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What kind of resource provides summary data on how given kind of aluminum yields to machining? Are there norms, or such?

Explaining:

Different kinds of metals yield to machining differently; e.g. MO-59 brass has a small addition of lead, which makes it leave a clean, smooth cut; in contrast pure copper will pull, crease, drag into threads; where the milled surface of brass left a mirror shine, copper left a fleece-like mess of metal turned into myriads of tiny wires.

The data for a few materials I worked with, I got through word-on-mouth, or own experimentation. I know resources exist, from which professionals learn this in an organized manner, but I don't even know what keywords to look for.

SF.
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    There are 'machinability ratings' for metals. A google search will yield many resources which can be used to compare different alloys. – atom44 Jun 27 '16 at 13:52
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    Try the machinerys handbook as well. Also, many tooling suppliers will provide this information. Google "speed and feeds" plus the alloy name - should find something! – CBRF23 Jun 27 '16 at 14:07

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Basic internet search on machinability of metals turns up several hits. The one below has a comprehensive rating system and includes comparison for several aluminum alloys.

http://www.quakerchem.com/wp-content/uploads/pdf/skill_builders/no10_machinability_ratings.pdf

ashur668
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Usually data sheets will give a qualitative indication of maintainability along the lines of excellent/good/poor/not possible etc.

However you may need to seek out more subjective advice for specific alloys and processes as there are a huge variety of possible applications and there isn't a generally applicable metric of maintainability. For example lots of long stringy swarf may be a major problem for automated production but no more than a mild inconvenience for one-off manual operations. Equally some issues like work hardening may be reasonably easy to mitigate by correct procedures if you are aware of them.

In very general terms many grades of aluminium are at least reasonably machinable and you are much less likely to encounter the severe difficulties that you can get with some types of stainless or high alloy steels.

Similarly some alloys may be easy to rough out but very resistant to taking a fine finish.

Chris Johns
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