Controlled expansion alloys (CE alloys) are either EDM or CNC machined by Sandvik using specially developed techniques and tooling. Detailed machining data is proprietary to Sandvik but can be made available to third parties on a case by case basis.
Machined details in CE11 package
Typical tolerances for machined CE alloy components supplied by Sandvik
Dimensional
Dimensional tolerances depend on the machining method used:
- CNC: +/- 0.05mm typical
- EDM: +/- 0.02mm normal
Flatness
Normally 1 in 1,000 but up to 1 in 10,000 can be achieved if required.
Surface finish
- Normal finish after milling Ra < 1μ
- Normal finish after lapping Ra = 0.4μ
If required, a finer finish to Ra = 0.02μ can be achieved by polishing.
Threading
Low Si alloys (CE13 and CE17) can be tapped to any size. All Si alloys can be thread milled down to as small as 0-80 UNC.