Precision CNC Machining Magnesium and Titanium for Automation Equipment Brackets

About the Project

In the field of industrial automation, equipment brackets were not only critical structural components but also directly impacted the stability and reliability of the system. As automation equipment evolved toward higher performance and lightweight design, customers placed increasingly stringent demands on bracket components. These parts had to meet design requirements for strength and rigidity while also balancing material properties and machining precision.

This project is about automation equipment brackets made from Magnesium Alloy AZ31 and Titanium Grade 5—two materials valued for their combination of strength and lightness. The bracket parts were manufactured with tight dimensional control and retained as-machined surface finishes to meet the required standards for appearance, fit, and performance.

Bracket Part Structure Analysis

The bracket was used in the core positioning module of high-precision automation equipment, where it had to withstand high-speed motion and continuous vibration. Made from magnesium and titanium alloys, it balanced a lightweight design with structural strength. The part featured thin walls and large openings, which increased the risk of deformation. It had to meet strict tolerances – 0.01 mm for parallelism, perpendicularity, flatness, and hole positioning – making precision control a key challenge throughout the machining process.

Material-Specific Machining Strategies for Bracket Components

To ensure both dimensional accuracy and surface integrity, distinct strategies were adopted based on the specific characteristics of Magnesium Alloy AZ31 and Titanium Grade 5.

Magnesium Alloy AZ31: Deformation Control for Lightweight Sections

The AZ31 sections of the bracket were designed for weight reduction, making them thinner and more vulnerable to heat and vibration during machining. Due to magnesium’s low ignition point (around 450°C), frictional heat posed a fire hazard. To mitigate this, we selected sharp tools to reduce cutting resistance, applied constant coolant flow for temperature control, and ensured uninterrupted chip evacuation. Dry sand fire extinguishers were kept on-site as a safety precaution.

In addition, magnesium’s softness led to tool adhesion and rough surfaces, which were prone to oxidation and yellowing. To address this, we adopted a high-speed, shallow-cut strategy to minimize heat and improve surface finish.

To counteract thermal stress and prevent thin-wall deformation, a two-pass roughing strategy was used: the first pass left a machining allowance to release stress, followed by a finishing pass to achieve final tolerances.

Titanium Grade 5: Precision and Rigidity for Load-Bearing Sections

The Titanium Grade 5 sections served as load-bearing points on the bracket, requiring both strength and dimensional stability. However, titanium’s low thermal conductivity led to localized heat buildup, increasing the risk of distortion. We implemented high-pressure, directional coolant to disperse heat efficiently and applied a light-cutting, layered approach to maintain dimensional accuracy.

With deep holes and tight cavities in the bracket parts, long and continuous chips from titanium cutting often wrapped around tools or blocked evacuation paths. To prevent tool damage, we added scheduled chip-clearing pauses and trained operators to monitor cutting sounds and intervene if needed.

Due to titanium’s high cutting forces, thin-walled areas of the bracket were susceptible to chatter and surface waviness. To reduce this, we used high-rigidity tooling and applied a staged machining process—roughing, semi-finishing, and finishing—allowing gradual refinement of tolerances. Tool wear was continuously monitored to avoid dimensional error and surface defects.

Feature-Based Custom Machining Solutions

In addition to material-specific challenges, the bracket’s structural features required custom machining solutions to ensure stability and accuracy throughout the process.

Deformation Risk from Thin Walls and Large Openings

The bracket’s lightweight design included large openings and thin-walled sections, which increased the risk of deformation during machining. Therefore, non-critical areas were rough-machined first, while finishing operations on critical features were postponed until later stages. We also left temporary connecting structures at openings to prevent inward deformation, only removing these connections with fine tools after completing other operations.

Ensuring Geometric Accuracy Across All Surfaces

For features requiring high perpendicularity, we used right-angle milling, first ensuring the flatness of Datum Surface A before machining related surfaces. Since all six sides of the part required machining, we used 3+2 five-axis indexing for five sides, then custom fixtures for the sixth side to avoid repositioning errors.

Precision Control of Hole Position and Edge Distances

Hole position accuracy posed another major challenge, particularly the tight tolerances for hole-to-edge distances. We chose to machine reference holes first, using the machine’s in-process measurement function to adjust hole-edge distances in real time before finishing related edges to ensure dimensional accuracy. The entire machining process employed 3-axis machines for efficient roughing, followed by 3+2 five-axis finishing for complex features, balancing efficiency with precision.

Final Quality Assurance

Before delivery, we conducted comprehensive inspections using Zeiss CMM equipment, strictly verifying all critical dimensional tolerances and geometric features—such as flatness, perpendicularity, and hole positioning—to ensure the brackets met the assembly requirements of the automation equipment.

Feedback and Future Plan

The customer was pleased with the project results and plans to move forward with additional batches. Based on this collaboration, they will further optimize the bracket part design for weight reduction and ease of assembly. WayKen’s experience with multi-material machining and precision control across complex geometries contributed to the project’s smooth execution. Our ability to respond quickly, manage tight tolerances, and support both prototyping and production can ensure cost-effective and high-quality results.