--- id: "knowledge-process-knowledge-en" title: "Process Knowledge" description: "Technical guidance on CNC machining, forming, brazing, surface treatment, assembly, and design for manufacturability." source: "/en/knowledge/process-knowledge" language: "en" generated: true --- # Process Knowledge Technical guidance on CNC machining, forming, brazing, surface treatment, assembly, and design for manufacturability. Practical technical resources for product design, drawing review, manufacturing decisions, quality validation, and production launch. ## All articles ### [CNC Machining Process Planning: Functional Datums, Fixturing, Operation Sequence and Inspection](/en/resources/cnc-machining-process-planning-datum-fixturing-inspection) A practical guide to converting part function and assembly interfaces into CTQs, datum strategy, stock selection, fixturing, rough-to-finish operations, surface treatment allowances and inspection gates. ### [Die Casting Plus CNC vs Billet CNC: Tooling, Cost, Porosity, Distortion and Production Boundaries](/en/resources/die-casting-plus-machining-vs-billet-cnc) A manufacturing decision guide covering part geometry, volume, tooling, die-casting porosity, machining allowance, functional datums, finishing and validation when choosing die casting plus CNC or billet CNC. ### [Why Aluminum Parts Distort During Machining: Residual Stress, Fixturing, Material Removal Sequence and Finishing Control](/en/resources/aluminum-part-machining-distortion-control) An engineering guide to stock residual stress, cutting heat, tool condition, side clamping, hold-down force, balanced material removal, intermediate stabilization and free-state inspection for thin-wall aluminum parts. ### [How to Control Dimensions Before and After Anodizing: Film Thickness, Tolerances, Masking, Threads and Mating Surfaces](/en/resources/anodizing-dimension-control-before-after-finishing) A manufacturing guide to inward and outward film growth, pretreatment dissolution, bore and shaft compensation, masking, post-anodize machining, threads and conductive surfaces for dimensionally controlled CNC aluminum parts. ### [How to Choose Surface Finishes for Aluminum Cosmetic Parts: Sandblasting, Brushing, Anodizing, Painting and Their Dimensional Impact](/en/resources/aluminum-cosmetic-surface-finish-selection) An engineering guide to appearance consistency, wear and corrosion resistance, conductivity, dimensional compensation, edge condition and mass-production stability when selecting surface finishes for aluminum cosmetic parts. ### [How High-Cosmetic Precision Parts Are Ground and Polished: Robotic Grinding, Buffing, Barrel Finishing and Plasma Electrolytic Polishing](/en/resources/grinding-polishing-high-cosmetic-precision-parts) Defines acceptance criteria for high-cosmetic grinding and polishing, explains challenges such as casting lines, CNC tool marks, curved surfaces, thin-wall distortion, over-polishing and batch consistency, and compares robotic grinding, buffing, barrel finishing, manual detailing and plasma electrolytic polishing. ### [How to Clean High-Cosmetic Precision Parts After Polishing: Compound Removal, Degreasing, Ultrasonic Cleaning, Pure-Water Rinsing and Cleanliness Control](/en/resources/cleaning-polished-high-cosmetic-precision-parts) Explains why post-polishing precision cleaning combines chemical and physical action, identifies polishing compound, abrasive, metal powder, centrifugal-finishing compound, electrolyte, trapped liquid and secondary contamination, and gives a controlled route through precleaning, degreasing, heated chemistry, ultrasonics, spray rinsing, pure-water final rinse and drying. ### [Why Anodized Aluminum Shows Color Variation: Material Lots, CNC Toolpaths, Blasting, Racking and Sealing Control](/en/resources/aluminum-anodizing-color-variation-control) An engineering guide to color variation in anodized aluminum through alloy and lot control, machined base condition, anodic film, dye concentration and time, rack position, production load, sealing and visual limit samples. ### [How to Achieve High-Cosmetic Anodizing on Die-Cast Aluminum: Appearance Standards, Manufacturing Challenges and Production