Georgia CNC Processing Services: 5 Checks Before You Order
This guide is for engineers and sourcing managers in Georgia comparing CNC processing services for metal and plastic parts. It lists the checks that decide whether a supplier can hit your drawing, your schedule and your audit trail. Read it before you send an RFQ, not after the first parts fail inspection.
In this article
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Key takeaways
Five checks and what each one filters out
Use this table to score suppliers side by side before you request samples.
| Check | What to ask | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Tolerance | Can you hold ±0.005 mm on this feature? | Filters out shops without 5-axis or mill-turn capacity |
| Lead time | When does production start after PO? | Separates real capacity from queue time |
| MOQ | Do you accept a single prototype? | Reveals whether setup cost is absorbed or billed |
| Certifications | Which certificates cover this plant? | Determines if your audit will pass |
| Quote basis | What is included in this price? | Stops post-quote charges for finishing and inspection |
| Confidentiality | Will you sign an NDA before files move? | Protects design IP during quoting |
The shortest path to a good supplier
Pick the supplier that answers the machine, tolerance and exclusion questions in writing. Everything else is a price guess.
Tolerance: match the feature to the machine
A ±0.005 mm callout is not a shop-wide promise. It is a statement about one machine, one setup and one material. Before you accept a quote, ask which machine will run the tight feature. A supplier with 16 simultaneous 5-axis machining centers and 16 mill-turn centers can reach that band on complex geometry. A shop running only 3-axis mills will often quote the same tolerance and then negotiate after the first article fails.
The part geometry decides the axis count. A bracket with features on four faces needs either multiple setups or a 4-axis mill. A housing with compound angles and intersecting bores is 5-axis work. If your design has undercuts, deep pockets or thin walls, ask how the shop plans to hold the part. Workholding is where most tolerance escapes happen, not the spindle.
Material matters too. Aluminium 6061 and 7075 cut clean at tight tolerance. Stainless 316L and 17-4PH move more under heat, so the shop must control coolant and finishing passes. Titanium Ti-6Al-4V and Inconel need slower feeds and more frequent tool changes. A supplier who cannot explain these differences is guessing at your quote.
- 1Ask for the machineNot the shop's best machine, the one assigned to your job.
- 2Check the size envelopeUp to 4,000 mm maximum processing size, down to 500 × 310 × 200 mm compact travel.
- 3Confirm the finishRa 0.8–1.6 μm is a standard machined finish. Ra 0.2–0.8 μm needs extra passes.
Lead time: separate queue time from production time
Two suppliers can promise the same ship date and mean different things. One starts cutting within 24 hours of the PO and ships in 3–5 days. The other collects POs for a week and then releases them to the floor. Ask directly when the spindle starts. If the answer is vague, your job is sitting in a queue.
The useful question is not how long the whole order takes. It is how long each stage takes: material purchase, first article, production, finishing and inspection. A shop with in-house finishing avoids the hidden week that comes from shipping parts to a plating house and waiting for them to return. GreatLight keeps anodizing, plating, powder coating and laser marking under the same roof.
Rush jobs are where lead-time claims break. If a supplier says every job is fast, they are not scheduling. A realistic shop will tell you which operations can be compressed and which cannot. Heat treat and plating have physical cycle times you cannot shorten by adding people.
- 1Quote and DFM within 12 hoursUse this as your baseline for responsiveness.
- 2Production start within 24 hoursAsk for this in writing on the PO.
- 3Late-delivery historyHistorical late-delivery probability below 2% is the number to compare against.
MOQ and setup: who pays for the first article
A minimum order quantity is really a statement about setup cost. If a shop requires 500 pieces, they are spreading setup across a run. If they accept one part, they are either charging it into the piece price or absorbing it to win the program. Both are fine, but you should know which one you are buying.
For prototypes, the setup route and the production route should match. If the prototype is cut on a different machine with different workholding, the first article proves nothing about the production run. Ask whether the same fixture and the same machine type will be used at volume. A supplier with no minimum order quantity can move from one prototype to a 10,000+ part run without re-qualifying the process.
Watch for setup billed as a separate line item after the quote. If the quote says one price and the invoice adds programming, fixturing and first-article inspection, the comparison you made was invalid. Get the scope in writing.
- 1No minimum order quantityFrom one prototype to 10,000+ part runs.
- 2Same route at volumePrototype and production should share machine type and fixturing concept.
- 3Scope in writingProgramming, fixturing and inspection should be listed or excluded clearly.
Certifications and inspection: what your auditor will ask for
Certificates are not decoration. They tell you which management systems are audited and which records exist. If you build automotive parts, IATF 16949:2016 is the baseline. For medical devices, ISO 13485:2016. ISO 9001:2015 is the floor for general industrial work. ISO 27001:2022 matters when your drawings and CAD files are the sensitive asset.
