Frequently Asked Questions About Our CNC Machining Services

Our advantages include automated quoting, fast turnaround times (as quick as 1-2 weeks), and competitive pricing for both prototyping and production. We specialize in CNC turning, milling, and online machining services, working directly from your 3D CAD model to ensure accuracy and reduce errors.

Simply upload your 3D CAD file (such as STEP, IGES, or SLDPRT) on our website. You will receive an interactive quote within 24 hours with free design for manufacturing (DFM) feedback, no obligation required.

Yes, we are a professional CNC turning service provider, offering both prototyping and low to medium-volume production. We work with various materials including aluminum, brass, and steel to create precision turned parts.

Yes, we take data security seriously. All file uploads are encrypted, and we are happy to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) to protect your intellectual property upon request.

Choose CNC machining for prototypes, complex parts, and low-volume production. It's fast and has no mold costs. Choose injection molding for high-volume production (typically hundreds or thousands of parts) where the per-part cost becomes very low after the initial mold investment.

We provide end-to-end solutions including surface finishing (anodizing, plating, powder coating, painting), part assembly, and quality inspection to deliver ready-to-use products.

For standard projects with complete drawings, parts can be completed and shipped in as little as 1-2 weeks. More complex parts may require additional time. We provide an estimated timeline with your quote.

CNC machining is a subtractive manufacturing process where computer-controlled machines precisely remove material from a solid block (called a workpiece) using cutting tools to create a custom-designed part. It is ideal for metals and plastics.

CNC turning rotates the workpiece against a stationary cutting tool to create cylindrical parts (like shafts and bolts). CNC milling rotates a cutting tool to remove material from a stationary workpiece, creating complex shapes, slots, and holes.

Yes, we specialize in aluminum CNC machining, including turning and milling. Aluminum is one of our most requested materials due to its excellent machinability, strength, and lightweight properties.

While our manufacturing facility is in China, we serve global clients with efficient online quoting and reliable international shipping. This allows us to offer high-quality parts at competitive prices, often making the total cost lower than local shops.

While not always mandatory for a quote, a technical drawing is highly recommended. It is essential for specifying critical features like threads, tolerances, surface finishes, and inspection criteria, ensuring you get exactly the part you need.

To optimize cost, design with standard tool sizes in mind, avoid deep cavities and thin walls, add fillets to internal corners, and limit tight tolerances to only where they are absolutely necessary.

Yes, we provide cost-effective machining by leveraging our automated processes and efficient manufacturing base. We maintain high quality through strict quality control measures and certified manufacturing partners.

You can reduce costs by optimizing your design: hollowing out large volumes, minimizing support structures, and choosing a printing technology (like FDM or SLS) that balances cost with your required material and finish.

The cost depends on the part volume, material choice (plastics or metals), printing technology, and any required post-processing. Upload your STL file on our site for an instant, accurate quote.

We partner with certified manufacturing facilities (including ISO 9001 and ISO 13485) and provide a standardized inspection report with every order. For larger orders, we offer First Article Inspection (FAI) services.

The choice depends on your part's function and material needs. Use SLA for high-detail visual prototypes, SLS for durable functional parts without supports, and FDM for low-cost prototyping. Our engineers can help you decide.

The cost involves three main factors: mold tooling (a one-time cost), material, and production time. For low-volume molding, we use methods like aluminum molds to significantly reduce your initial tooling investment.

You, the customer, retain ownership of the custom mold tooling. We store it at our facility for a minimum of two years at no extra cost, and it can be shipped to you upon request.

Reorders are fast and simple. Since the mold is already made and stored with us, we can typically begin production immediately, leading to much shorter lead times compared to the initial order.

We work with a network of specialized injection molding companies that hold ISO 9001 and ISO/TS 16949 certifications, ensuring consistent quality and reliable processes for your parts.

The purpose of a tap in CNC machining is to perform "tapping" on a part—which, simply put, means creating internal threads that allow you to screw bolts into it.

