How to choose a good CNC machining supplier

How to choose a good CNC machining supplier?

CNC machining is at the heart of every product manufacturing industry. It is the most common process used in industrial manufacturing and prototyping. As a result, procurement personnel face significant challenges in finding a capable machining and supply partner. Before selecting the best machining supply partner, they must explore each option from multiple perspectives and must understand all aspects of machining parts and assemblies.
In the long run, choosing the right CNC machining partner for your business can reduce a significant amount of work and help increase productivity. However, choosing the wrong machining service provider can waste a lot of your money, and switching between other service providers can be even more costly.

A few basic conditions for a good CNC machining supplier:

• 1. A wealth of production experience (“turning and milling” skilled engineers).
• 2. Advanced machine tools and equipment.
• 3. Parts testing equipment.
• 4. Workshop management requirements.

In any type of mechanism, even the smallest part of it can affect the daily operation of the machine. When it comes to the mechanization of all these elements, the technology and quality of the machining center are two key factors. It is for this reason that we must invest in the latter, namely in CNC lathes (Computer Numerical Control), because this will be the best option to obtain the highest precision and reliability components for a given application. Would you like to learn more about precision machining? Do you need a machining job and have questions when choosing a machining company? Then you shouldn’t miss this article.

Turning CD pattern of stainless steel	Stainless steel non-standard shaft pin	Electronic and mechanical handwheel

The evolution of technology and the high competitiveness of the industrial market are leading manufacturing companies to work in larger, more flexible manufacturing environments. This evolution requires faster project development and the highest precision in every part. All of the above has a clear goal: avoid delays and cost overruns.
If you are a project manager or involved in the procurement process, you probably realize the importance of choosing a good machining company. A very good choice can help achieve prototype success, as well as project deployment or production. In this article, we will review some of the methodological concepts that help in your daily work.
What should I consider when choosing the most suitable precision machining company?

Technology used for machining

There are quite a few CNC machining solutions that may cost more or less, and may be of more or less quality. Before starting, you should be clear about the specific needs of your business or project: geometry and dimensions of the part, number of parts required, tools used (drills, cutters, milling tools), optimal number of axes to machine, capacity rotation, etc.
Depending on the techniques used, we can divide them into three main categories.

Machining with chips

Here, the material of the workpiece is shaved or cut with precision tools that produce chips. Until recently, the main problem with this system was to obtain small pieces by cutting. Today, however, injection-based systems can produce CNC parts (as little as 10 grams) with much greater precision and uniformity than other conventional techniques.

Chipless machining

This involves a variety of metal forming processes: sintering, roll milling, stamping, casting …… If we are looking for the best precision manufacturing speed ratio, this is not a viable option.

Machining by abrasion or electrical discharge

In this case, the excess material is removed by a grinding wheel, which rotates at a high cutting speed to remove small particles. They are very valuable but require a long production time.
In addition to these technologies, we can mention 3D printing, one of the latest advances. This solution allows to design a part in a few hours. Nevertheless, the layered finishes of 3D engineered parts and the material and compatibility limitations make them suitable for a wide range of uses.

Milling aviation accessories	Stainless steel non-standard parts	Fixture customization

Versatility

The company we want to choose must have machines that can deliver a wide range of products. The latest CNC lathes can produce a wide range of parts in different sizes and materials. This allows us to meet the needs of a single supplier for a single project.
This is where you should pay special attention to the technical specifications of the injection molding machine: the diameter of the screw, the minimum height of the mold or the diameter of the turntable. These and other relevant aspects will provide us with the versatility of the available machinery.

Accuracy

You must ensure that the processing service company you choose has the latest technology in CAD-CAM software systems. This is what you will be able to present through design simulations in order to quickly machine your components.
For example, when we talk about machining processes with chip extraction, CNC applications cover all machining processes: drilling, turning, etc. Computer control of the machining machine movement ensures that the part is simulated by the same computer as it is on the workpiece.
Productivity If the entire machining process is done in one machining center, we will be able to reduce manufacturing time, so we will be able to deliver parts in a few days. This is achieved by reducing the downtime or waiting time between machines.
In order to get better productivity, many aspects must be considered, such as the size of the gantry.
The type of machining table system (rotating, shared, fixed, moving), the return to zero system, the number of heads, the system for quick configuration on the machine and other aspects.
Quality we should look for systems that guarantee the highest quality in each part so that the quality can be replicated and so that we can eliminate the time of adjustment or reprocessing.

