01
Design errors surface after the first cut
A wall too thin for the load path, a corner radius smaller than the cutter, a thread that leaves no material for the mating part. Each one costs a setup, a re-fixture and another week of the program.
Sample & Prototype Machining
CNC Processing Sample Center for Prototype and Low-Volume Parts
Send a 3D file and get a machined sample in your hands before tooling is cut. We run prototypes and pilot runs on the same machines, so what you approve is what you get in production.
±0.005 mm tolerance16 five-axis centers12-hour DFM feedbackNo minimum order quantity3–5 day shippingNDA on request
16Simultaneous 5-axis centers
127High-precision CNC machines
±0.005 mmAchievable tolerance
99.99%Qualification rate
Where samples go wrong
Four Problems That Kill a Prototype Build
Most delays on a sample order start before the spindle turns.
02
The prototype and the production part are not the same part
The sample is machined on one machine with one fixture. Volume production moves to a different cell, different tooling, different workholding. Dimensions shift and the approved sample no longer represents the shipment.
03
Quotes arrive after the deadline
Three suppliers, three weeks, three different readings of the same drawing. Nobody flags the datum callout. The RFQ sits until someone has time to look at it.
04
One-off pricing blocks the pilot run
A sample house quotes a single unit, then refuses anything under a few hundred pieces. The pilot run needs 50 to 200 parts to prove the process, and there is no path from sample to that batch.
The sample center
A Sample Center Built Around the Production Cell
Same machines, same fixtures, same inspection path from first article to pilot run.
Five-axis setup
Complex Geometry in Fewer Setups
A CNC processing sample center is only useful if it can cut the shapes your design actually needs. Our 16 simultaneous five-axis machining centers reach compound angles, deep pockets and blended surfaces that would need four or five re-fixtures on a three-axis mill. Every re-fixture adds stack-up error. Five-axis work holds position because the part is loaded once.
The rotary table handles Ø400 mm work, and the largest travel is 4,000 × 400 × 150 mm. For housings and brackets that fit inside 750 × 1,150 × 550 mm, we run the sample and the production batch on the same model of machine. We check the first article against the drawing and record the numbers before the run continues.
- 1Five-axis from one setupCompound angles and blended radii without re-fixturing
- 2Ø400 mm rotary tableCovers most enclosure, bracket and joint parts
- 3Same cell for sample and batchApproved dimensions carry into the pilot run
Materials and finish
Metal and Plastic Samples With the Finish You Specified
Samples usually need to look and feel like the final part, not just measure like it. We machine aluminium 6061-T6, 7075, 2024, 5052, 5083, 6063, 6082 and ADC12; stainless 303, 304, 316L, 17-4PH and 440C; titanium TC4 (Ti-6Al-4V); and engineering plastics including POM, PEEK, PC, ABS and PA. Each material cuts differently, and feeds and speeds are set per material rather than copied from a default library.
Surface finish follows the same logic. As-machined parts sit at Ra 1.6–3.2 μm. Where a sealing face or a bearing bore needs it, we hold Ra 0.8–1.6 μm, and fine finishing reaches Ra 0.2–0.8 μm. Anodizing, black oxide, electroless nickel, bead blasting and laser marking are available on sample quantities, so the finish can be reviewed before the batch is committed.
- 1Metals and plastics in one shopAluminium, stainless, titanium, copper alloys and PEEK-class plastics
- 2Finish on sample quantitiesAnodize, black oxide, plating, blasting, laser marking
- 3Laser marking from 1.5 mmPart numbers and logos legible at production scale
Choosing a route
Which Sample Route Fits Your Part
Match the geometry and the batch target before the quote goes out.
| Part condition | Route | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Prismatic part, flat faces, open tolerances | Three-axis milling | Lowest setup cost and fastest cycle |
| Deep pockets or features on four sides | Four-axis or mill-turn | One or two setups instead of four |
| Compound angles, blended surfaces, thin walls | Five-axis machining | Holds position without re-fixturing |
| Prototype housing in plastic, not load bearing | Vacuum casting or 3D printing | Faster than machining for a visual model |
| Sheet-metal bracket under 3 mm thick | Sheet metal fabrication | Bend radii and flat patterns cut directly |
| Sample plus a 50–200 piece pilot run | Same cell as the sample | Dimensions carry into the batch |
What we run
Services Inside the Sample Center
One project can move between these without leaving the building.
01
5 Axis CNC Machining
Simultaneous five-axis work for joints, housings and impeller-type geometry. 16 centers, Ø400 mm rotary table, ±0.005 mm on held features.
02
3 and 4 Axis Machining
27 three-axis and 12 four-axis machines for prismatic parts, plates and brackets where a simpler setup is cheaper and just as accurate.
03
CNC Milling & Turning
16 mill-turn centers handle shafts, fittings and bushings that need turning and milling in one program instead of two operations.
04
Rapid Prototyping
Machined samples in aluminium, stainless, titanium and engineering plastics, with the drawing checked against the model before cutting.
05
Sheet Metal Fabrication
Enclosures, chassis and brackets in steel and aluminium, with bend radii and flat patterns cut to the final drawing.