It is essentially a super-smart engraving machine that can "do it all."
You can think of it as:

A "master chef" with incredible knife skills: But instead of cutting food, it works with hard materials like metal and plastic. It can perform various techniques—turning, milling, drilling, tapping… you name it.

A "tireless robot": Once you program it, it can process parts non-stop, 24/7, with speed and precision.

A "high-precision replicator": Give it a blueprint (digital model), and it will mass-produce identical parts exactly to spec, down to the smallest detail.

In short, many precision-made items like your phone case, car engines, and aircraft components are "carved out" by this machine.

High-Profit Core Niches

This is where the real money is – specialized, complex parts where precision and material specs matter more than mass-production cost. If you've got the right equipment and expertise, these sectors offer serious ROI.

1. Aerospace & Defense Components

Examples: Engine mount brackets, landing gear parts, missile guidance housing, drone chassis frames, satellite mounting hardware, radar waveguide components.
Why it pays: Exotic materials (think titanium, Inconel), crazy-tight tolerances, and rigorous certifications. Break into this supply chain, and you’ve got steady, high-value contracts.
2. Medical & Dental Devices

Examples: Surgical robot arm joints, implant jigs/fixtures, endoscope components, orthopedic surgical tools, dental implant guides, high-end medical instrument enclosures.
Why it pays: Bio-compatible materials (e.g., 316L stainless, Ti6Al4V), sterile requirements, and complex geometries. Heavily regulated, but margins are massive.
3. Automotive R&D & High-Performance Aftermarket

Examples: Prototype/test parts for R&D (manifolds, transmission cases), custom suspension mounts for race cars, lightweight battery enclosures, turbocharger components.
Why it pays: R&D shops need fast, precise one-offs regardless of cost. The performance aftermarket crowd pays for quality and weight savings – no questions asked.
4. Automation & Robotics

Examples: Robot arm actuators, harmonic drive housings, linear motor bases, precision rail carriages, custom pneumatic fixtures, camera/vision system mounts.
Why it pays: Industry 4.0 is booming. These parts demand rigidity, accuracy, and low-volume custom runs – perfect for CNC.

A CNC turning center is like the PRO version of a basic CNC lathe. It comes with added features such as live tooling, which enables operations like simple drilling. The more advanced version would be the PRO MAX-level turning-milling center. It fully integrates the functions of both a lathe and a milling machine, though it does have some limitations. Its power is relatively limited, making it suitable only for parts within a specific range. That said, it improves machining efficiency by reducing frequent workpiece handling and machine adjustments.

So basically, a CNC program is just a set of instructions—think of it like a recipe for a machine. It tells the CNC equipment what to do, step by step. Here’s what those commands usually cover:

Where to move? (Toolpath): It guides the tool—whether to go in a straight line, make an arc, or move to exact coordinates.
How fast to move? (Feed rate): This controls the speed at which the tool travels.
How fast to spin? (Spindle speed): This sets the rotation speed of the tool or the workpiece.
How deep to cut? (Cutting depth): It determines how much material to remove in each pass.
Which tool to use? (Tool selection): Commands the machine to automatically switch to a different tool when needed.
Coolant on or off? (Miscellaneous functions): Controls auxiliary features like coolant, clamps, and other accessories.
It’s all about giving the machine clear and precise orders so everything runs smoothly and accurately.

Grinder: For precision finishing, ensures smoothness and accuracy.
Lathe: Processes cylindrical parts.
Milling Machine: Handles complex-shaped parts.

They have different roles and work together to complete part manufacturing.

The core difference lies in the level of automation:

NC (Numerical Control): Semi-automated. It relies on external physical media (such as punched tape) for operation and lacks built-in storage or computational capabilities. It represents the first generation of this technology.

CNC (Computer Numerical Control): Fully automated. It features a dedicated built-in computer, allowing programs to be stored, edited, and executed with complex calculations. It is the absolute mainstream modern technology, belonging to the second and subsequent generations.