Guides, comparison tables and material data written by machinists who run the parts. Use them to pick a grade, set a tolerance and avoid the design habits that add cost.
Four failures we see in incoming files every week. Each one is avoidable at the drawing stage.
316 resists corrosion but galls and work-hardens, so it needs slower feeds and more inserts. On a part with no chloride exposure, you pay two to three times the cycle time for nothing. Ask what the environment actually is before you lock the grade.
A block with ±0.01 mm on all six faces gets probed, re-fixtured and re-cut. Only the mating features need tight limits. Blanket tolerances on a cosmetic face add cost and measure nothing. Mark the fits that matter and leave the rest at general tolerance.
Deep pockets with sharp internal corners force a small end mill. Small tools deflect, so you lose accuracy and slow the spindle down. A 2 mm corner radius on a 10 mm deep pocket lets one larger tool finish it in a single pass. That single radius often removes a whole setup.
Thin floors and unsupported walls spring back when the vise releases. The part measures fine on the machine and out of spec on the bench. If the wall is under 1 mm, expect to stress-relieve the stock first or add a temporary rib.
Each guide answers one question and stops there.
Most grade questions are really wear questions. 303 stainless machines fast and holds a good finish, but it corrodes in chloride. 304 costs a little more to cut and survives most indoor environments. 316 goes where salt or sterilisation is present.
Titanium follows the same logic. Grade 2 covers chemical and marine brackets. Grade 5 (Ti-6Al-4V) goes where the load is high and weight matters. Both cut at low surface speed, and both need sharp tooling with plenty of coolant.
Prototype price is set by three things. Setup and programming is a fixed block no matter how many parts you run. Machining time scales with material removal and the number of setups. Inspection grows with the tolerance count.
A part that needs one setup and general tolerances can land on the bench in days. The same geometry split across four faces and three tight bores will cost several times more for the same volume of metal.
We quote the first article and the small batch together, so you can see where the curve flattens before you commit.
Use the failure mode and the environment to narrow the choice.
| Requirement | Material | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Best machinability, dry indoor use | 303 stainless | Free-cutting, poor in chlorides |
| Cost plus corrosion resistance | 304 stainless | Common for brackets and covers |
| Salt spray or sterilisation | 316 / 316L | Slower feeds, more tool wear |
| Chemical or marine, low load | Grade 2 titanium | Weldable, needs slow speeds |
| High load, low weight | Ti-6Al-4V (TC4) | Rigid setup, sharp tooling |
| Wear surface, tight fit | 440C or 17-4PH | Heat treat after roughing |
| Cheap covers and housings | 6061-T6 aluminium | Anodizes well, stable |
| High-strength structural | 7075 aluminium | Lower corrosion resistance |
One supplier from first article to production, with finishing in house.
Sixteen simultaneous 5-axis centers handle contoured faces and multi-face work in one setup. Maximum processing size is 4,000 mm.
Three-axis, four-axis and mill-turn capacity for prismatic parts and turned shafts, including a Ø400 mm rotary table.
First articles machined from solid, inspected and shipped in 3–5 days so you can test the design before tooling.
Brackets, chassis and enclosures formed and finished alongside the machined parts, keeping one tolerance chain.
Resin and polymer parts for fit checks and low-volume housings when machining is not the right answer.
Anodizing, plating, powder coating, bead blasting and laser marking to a minimum character height of 1.5 mm.
What a standard order covers.
| Item | Detail | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Tolerance | Achievable on tight features | ±0.005 mm |
| Finish | Fine machining | Ra 0.2–0.8 μm |
| Finish | High-quality machining | Ra 0.8–1.6 μm |
| Largest travel | Large gantry work | 4,000 × 400 × 150 mm |
| Batch size | No minimum order | 1 to 10,000+ parts |
| Inspection | Before shipment | 100% inspection |
| Reporting | On request | Material and dimensional |
Six facts an engineer can check against a drawing.
Fifteen years on the same site in Dongguan, plus a Singapore factory at No.3 Joo Koon Circle.
Sixteen simultaneous 5-axis centers, twelve four-axis mills, twenty-seven three-axis machines and sixteen mill-turn centers.
Held on production parts, not just on a sample. Equivalent to ±0.0002 in.
Parts that pass final inspection on the first submission.
Quotation and free DFM analysis returned within 12 hours of the upload.
Machining can begin within 24 hours after drawing release and material confirmation.
Thin-wall aluminium brackets machined in one setup with witness marks for inspection.
316L and titanium housings finished to Ra 0.8–1.6 μm with passivation and clean handling.
Mill-turn shafts and gearbox plates with bores held concentric across two setups.
4130 and 4140 fixture plates with hardcoat anodized locating faces and laser-marked IDs.
304 covers most indoor brackets and covers. It machines slower than 303 but survives humidity and most cleaning agents.
Pick 303 only when cycle time matters more than corrosion, and there is no chloride in the environment. Go to 316 or 316L for salt spray, marine air or repeated sterilisation.
Grade 2 is commercially pure. It welds easily and resists chemicals, but its yield strength is roughly half that of Ti-6Al-4V.
Use Grade 2 for ducting, marine brackets and chemical fixtures. Move to Grade 5 when the part carries real load or when weight matters. Both need low surface speed and sharp tooling.
Three inputs set the price: programming and setup, machining time, and inspection. Setup is a fixed block regardless of quantity.
A single-setup part with general tolerances is the cheapest shape to quote. Every extra face, tight bore or specified finish adds a step you can count on the drawing.
±0.005 mm is achievable on a machined feature with the right setup and inspection. It is not free, and it does not belong on every dimension.
Put tight limits on fits and datum features. Leave cosmetic and clearance dimensions at general tolerance. Blanket tight tolerances add cost and do not improve function.
Yes. The largest travel is 4,000 × 400 × 150 mm. Medium machines cover 750 × 1,150 × 550 mm and 600 × 600 × 600 mm.
Long parts need support planning, because deflection in the middle is usually the limiting factor rather than the machine envelope.
Both. There is no minimum order quantity. We machine single prototypes and runs above 10,000 parts.
For one-offs we quote the first article and a small batch together, so you can see how the price changes with quantity before committing.
Anodizing in clear, colour, hardcoat and conductive types; electroless nickel, zinc, silver and gold plating; powder coating and black oxide; bead blasting, tumbling, brushing and polishing.
Laser marking and engraving are available with a minimum character height of 1.5 mm. Tell us which features must stay bare for electrical contact.
Uploads are secure and confidential. An NDA is available on request before you send files.
If the part is under NDA, tell us at the quote stage so we can keep the DFM report limited to the parties on the agreement.
Upload a STEP file and we return a quotation with free DFM analysis within 12 hours.
12-hour quote100% inspectionNo minimum orderNDA on request
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Upload your 3D model or 2D drawing and get a quotation with a free DFM analysis. Maximum processing size 4,000 mm.
CNC Metals 13 grades
CNC Plastics 10 grades
Machines & processes 12 options
Surface & post-processing 10 options
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