You have the design, the material, and the cost estimate. This part covers the three steps that turn a CAD model into a machined part: export the right file, prepare a drawing the shop can read, and release to production.
Four failures we see on incoming jobs, and what each one costs.
A STEP file alone leaves datum choice, critical dimensions, and thread callouts open to interpretation. The shop guesses, the part measures wrong, and you pay for a second setup. A one-page drawing removes the guesswork.
Features that looked fine on screen cannot be reached by a cutter. Walls under 0.5 mm deflect during clamping. Finding this after tooling is cut adds days and a rework loop to a job that should have run once.
±0.01 mm on every dimension drives extra passes, extra inspection, and higher scrap. Most mating features only need ±0.05 mm. Over-tolerancing is the quietest way to double a part price.
Anodize type, color, and laser marking height change the last operation. When they are missing from the PO, the parts ship in the wrong surface condition or come back for a second run through finishing.
Export the file, define the drawing, release to the shop. Each step has a checklist you can finish before lunch.
Send a solid model, not a mesh. STEP AP214 and IGES carry true arcs and cylinders, so the CAM programmer works from the same geometry you designed. STL files approximate curved surfaces with triangles, and the deviation shows up on the finished part.
Native files from SolidWorks, Inventor, and Fusion 360 are also fine. What matters is that the model is watertight and that the units are stated. A single flipped face or a model built in inches but read as millimeters will produce a part that is 25.4 times too large.
The drawing does not repeat every dimension in the model. It states what the model cannot: which surfaces are datums, which dimensions are critical, what thread standard applies, and how the part is inspected. Three views and a section are usually enough.
Tolerance blocks should be layered. A general block of ±0.1 mm covers non-critical features, and only the mating bores, bearing seats, and sealing faces get tighter callouts. This tells the machinist where to spend time and where to run at full feed.
Choosing the wrong format is the most common cause of a re-quote.
| Format | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| STEP AP214 | General machining, assemblies | Confirm units in the title block |
| IGES | Legacy CAD systems | Surfaces can separate; send a solid too |
| Parasolid (.x_t) | Tight-tolerance parts | Older CAM seats may not read it |
| Native SolidWorks | Fast turnaround jobs | State the version you used |
| STL | Reference only | Curves become faceted; do not machine from it |
| DXF | 2D profiles, sheet parts | No 3D data; include thickness |
One shop for the machining steps, plus the finishing and secondary operations around them.
Complex geometries in one setup. Undercuts, compound angles, and contoured surfaces that would need three fixtures on a 3-axis machine.
Prismatic and round parts, from single prototypes to runs past 10,000 pieces. Mill-turn centers handle both in one cycle.
First articles for fit checks and design reviews before you commit to a production toolpath.
Brackets, enclosures, and chassis that pair with your machined components.
Anodizing, plating, powder coating, bead blasting, and laser marking under one roof.
Bridge quantities and low-stress prototypes when machining is not the right first step.
Each line is confirmed at quotation, before any material is cut.
| Item | Standard | On request |
|---|---|---|
| Tolerance | ±0.1 mm general | Down to ±0.005 mm |
| Surface finish | Ra 1.6–3.2 μm as machined | Ra 0.2–0.8 μm |
| Inspection | 100% before shipment | Dimensional report with part |
| Material certs | Traceable to mill lot | Certificate package |
| First article | Included on new parts | Full FAI report |
| Order quantity | One prototype upward | Scheduled releases |
Capacity, tolerance, and documentation that match what the drawing asks for.
15 years of production work across aerospace, medical, automotive, and industrial machinery programs.
16 simultaneous 5-axis centers, 12 four-axis mills, 27 three-axis machines, and 16 mill-turn centers. Capacity is not the constraint.
Large travels of 4,000 × 400 × 150 mm plus compact cells for small, high-volume parts.
Held on bearing seats, sealing faces, and mating bores, verified with in-process monitoring.
A machinist reviews the model and the drawing, then returns a quote with manufacturability notes.
Raw material check, in-process monitoring, and final inspection before anything ships.
Thin ribs and pocketed geometry. Material traceability and inspection records travel with every lot.
Sealing faces and bolt patterns that must repeat across a production run. Process control documented per IATF 16949.
Clean deburring on every edge, no cross-contamination between materials, and full dimensional reports on request.
Joint housings and actuator mounts where bore alignment and flatness decide whether the assembly moves smoothly.
Yes, for parts where every dimension is either non-critical or fully defined in the model. We will confirm the datum scheme and general tolerance block in writing before cutting.
For anything with a bearing fit, a seal, or a press interface, a drawing is worth the twenty minutes. It removes the ambiguity that causes a rework loop.
We default to ±0.1 mm on machined metal features and quote to that unless the drawing says otherwise. That covers most brackets, covers, and non-mating geometry.
Critical features get their own callouts. We can hold ±0.005 mm on specific dimensions, but applying it across a whole part raises cost with no functional gain.
Send the model with the quote request. A machinist reviews it and returns manufacturability notes within 12 hours, flagging features that need a tool change, a custom fixture, or a design adjustment.
You get that feedback before you commit to an order, not after the first article fails inspection.
Either works, as long as it is stated. Put the unit in the drawing title block and in the file name.
The failure mode is a model built in inches and read as millimeters, which scales the part by 25.4. We check units on every incoming file, but a clear label avoids the question.
No. We run from a single prototype to runs past 10,000 parts. The setup cost is the same either way, so the per-part price is highest at quantity one.
If the part is headed for production, ask for pricing at two or three quantity breaks in the same quote.
Uploads are handled as confidential and are not shared outside the quoting and production team. An NDA is available on request before you send any files.
If your program needs one, ask for it first. We will sign and return it before the model is uploaded.
Production can start within 24 hours of acceptance. Material is checked on receipt, in-process dimensions are monitored through the run, and every part is inspected before it ships.
Typical parts ship in 3–5 days. Larger parts, exotic alloys, and multi-operation finishing add time, and we state that in the quote rather than after.
Yes. Anodizing, plating, powder coating, black oxide, bead blasting, and laser marking are handled in-house or by qualified partners under our process control.
Keeping finishing inside the same job means the surface condition is verified against the drawing before shipment, not after the parts arrive at your dock.
Send the CAD file and the drawing. A machinist reviews both and returns a quote with DFM notes within 12 hours.
12-hour quote100% inspectionNo minimum order quantityNDA on request
Trusted by engineers and manufacturers worldwide
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
Material: not selected Machine: not selected Post-process: not selected
Fill in this short form and we'll open WhatsApp with your message ready to send. We only use these details to reply to you.
Nothing is sent until you press send inside WhatsApp.
