The increasing popularity of CNC metal machining has witnessed the emergence and development of the metal CNC machine. Compared with traditional methods, a metal CNC machine provides fast production with minimal manpower input. The benefits of CNC metal machining include high efficiency, excellent precision, and labor-saving. Most importantly, there is less room for human error.
This article takes you to understand the high-profile metal CNC machines in the upcoming 2022. Among them, there are hobby CNC machines for hobbyists and beginners and also laser machines for mass CNC metal cutting. You can choose the one that you are interested in.
What does a metal CNC machine do?
As you can see from the name, a metal CNC machine is used to process metals. To specify this, you need to understand the following two questions.
What are the types of CNC metal machining?
There are many types of metal CNC machines. They have different prices, finish quality, functions, and characteristics. So customers shall understand their own needs before choosing a CNC metal machine. Popular CNC metal machining methods include:
- CNC metal cutting, engraving, marking
- Metal milling
- CNC metal turning
- Metal cleaning
- Metal welding
- 5 axis CNC metal machining
Although some processing methods look similar, there are also important differences, such as milling and turning, engraving, and marking. The above work can be done by one or more metal CNC machines. For example, a CNC milling machine can complete the milling work. While the CNC metal cutting can be done by the CNC router, fiber laser machine, plasma cutting machine, water-jet cutting machine, and other CNC machines. A 5-axis machining center can complete more complex cavities, curves, or 3D metalwork.
What metals can be CNC machined?
The metal CNC machine can indeed process multiple types of metal materials. It is widely used because of its excellent precision and accuracy. CNC metal machining will result in different effects and polish due to various materials and their strength and hardness.
Generally speaking, the metal CNC machine for sale can process the most common metal materials. For instance, titanium, aluminum, stainless steel, carbon steel, copper, brass, and other alloys.
Best metal CNC machine in 2022
Computer numerical control (CNC) technology has gradually led the metalworking industry in recent years. Because it offers advanced precision and repeatability that manual work cannot achieve.
Blue Elephant has many types of metal CNC machines to achieve a wide range of CNC metal machining work. Below I’ll introduce several metal CNC machines for different metalworking requirements.
6090 ATC Small CNC Machine for Metal
Whether you are a CNC beginner, hobbyist, or small shop owner who is looking for a metal CNC machine for home or business use, 6090 hobby CNC router is the best choice.
In fact, 6090 is only one model of a small CNC machine for metal materials. A metal CNC machine for home use can also have a working area of 600x1500mm, 900x1500mm, or 1200x1200mm. The above hobby CNC router metal machine has an auto tool changing function. So the metal CNC machine price is relatively high. The 6090 CNC router metal machine without the ATC function is also available.
This hobby CNC router for metal takes up a small area and is easy to operate and load and unload materials. You can put it in your garage or basement.
Metal CNC machine price: $2,000-$8,000
Noise: Medium
Working area: 600x900x160mm
Spindle: 2.2kW air-cooled spindle, 24000RPM
Motor: 500W Leadshine servo motor and driver
Tool magazine: 4-tool linear tool magazine
System: NK 105 G3 control system
Software: Artcam
Click the following video to know more information about the hobby CNC router for metal processing. It shows a 6090 CNC router metal machine cutting an aluminum plate.
1530 4 axis ATC CNC router for metal and wood
Consider a CNC router with a larger working area if the 6090 and 1212 cannot meet your demands. For instance, 1300x2500mm, 1500x3000mm, 1600x3700mm, 2000x4000mm, etc. Or we can customize the working area based on your maximum processing area.
This CNC router metal machine can cut, engrave, carve, drill, and mill a wide range of materials. For example, wood, plastic, PVC, MDF, acrylic, and soft metals, like aluminum, copper, silver.
Metal CNC machine price: $22,000-$30,000
Working area: 1500x3000x400mm
Spindle: 9kw ATC air cooling spindle, ISO30, ER32
Tool magazine: 8-tool carousel tool magazine
Control system: Taiwan SYNTEC
Support software: Powermill, UG, Alphacam, Fusion 360
Processing accuracy: ±0.03mm
Working speed: 0-25m/min
Click the video below to see the metal cutting process by our CNC router for metal. It shows a Dutch customer coming to visit our factory in person to check and operate a CNC router. We discussed the aluminum cutting effect and he was satisfied with the 4 axis CNC router machine.
5 axis CNC router
If your company produces aluminum parts with more complex surfaces or cavities, you might consider a 5-axis machining center. The five-axis CNC metal milling machine adopts the 5-axis linkage mode. So, it can process all surfaces of the workpiece except the bottom surface in all directions. Of course, its price is relatively high.
A 5 axis CNC machining center falls into the table/head type, table/table type, and head/head type in terms of structure. They mean that the additional two rotary axes are located in table & spindle, table, and spindle respectively.
The 5 axis CNC machine is good at processing complex surfaces and 3D work. The processing materials include wood, styrofoam, plaster, clay, resin, carbon fiber, composites and aluminum alloy, and other soft metals.
Metal CNC machine price: $60,000-$95,000
Five Axes travel: 2400x1200x1000 with A±120°, C±245°
Tool magazine: 16-tool disc tool magazine
Spindle: 10kW Demas five-axis spindle
Motor&driver: 1.3kW Yaskawa bus absolute
System: SYNTEC 610-E5
Worktable: Movable
Gross weight: 7600kg
Recently, we have launched three new 5 axis CNC routers. The first one is a heavy-duty type stone CNC machining center, suitable for processing quartz, granite, etc. The latter two are equipped with one and two small movable tables respectively. Click the picture to know more information.
