What are the commonly used types of CNC workpiece blanks?

Commonly used types of CNC turned parts are: castings, forgings, special-shaped parts, welding parts, stamping parts, etc. The same type of blanks may have different manufacturing methods. The selection of blanks depends on the size of the production scale, which largely determines the economics of a certain blank manufacturing method.

1. The shape and size of the workpiece structure. For example, complex-shaped, thin-walled billets generally cannot be cast with metal molds; larger-sized billets often cannot be cast by die forging, die casting, and precision casting. For another example, for some small parts with special shapes, due to the difficulty of processing, more precise blank manufacturing methods, such as die casting and investment casting, are often used to minimize the amount of processing.

2. Requirements for mechanical properties of parts. The same material uses different blank manufacturing methods, and its mechanical properties are often different. For example, metal mold casting blanks are stronger than sand casting blanks, and centrifugal casting and die casting blanks are stronger than metal mold casting blanks. Parts with high strength requirements mostly use forgings, and sometimes ductile iron castings can also be used.

3. Consider the feasibility and economy from the existing equipment and technical level of the factory. The possibility of using new processes, new technologies, and new materials such as precision casting, precision forging, cold rolling, cold extrusion, powder metallurgy, and engineering plastics should also be considered. After using these blank manufacturing methods, the amount of mechanical processing can be greatly reduced, and sometimes no mechanical processing can be performed, and the economic effect is very significant.