Aluminum 6061
General-purpose aluminum with strong machinability, corrosion resistance and a balanced strength-to-weight ratio.
- Common for enclosures and structural components
- Good turnaround in machining-focused programs
- Cost signal: moderate
Materials guide
Common metals and plastics for real production decisions.
Practical comparisons across manufacturing-friendly alloys and polymers.
Selection themes
Strength vs. weightMaterial discussions often begin with performance constraints and process fit.
Lead time and costHow material choice affects turnaround and budget.
Stainless Steel 304
Widely used stainless grade with excellent corrosion resistance and strong fit for medical, food and clean environments.
- Higher machining effort than aluminum
- Strong durability signal
- Cost signal: above average
Mild Steel 1018
Cost-effective structural steel with good weldability and dependable general fabrication behavior.
- Suitable for fixtures, frames and machine parts
- Often needs coating for corrosion control
- Cost signal: accessible
ABS Plastic
Tough thermoplastic used across prototypes, molded parts and general consumer-facing applications.
- Good dimensional stability
- Common in injection molding and additive workflows
- Cost signal: accessible
Nylon
Engineering plastic with strong wear resistance, stiffness and low-friction potential for moving assemblies.
- Common for gears, bearings and wear parts
- Moisture behavior matters for dimensional control
- Cost signal: moderate
PEEK
High-performance polymer for demanding thermal, chemical or regulatory environments.
- Used in medical, aerospace and semiconductor contexts
- Premium performance comes with premium cost
- Cost signal: high
How to use this guide
Use it to compare durability, cost and process fit before reaching out for a detailed discussion.
- Use it to compare durability, cost and process fit
- Use service pages to understand how material choice affects process selection
- Use contact channels to discuss tolerances, compliance or finish requirements
Related pages
CapabilitiesSee process-level capability summaries.
IndustriesReview sector-specific messaging.
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