Experience

This is a very important factor, especially considering that each application and each part can be unique. Choose a company that has a long history of highly qualified professional teams so that we are better advised from the moment we come up with an idea or project to the moment we develop the product.

Surface treatment

We use the last piece of advice, the last link in the chain. This aspect can create differentiation from some processing companies to others. The treatment of the parts improves their resilience and therefore their response to external factors such as humidity or heat loss and increase. Here we can mention.
Hardening treatments: Here we can mention heat treatments that contribute to the good response of the different parts in deployments that require higher resilience standards.
Surface treatments: chrome plating, zinc plating,… A very effective treatment to reduce friction and wear of CNC parts in applications that must support a lot of rolling or sliding contact.

How to choose CNC custom machining service

Based on the changes in market demand, the personalized needs of consumers are very different and the demand is small, so CNC machining tends to change towards customized machining. We can quickly adapt to market changes and provide consumers with products and services that suit their needs and satisfy them according to their own requirements.
CNC custom machining of the three elements:

1. CNC custom machining materials

What materials can be used for CNC custom machining?
With the progress and development of technology, CNC custom machining has become increasingly important. The influencing factors include: machinable type, strength, weight, outer center, degree of corrosion resistance, etc.
CNC machining materials are very widely used. Aluminum is the most widely used material, moderate price, easy to process, strength to weight ratio is very superior, and a wide range of aluminum alloy. 6061 aluminum alloy is a high quality aluminum alloy products produced by heat treatment pre-stretching process, has excellent processing performance, excellent welding characteristics and plating, good corrosion resistance, high toughness and no deformation after processing, dense material without defects and easy to polish, easy to color film, excellent oxidation and other excellent features. SUS304 stainless steel, with high toughness, good corrosion resistance, heat resistance, corrosion resistance, low temperature strength and mechanical properties, stamping bending and other hot processing characteristics. Materials that can be used for CNC custom machining also include brass, purple copper, zinc, engineering plastics, etc.
To choose the right material according to the processing of the product as well as industry applications. For example: titanium alloy is suitable for custom machining of parts with high mechanical performance requirements; aluminum alloy 6061 or Derlin, more suitable for custom machining of speed wire parts.

2. CNC custom machining tools

CNC custom machining products of different types, shapes and materials, so you need to choose the right tool and toolholder for processing.
Based on the principle of easy installation and adjustment of good rigidity, durability and high precision to choose the processing tool. The processing of the peripheral contour of the flat parts, often using end mills. Milling plane, should choose carbide insert milling cutter. When processing tabs and recesses, choose high-speed steel end mills.

3. CNC custom processing method

Different models of CNC machining center custom processing methods are slightly different, some stroke larger machining center suitable for processing molds, some suitable for processing specifications of larger metal workpieces, while some CNC machining center is suitable for processing small hardware parts.
CNC milling machine: can milling plane, can also process irregular surface, is the CNC processing among the most commonly used processing equipment. Moreover, they can drill holes, cut gears and groove.
What’s more, CNC milling can perform three axes of motion, (X, Y and Z), and more advanced machines can also process more axes of products.
The milling process is controlled with a computer program that contains numbers, letters, and a language that knows that the part being machined travels between the various stages of processing.
Lathe: Just like CNC milling, the function of the lathe is essential in CNC machining. During machining, the cylindrical material rotates against the part that is controlled by the individual. The lathe is now also advanced in its function, as the cutting tool advances, it can rotate around the axis until it reaches the desired point.
In the CNC custom machining stage, some plastic-type products require open-mold machining in order to achieve cost reduction. For the initial sample angle, we will provide fast and efficient 3D printing service, the sample time only takes 5~7 days and the price is very advantageous.
Source: China machining solutions provider – Yaang Pipe Industry (www.machinedsgn.com)