Nickel Aluminum Bronze Processing Guidelines
Lubrication
Lubrication is recommended when machining nickel aluminum bronze, especially when close tolerances are required. As with other copper-based alloys, the heat generated by machining the metal causes expansion and contraction when the part cools, which will push the part out of tolerance.
Tooling
Nickel aluminum bronze alloys can produce curled chips.
This can clog the tool and cause surface defects. This is especially true when machining holes. It is best to have a chip-breaking profile and adequate lubrication, sometimes under high pressure, so that the chips are removed from the cutting face.
Another option is to retract the tool regularly to prevent excessive metal buildup. Coated carbide titanium indexable inserts are recommended for roughing and removing the bulk of the stock. Increasing the size of the tip is necessary to remove heavy metal.
Alloy Machinability
C95500 Nickel Aluminum Bronze-50
C63000 AMS 4640 Nickel Aluminum Bronze-30
C95510 AMS 4880 Tetramethylene Aluminum Bronze-50
C63020 AMS 4590 Nickel Aluminum Bronze-Not Listed
