Why Machine Shops Should Be Machining Brass at Higher Speeds and Feeds

(Image courtesy of Copper Development Association Inc.)

U.S. machine shops are potentially underutilizing the machinability of brass by as much as 85 percent in their part processing operations, reports a recent study from the Copper Development Association Inc. (CDA)The research shows that machine shops can and should be machining the material at significantly faster feeds and speeds—often five to twenty times faster—than they currently do to increase productivity and profitability.

According to the study, today’s brass rod materials not only machine easier and faster, they do so without having a negative impact on tool wear, part surface finishes or chip formation. Hence, with the power and rigidity of the latest high-speed machine tools, shops have the capability to boost brass workpiece material removal rates in their milling, drilling and turning operations. The study also asserts that alternative materials such as steel and stainless steel lack the competitive high-speed machining advantages derived from brass.

In addition to its machinability benefits, brass is also 100 percent recyclable. The high scrap value of brass allows manufacturers to recoup much of the initial raw material cost through scrap buy-back programs. Machining scrap in the form of chips is then used to produce new brass over and over again with no loss in material properties, contributing to a sustainable planet.

For more information, check out these other CDA studies on high speed machining of brass and the high speed machining advantages of brass vs steel.