Machining of aluminum alloys: a review

The use of aluminum alloys in manufacturing industry has increased significantly in recent years. This is because primarily to their ability to combine lightness and strength in a single material. Concomitant to this growth, the machining of aluminum alloys has enormously increased in volumetric proportions—so that the chip volume represents up to 80 % of the original volume of the machined material in certain segments of the industry, like aerospace. In this context, knowledge of the characteristics of machinability of aluminum alloys is essential to provide industry and researchers with information that allows them to make the right decisions when they come to machining this fantastic material. The purpose of this review is to compile relevant information about the characteristics of machinability of aluminum alloys into a single document.