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Looking for a shop to machine complex tight tolerance magnesium 5 axis parts

C

Corym

Cast Iron
Joined
Oct 16, 2007
Location
San Francisco Bay Area
Can't share prints without a NDA, but looking to source some complex (thin walls - down to 0.5 mm, long length to diameter ratio features/required tools, lots of 5 axis contouring, internal undercuts, etc) tight tolerance (down to 0.015 mm total tolerance zone on bore diameters, 0.025mm position tolerance between bores, ~0.02 mm runout tolerances, etc) magnesium (AZ31B, AZ80A, primarily) parts for medical devices. Most parts would fit into a 100 mm cube and many are significantly smaller.

If anyone has any recommendations for shops they've sourced work to in the past (or their own shops), that would be great. We have a few vendors right now and looking to expand our supplier base. Have had a hard time identifying new vendors local to us (San Jose, CA area) that check all the boxes (experience with mag [or willingness to machine it], 5 axis, tight tolerance, challenging parts) and hoping to expand our search more broadly, but not shotgun blind requests out all over the place.


Looking for an ongoing relationship into production, so not a one off order.

Any leads y'all have would be much appreciated!
 
Apologies for the mild thread drift, but I've done a modest amount of medical machining, and can't figure out where such "highly worked" Mg parts would make sense. Aerospace, yes (some mag Faraday cups I made are still in use decades after launch), but for medical component housings and the like? Curious...

On the flip-side, it's nice to see an old stalwart like AZ31B still in use. Need some plate stock? I have some that's well aged, like a fine wine...
 
Milland said:
Apologies for the mild thread drift, but I've done a modest amount of medical machining, and can't figure out where such "highly worked" Mg parts would make sense. Aerospace, yes (some mag Faraday cups I made are still in use decades after launch), but for medical component housings and the like? Curious...
Click to expand...

I can't speak directly to these parts but broadly speaking to closer you get to the pointy-pokey-cutty end of a surgical robot the more it looks like an aerospace part. You're looking for maximum stiffness at the tip so the bases and columns of the machines are huge/heavy steel things and everything get lighter and more high performance as you move out the arms. There's a limit to "We'll fix it in software" and the better the structure the easier it is for the controls guys to actually make it work.
 
Hi. We are located in Central Connecticut, and we do fit most of your boxes except 5th axis. We currently have 4th axis capability at most with experience in machining Magnesium, although mid-size parts for Aerospace with tight-tolerances.

Always looking for challenges, so if you have any interest please reach me at [email protected]
 
Corym said:
Can't share prints without a NDA, but looking to source some complex (thin walls - down to 0.5 mm, long length to diameter ratio features/required tools, lots of 5 axis contouring, internal undercuts, etc) tight tolerance (down to 0.015 mm total tolerance zone on bore diameters, 0.025mm position tolerance between bores, ~0.02 mm runout tolerances, etc) magnesium (AZ31B, AZ80A, primarily) parts for medical devices. Most parts would fit into a 100 mm cube and many are significantly smaller.

If anyone has any recommendations for shops they've sourced work to in the past (or their own shops), that would be great. We have a few vendors right now and looking to expand our supplier base. Have had a hard time identifying new vendors local to us (San Jose, CA area) that check all the boxes (experience with mag [or willingness to machine it], 5 axis, tight tolerance, challenging parts) and hoping to expand our search more broadly, but not shotgun blind requests out all over the place.


Looking for an ongoing relationship into production, so not a one off order.

Any leads y'all have would be much appreciated!
Click to expand...

I don't see the envelope size of these parts.
 
Corym said:
Can't share prints without a NDA, but looking to source some complex (thin walls - down to 0.5 mm, long length to diameter ratio features/required tools, lots of 5 axis contouring, internal undercuts, etc) tight tolerance (down to 0.015 mm total tolerance zone on bore diameters, 0.025mm position tolerance between bores, ~0.02 mm runout tolerances, etc) magnesium (AZ31B, AZ80A, primarily) parts for medical devices. Most parts would fit into a 100 mm cube and many are significantly smaller.
Click to expand...

I'd bid on it, but I don't have my trunnion yet. Small parts with small cutters is my specialty.
 
Milland said:
Apologies for the mild thread drift, but I've done a modest amount of medical machining, and can't figure out where such "highly worked" Mg parts would make sense. Aerospace, yes (some mag Faraday cups I made are still in use decades after launch), but for medical component housings and the like? Curious...

On the flip-side, it's nice to see an old stalwart like AZ31B still in use. Need some plate stock? I have some that's well aged, like a fine wine...
Click to expand...

No apology necessary!

We're designing in an area where minimum achievable wall thickness, not strength/stiffness of material is our limiting factor. Weight is very important, so the easiest knob to turn is to switch to a lower density material (enter magnesium).

Appreciate everyone's suggestions so far - lots to look into.
 
Not a hi jack of thread, but for people cutting magnesium

I'm curious for places to get rid of shavings, scrap magnesium & process of storage until a large enough
amount is acquired, transport to recycler, minimum amount accepted.


Scrapyard in Brenham informed us they will or can not accept it anymore.
 
For small amounts, on a still wind day a fire pit is probably safest. Just be sure there's no wind, and have a bucket of sand or real metal fire extinguishant at hand.

For larger amounts, perhaps ask your state EPA where to dispose of it?

Use a "burner" phone...

[I make joke, yes?]
 
If your still looking for a shop, my day job does this type of work. Looks like we check all of your boxes. We are ISO, do aero space, ext. PM me and I can point you to the right person. Magnesium is hard to get now days, but we are still getting some. In fact, I am working on a large 5 axis chunk of it today 2-1/2 x 20-3/4 x 21-1/4.
 
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