Solutions](/en/resources/high-cosmetic-anodizing-die-cast-aluminum) Defines high-cosmetic anodizing by color, gloss, texture, defect limits and production consistency, then explains challenges from casting alloy, flow, porosity, release agent and mixed cast/CNC surfaces, with solutions from alloy and die design through casting, machining, blasting and anodizing. ### [What Is a Liquid Cold Plate? Flow Channels, Materials and Manufacturing CTQs](/en/resources/liquid-cold-plate-structure-manufacturing) Understand liquid cold plate heat paths, base and cover structures, serpentine and parallel channels, aluminum and copper selection, and manufacturing CTQs for flatness, pressure drop, cleanliness, sealing and leak testing. ### [AI Server Cold Plate Manufacturing: How to Choose CNC, Brazing, and Microchannels](/en/resources/ai-server-cold-plate-manufacturing-processes) A practical comparison of CNC-machined channels, brazed structures, and microchannel cold plates based on flow-channel design, sealing, thermal performance, machining accuracy, leak testing, and production stability. ### [How to Choose a Cold Plate Joining Process: Vacuum Brazing vs FSW vs Laser Welding](/en/resources/cold-plate-joining-vacuum-brazing-fsw-laser-welding) A practical comparison of vacuum brazing, friction stir welding and laser welding for cold plates, covering structural fit, heat input, fixturing, gaps, distortion, leak testing and production stability. ### [How Microchannel Cold Plates Are Machined: Geometry and Manufacturability](/en/resources/microchannel-cold-plate-manufacturing) A structured DFM guide to microchannel cold plates, covering channel geometry, process routes, flow distribution, burr control, cleaning, sealing, validation, and production readiness. ### [How to Machine Humanoid Robot Joint Actuator Housings: Coaxiality, Bearing Seats and Thin-Wall Distortion Control](/en/resources/humanoid-robot-joint-actuator-housing-machining) An engineering guide to functional-axis definition, bearing bores, reducer locating features, thin-wall distortion, fixturing, surface treatment and final inspection for humanoid robot joint actuator housings. ### [Injection Molding Humanoid Robot Plastic Body Shells: Materials, Warpage, Inserts and Assembly Gaps](/en/resources/humanoid-robot-plastic-body-shell-injection-molding) A manufacturing guide to body-shell segmentation, PC-ABS and other engineering plastics, walls and ribs, gates and weld lines, shrinkage and warpage, inserts, coatings, EMI, assembly gaps and production validation. ### [Surface Treatments for Optical Transceiver Thermal Parts: Anodizing, Electroless Nickel, Masking and Thermal Interface Protection](/en/resources/optical-transceiver-surface-treatment) An engineering guide to anodizing, electroless nickel, selective masking, post-treatment dimensions and protection of thermal contact surfaces on optical transceiver heatsinks, lids and precision housings. ### [Why Do Sealed Aluminum Castings Leak After Machining? Porosity, Shrinkage, Machining Stock and Leak Testing](/en/resources/cast-aluminum-sealed-housing-leakage-after-machining) Explains why a cast-aluminum sealed housing can pass as a blank but leak after CNC machining, covering porosity, shrinkage, cracks, machining allowance, final wall thickness, X-ray, industrial CT, leak testing, impregnation and production defect mapping. ### [How to Machine a PCS Liquid-Cooling Manifold: Cross-Hole Burrs, Flow Distribution, Sealing and Cleanliness CTQs](/en/resources/pcs-liquid-cooling-manifold-machining) A manufacturing guide to PCS and high-power liquid-cooling manifolds, covering deep and cross holes, branch-flow distribution, O-ring and plug sealing, deburring, internal cleanliness, leak and pressure testing, materials and production SPC. ### [How Are IGBT and SiC Power-Module Cold Plates Manufactured? Flatness, Channels, Joining, Leakage and Corrosion](/en/resources/igbt-sic-power-module-cold-plate-manufacturing) A manufacturing guide for IGBT and SiC liquid cold plates used in PCS, SVG and high-power converters, covering mounting flatness, flow channels, manifolds, vacuum brazing, FSW, leak and proof testing, cleanliness, corrosion and production CTQs.