06
Die Casting & Vacuum Casting
Aluminium die casting for ADC12 housings and vacuum casting for small runs of plastic covers and panels before the steel tool is cut.
Scope and limits
What a Sample Order Covers
Numbers below are the working limits of the sample center.
| Item | Range | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Tolerance on held features | ±0.005 mm (±0.0002 in) | Confirmed per feature on the drawing |
| Surface finish | Ra 1.6–3.2 μm as machined | Ra 0.2–0.8 μm on request |
| Maximum part size | 4,000 mm | Larger travel: 4,000 × 400 × 150 mm |
| Batch size | One part to 10,000+ | No minimum order quantity |
| Quote and DFM | Within 12 hours | Production can start within 24 hours |
| Standard shipping | 3–5 days | 100% inspection before shipment |
| Inspection records | On request | Raw material, in-process and final |
| Confidentiality | NDA on request | Uploads held secure and confidential |
Why engineers use this shop
Six Reasons the Sample Center Gets Repeat Orders
Data, not adjectives.
15Y
Machining since 2011
Fifteen years of prototype and production work, with 150 technicians across 3 wholly-owned plants and 7,600 m² of manufacturing space.
±0.005
Tolerance held on the drawing
Metric and imperial callouts are checked feature by feature. The first article is measured and recorded before the run continues.
12h
Quote and DFM in half a day
A 3D file and a drawing are enough to start. We flag thin walls, tight radii and datum problems in the same reply as the price.
24h
Production start after approval
Once the sample is signed off, the batch moves to the same machine cell rather than waiting for a new setup.
3–5d
Parts ship in three to five days
Historical late-delivery probability is below 2%. Every part is inspected before it leaves the building.
4
Audited management systems
ISO 9001:2015, IATF 16949:2016, ISO 13485:2016 and ISO 27001:2022 cover quality, automotive, medical and data handling.
7,600 m²Manufacturing space
150Technicians on staff
127CNC machines in total
99.99%Qualification rate
Industry results
What Each Industry Requires, and What We Deliver
Aerospace prototype brackets
Thin-wall aluminium and titanium parts held to drawing before flight hardware is released.
- ±0.005 mm
- TC4 and 7075
Automotive and EV housings
Cooling channels and sealing faces machined in one five-axis setup to keep the bolt pattern aligned.
- IATF 16949
- ADC12 and 6061
Robot joint and arm parts
Concentric bores and mounting faces on the same setup, so joint alignment survives assembly.
- Ø400 mm rotary table
- Ra 0.8–1.6 μm
Medical and instrument prototypes
Stainless and titanium samples with inspection reports for design verification before tooling.
- ISO 13485
- 17-4PH and 316L
FAQs
Questions Before You Send a File
What files do you need to quote a sample?
A STEP or IGES model plus a 2D drawing with tolerances, datums and finish callouts. If the drawing is not ready, send the model and note the critical features, and we will mark what needs a tolerance before cutting.
A PDF is fine for the drawing. We do not need native CAD, and we do not share your files outside the quoting team.
Can you machine a single part?
Yes. There is no minimum order quantity. One prototype and a 10,000-piece run go through the same quoting and inspection process.
For a single part, expect the setup and programming to be most of the cost. It is usually worth ordering two or three so you have a spare to section or test.
How close can you hold a tolerance on a sample?
±0.005 mm (±0.0002 in) on held features. That applies to features we can reach and measure, so a deep bore or a thin wall may need a wider callout.
We will tell you which features are realistic at that tolerance and which are not, before the program is written.
Which materials do you keep in stock for samples?
Aluminium 6061-T6, 7075, 2024, 5052, 6082 and ADC12; stainless 303, 304, 316L, 17-4PH and 440C; titanium TC4; and engineering plastics such as POM, PEEK, PC and ABS.
Exotic grades like Inconel and magnesium AZ31B are sourced per order, which adds a few days to the lead time.
Can the sample match the production part exactly?
If the batch runs on the same machine model with the same fixture, yes. That is how we schedule pilot runs. The sample is machined, measured and approved, then the batch follows on the same cell.
When the geometry changes between sample and batch, we re-quote rather than assume the old program still applies.
Do you sign an NDA before quoting?
Yes, on request. Uploads are held secure and confidential, and our ISO 27001:2022 certification covers how files and records are handled.
Send the NDA with the RFQ if your process requires it, and we will return it signed before the file is opened.
When should a sample not be CNC machined?
If you need twenty identical visual models with no load path, vacuum casting or 3D printing is cheaper and faster. If the wall is under 0.8 mm in a soft plastic, machining can deflect and the sample will mislead you.
A sheet-metal bracket under 3 mm thick is usually a fabrication job, not a milling job. We will say so in the quote.
How is the sample inspected?
Raw material is checked on receipt, dimensions are monitored during the run, and the finished part gets a final inspection before shipment. Reports are available on request.
Every part is inspected before it ships. That is the same rule for one sample and for a 10,000-piece batch.
Send a File, Get a Machined Sample
Upload your 3D model and drawing. You get a quote and a DFM review within 12 hours, and production can start within 24 hours of approval.
12-hour quote100% inspectionNo minimum order quantityNDA on request
