Aluminum Spinning

Aluminum Spinning

Aluminum spinning, also known as spun aluminum, is the process of metal spinning using aluminum. This process has become competitive in terms of popularity with stamping and deep drawing since the birth of CNC machining. Spun aluminum is typically thinner and harder than other aluminum manufacturing processes.

Aluminum metal spinning is a “cold worked” metal fabrication technique using a flat round disc of aluminum which is rotating on a spinning lathe. During aluminum metal spinning, the metal spinner applies pressure to the rotating blank using several tools to shape the aluminum over a form called a chuck or mandrel. This pressure can be applied by a single tool or by multiple levers hydraulically. The finished aluminum product, if produced correctly, should have no wrinkling or warble due to the high speed of rotation around the mandrel. The process is cost-efficient and quick, with the average aluminum piece only requiring about five to 10 minutes to complete. To change the spinning shape, one must only replace the mandrel.

Although aluminum metal spinning can be controlled by hand, a CNC machine typically controls it. As using this type of machine produces a superior final product and allows for multiple accurate tool passes and a unified number of passes made for a particular part, most shops no longer utilize full manual creation of parts. The CNC machine method also ensures quality and consistency from part to part. When the forming of the part is controlled by hand, it can be a physically demanding process, requiring a great deal of practice. Due to the high speed at which the aluminum is spinning and the large amount of human force used in the forming of a piece, extensive training and safety precautions should be implemented.