Laser sheet metal cutting CNC machine
The CNC router for metal cuts metal plates by milling the metal surface repeatedly with tools. It requires milling multiple times to cut through a thicker metal plate. Therefore, CNC routers are not the best choice for the companies that specialized in metal cutting. In this case, you can consider the professional metal cutting CNC machine — fiber laser cutting machine.
Unlike woodworking machines, the laser metal cutting machine can cut both soft and hard metals. Besides, the non-contact processing method can prevent material deformation and damage. Therefore, the precision of a laser metal cutting machine is also better than other methods.
Laser metal CNC machine price: $15,000-$50,000
Working Area: 1515x3030mm, optional: 1540, 1545, 2040, 2560
Laser power: 1-4kW
Positioning accuracy: ±0.03
Repositioning accuracy: ±0.02mm
Laser: Raycus, optional: MAX, IPG, etc.
Laser head: Raytools
Focusing method: automatic, optional: manual
The following video is a demonstration of the laser metal CNC machine cutting 3mm/6mm/16mm/20mm carbon steel plates. Carbon steel is usually used in metal parts that require strength, hardness, and wear resistance. For example, cutting tools, steel cables, knives, etc. Our laser metal CNC machine for sale can efficiently and accurately cut carbon steel with a variety of carbon content.
This video shows a laser metal cutting CNC machine cutting 2-5mm brass plates. Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc and mainly used in electronic components, home supplies, marine, military, oil, and outdoor applications.
Upgraded laser metal cutting machine
The above laser machine is an entry-level laser metal cutting machine with one open platform. To improve work efficiency, you can choose to add other auxiliary configurations. For example, adding an automatic coil fed machine, or adding an exchange platform to realize synchronous loading and unloading.
In case of stricter requirements for environmental protection, you can consider the laser steel CNC machine with a protective cover. The protective cover can not only protect the operator from laser radiation but also prevent the smoke from being discharged into the air.
Laser tube metal cutting CNC machine
Cutting of metal tubes and pipes can also be done by a laser cutting machine. There are dedicated tube metal cutting CNC machines and laser machines for both metal tubes and sheets. The steel CNC machine for tubes and pipes occupies a small area and cuts regular and irregular pipes and tubes.
The pneumatic chucks can clamp square, round, elliptical, and rectangular pipes, and U-, L-, and H-shaped steel bars.
Metal CNC machine price: $18,000-$25,000
Tube length: 6.5m/9.2m
Positioning accuracy: ±0.03
Repositioning accuracy: ±0.02mm
Laser power: 1-4kW
Chuck: two pneumatic chucks
Max. Chuck rotating speed: 130r/min
The following video shows the process of cutting stainless steel round and square pipes by a tube laser cutting machine. It has fast cutting speed, high accuracy, and clean cutting results.
You don’t have to buy two fiber laser machines even if your business involves cutting both metal tubes and sheets. One tube and sheet fiber laser metal cutting machine can solve your problems. It consists of two parts, one for cutting pipes and the other for cutting metal sheets. Click to know more details.
CNC plasma cutting machine
If you have less strict requirements on metal cutting precision and quality, consider the CNC plasma cutting machine. A plasma cutting machine can cut all kinds of metal materials, but less accurate than a laser cutting machine. The plasma cutters we provide are factory-use metal CNC machines with a moving gantry and an open platform.
The common plasma cutting products include handrails, fences, doors, windows, screens, benches, tables, and other items.
Price: $4,000-$25,000
Working area: 1300x2500mm, optional: 1530, 2040
Plasma generator: LGK 120
Cutting speed: 0-8m/min
Software: Uncannest, optional: Fastcam
Max. cutting thickness: 25mm
A CNC plasma cutter can be the alternative metal CNC machine of a laser machine if you have a tight budget and less strict demands on accuracy. So the plasma metal cutting CNC machine is quite popular with small metalworking companies.
Laser small CNC machine for metal
The above-mentioned metal cutting machines are the ones with larger working areas. In addition, we also provide small CNC machine for metal for home use and small-batch processing. These small metal CNC machines include laser welding machines, laser cleaning machines, and laser marking machines, etc. They can respectively meet the needs of welding, cleaning, and marking.
Common features of these machines include compact structure, easy operation, and high efficiency. They all adopt fiber laser sources with stable output and high beam quality.
For example, the laser welding machine falls into the automatic type and handheld type. They can realize the inside fillet welding, outside welding, and spot welding of various metals. A laser cleaning machine can remove the oil stain, rust, and oxide from the metal plate surface. While a fiber laser marking machine is able to leave codes, letters, and other patterns on most metal and some plastic materials.
Visit our laser machine column http://www.elephant-cnc.com/cnc-laser-machine/ to know more models of our laser metal CNC machines.
What can a Blue Elephant metal CNC machine offer?
Various format process areas. Our CNC routers can customize the working area based on clients’ demands, from 2’x3′ to 8’x39′.
Complete processing ranges. Blue Elephant provides multiple types of CNC machines to achieve many types of CNC metal processing methods. For instance, cutting, engraving, marking, cleaning, and welding.
All-around 2D and 3D machining capacity. Our metal CNC machine can easily complete tasks that are difficult to complete with manual tools, including 2D and 3D work.
Simple operation. High-level automation of the metal CNC machine makes it very easy to learn and operate.
Cost advantages and good service. We are committed to providing high-quality metal CNC machines at the most appropriate price. A complete pre-, during-, and after-sales service system solves all your problems and rests you assured.
Our CNC metal machines have been exported to over 130 countries and regions all over the world. Many customers speak highly of our CNC machine.
Each type of the above metal CNC machine has many other models, sizes, and configurations. Many machines allow customization. Whether you are a small or big business or home hobbyist, you can find a suitable metal CNC machine in Blue Elephant.
