How does aluminum housing affect electric screwdriver cost?

Aluminum housing increases electric screwdriver cost because it requires more expensive material, CNC machining, surface finishing, tighter dimensional control, and additional assembly work compared with a basic plastic housing.

The main cost factors are:

Aluminum material: costs more than standard injection-molded plastic

CNC machining: openings, threads, button positions, and internal features require machining time

Surface treatment: anodizing, sandblasting, polishing, or brushing adds processing cost

Color control: custom anodized colors may require higher MOQ and stricter batch control

Dimensional accuracy: tighter tolerances increase machining and inspection cost

Scrap rate: cosmetic defects, machining errors, or color variation can reduce production yield

Assembly requirements: aluminum housings may require separate plastic insulation, internal supports, or additional components

Packaging protection: metal housings normally need better protection against scratches during transport

The advantage is that aluminum housing provides:

Higher rigidity

Better durability

More premium appearance

Better hand feel

Improved resistance to deformation

Better positioning for mid-range and professional products

For precision electric screwdrivers, aluminum is often a good choice because the tool body is small, so the cost increase can be controlled while still improving the perceived and actual product quality.

For ToolQeen OEM projects, we recommend selecting the aluminum grade, wall thickness, CNC requirements, anodized finish, color, surface texture, and production quantity together, because these factors have more impact on cost than simply specifying “aluminum housing.”