to-size sawing services, and offer same-day pickup or next-day delivery on most orders. 

We’re open Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM and Saturdays from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM. When you’re trying to determine where to buy aluminum for machining, the answer is Industrial Metal Service. Give us a call to discuss your aluminum supply needs.