Ask which plant holds the certificate and whether the certificate covers the process you are buying. A group certificate that lists a different site does not help you at audit. Confirm the address on the certificate matches the address that will ship your parts.
Inspection is the other half. A supplier should describe raw material check, in-process monitoring and final inspection, with 100% inspection before shipment. Ask for reports on request and check whether they include the dimensions you actually care about, not just a pass stamp. First article inspection reports and material certificates should be available before the parts ship, not after you ask twice.
- 1ISO 9001:2015General manufacturing baseline.
- 2IATF 16949:2016Required for automotive and EV programs.
- 3ISO 13485:2016Medical device components.
- 4ISO 27001:2022Information security for design files.
Quote basis and confidentiality: compare like with like
A CNC quote is only comparable if both suppliers priced the same scope. Material grade, stock size, finish, tolerance band and inspection level all move the number. If one quote assumes as-machined Ra 1.6–3.2 μm and the other assumes Ra 0.8–1.6 μm, the cheaper one is not cheaper. It is a different part.
Ask what is excluded. Common exclusions are material certification, first article inspection, custom packaging and outside processes like heat treat. A quote that lists exclusions is more useful than one that hides them, because you can add the missing cost and compare the total.
Confidentiality belongs in this check. Before you upload CAD files, confirm the transfer is secure and that an NDA is available on request. For defense, medical and consumer electronics work, this is not optional. The quoting stage is where most IP leaks happen, because files move before any contract exists.
- 1Same scope, same comparisonLine up material, tolerance, finish and inspection before comparing price.
- 2List the exclusionsA quote with named exclusions is easier to audit than a flat number.
- 3NDA before files moveUploads are secure and confidential, with an NDA available on request.
Step by step: scoring Georgia CNC processing services
Run these steps in order. Each one removes suppliers before you spend time on samples.
- 1Send the same RFQ package to every supplierInclude 3D model, 2D drawing with GD&T, material grade, finish callout, annual volume and target date. Suppliers who quote from a model alone cannot price tolerance.
- 2Ask for the machine and the setup planRequest the machine type, axis count and workholding concept. A 5-axis or mill-turn answer for complex geometry is a good sign. A generic answer is not.
- 3Confirm the tolerance band in writingState the tightest feature and the required value, for example ±0.005 mm on bore position. Ask them to confirm or flag it as a deviation before quoting.
- 4Check certificate scope against the shipping addressMatch the certificate site to the plant that will run the job. Ask for the certificate number and expiry date.
- 5Ask what the price excludesGet material certs, first article inspection, finishing and packaging listed as included or excluded. Add excluded costs before you compare totals.
- 6Order a first article from the top two suppliersInspect the same features on both. Compare surface finish with a profilometer, not by eye. Ra 0.8–1.6 μm is the usual machined target.
- 7Lock the process before volumeConfirm that production uses the same machine type and fixture concept as the first article. If it changes, re-qualify.
Questions buyers ask before the first PO
What tolerance can Georgia CNC processing services realistically hold?
On a 5-axis or mill-turn machine with controlled temperature and proper workholding, ±0.005 mm is achievable on critical features. On a 3-axis mill with multiple setups, that band is risky because each re-clamp adds error.
Tell the supplier which feature needs the tight band. Applying ±0.005 mm to every dimension raises cost without improving function.
How fast can a prototype ship?
A quotation and free DFM analysis within 12 hours is a reasonable benchmark. Production can start within 24 hours, and parts ship in 3–5 days for straightforward geometry.
Complex 5-axis parts with finishing add time. Finishing and inspection are the stages most often underestimated.
Is there a minimum order quantity?
GreatLight works with no minimum order quantity, from one prototype to 10,000+ part runs. The setup route stays the same, so the first article reflects the production process.
Some suppliers waive MOQ but bill setup separately. Ask where the setup cost sits.
Which materials are available?
Aluminium grades 6061, 6061-T6, 2024, 5052, 5083, 6063, 6082, 7075 and ADC12. Stainless 303, 304, 316, 316L, 420, 430, 431, 440C and 17-4PH. Steel 1018, 1045, 4130, 4140, 4340, A36 and tool steel.
Also copper and brass C101, C110, C36000, beryllium copper, titanium TA1, TA2, TC4, Inconel, magnesium AZ31B and AZ91D, plus engineering plastics such as POM, PEEK, PC and PA.
What surface finishes can be applied in-house?
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 is available with a minimum character height of 1.5 mm. Keep marked text above that size or it will not read cleanly.
How are design files protected during quoting?
Uploads are secure and confidential, and a non-disclosure agreement is available on request. Sign it before CAD files move.
ISO 27001:2022 covers information security management, which matters when drawings carry your product architecture.
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