CNC Machining Guides & Resources
How-to guides, cost breakdowns, processes, materials, and industry deep-dives from the Wexmar shop floor.
Industry
CNC Machining for Aerospace: Tolerances, Traceability, and Materials
Aerospace CNC machining guide covering tolerances, material certs, traceability, CMM inspection, finishes, and cost drivers for precision flight-hardware parts.
CNC Machining for Medical Devices: Materials, Cleanliness, and Validation
Medical device CNC machining guide covering biocompatible materials, surface finishes, cleanliness, validation, CMM inspection, and realistic cost drivers.
CNC Machining for Defense and DoD: DFARS, Build to Print, and Small-Lot Spares
Defense CNC machining guide covering DFARS material, build-to-print work, small-lot spares, traceability, CMM inspection, and realistic cost drivers for DoD parts.
Inspection
CMM Inspection Explained: How a Coordinate Measuring Machine Verifies Your Parts
How CMM inspection works, what a CMM report shows, and realistic cost ranges for coordinate measuring machine verification on precision CNC parts.
First Article Inspection and AS9102: A Buyer's Guide to FAI Requirements
When first article inspection and AS9102 are required, what the three FAI forms include, and realistic cost and lead-time impact for CNC machined parts.
GD&T Basics for Buyers: Datums, Position, and Profile Without the Jargon
A plain-English GD&T guide for buyers: how datums, true position, and profile tolerances work and how each callout drives CNC machining cost.
Process
Swiss Machining Guide: When Swiss CNC Beats a Standard Lathe
Swiss machining guide covering guide bushing setup, small-diameter high-volume parts, tolerances, cost drivers, and exactly when Swiss beats a lathe.
CNC Threading and Tapping: Single-Point, Rolled, and Cut Threads Explained
CNC threading and tapping guide: single-point vs rolled vs cut threads, thread classes 2A/3A, tolerances, gauging, and realistic cost ranges.
Boring and Reaming for Precision Bores: Roundness, Tolerance, and Cost
Boring and reaming guide for precision bores: roundness, cylindricity, bore tolerances, surface finish, when to bore vs ream, and realistic cost ranges.
CNC Turning: How It Works, When to Use It, and What It Costs
A practical CNC turning guide covering how turning works, achievable tolerances, surface finishes, material grades, and real cost drivers for machined parts.
CNC Milling Guide: 3-Axis vs 4-Axis Horizontal, Features, and Cost
CNC milling guide comparing 3-axis and 4-axis horizontal machining, achievable tolerances, surface finishes, feature limits, and realistic cost drivers.
CNC Drilling and Hole-Making: Peck Drilling, Reaming, and Position Tolerance
CNC drilling and hole-making guide covering peck drilling, reaming, boring, tapping, position tolerance, hole finishes, and realistic cost drivers.
Cost
How Much Does CNC Machining Cost?
A real CNC machining cost breakdown: setup, material, machine time, finishing, and CMM inspection, with dollar ranges for turning, milling, and Swiss.
What Drives CNC Part Cost Up
The real reasons CNC part cost climbs: tight tolerances, hard materials, extra setups, and demanding finishes, with numbers and cost multipliers.
How to Reduce CNC Machining Cost Without Losing Quality
Practical DFM moves to reduce CNC machining cost: loosen non-critical tolerances, batch orders, pick machinable materials, and cut setups.
Manufacturing
Build to Print Machining Explained: What a Complete Drawing Package Includes
Build to print CNC machining guide: what a complete drawing package needs, GD&T, tolerances, material certs, CMM inspection, and real cost drivers.
Prototype to Production: How to Bridge From One-Off to Full CNC Run
Prototype to production CNC machining: how to scale from a one-off part to a full run, control cost per part, lock tolerances, and set up FAI and CMM.
Design for Manufacturability (DFM) for CNC Parts: Cost-Saving Design Rules
DFM for CNC machining: practical design rules that cut cost. Wall thickness, corner radii, L:D ratios, tolerances, and finish, with a real cost table.
Machines
CNC Lathe Explained: Bar-Fed vs Chucker, Live Tooling, and Y-Axis Turning
How a CNC lathe works: bar-fed vs chucker setups, live tooling, and Y-axis turning, with real tolerances, finishes, lead times, and cost ranges.
VMC vs HMC: Choosing Between a Vertical and Horizontal Machining Center
VMC vs HMC compared for CNC milling: chip evacuation, pallet changers, tolerances, finishes, and real cost ranges to help you pick the right machine.
Swiss-Type Lathe Explained: How It Differs From a Conventional CNC Lathe
Swiss-type lathe explained: sliding headstock, guide bushing, and why Swiss machining wins on long slender parts, with real tolerances and cost ranges.
Materials
Machining 6061 and 7075 Aluminum: Speeds, Finishes, Anodizing, and Cost
A precision CNC guide to machining 6061 and 7075 aluminum: speeds and feeds, tolerances, surface finish, anodizing, and real cost drivers.
Machining 303, 304, and 316 Stainless Steel: Work Hardening, Tooling, and Cost
How to machine 303, 304, and 316 stainless steel: controlling work hardening, tooling and feed strategy, tolerances, and real cost drivers.
Machining Titanium and High-Nickel Alloys: Challenges, Tooling, and Cost Premium
A precision guide to machining titanium and high-nickel alloys like Inconel: heat, work hardening, tooling strategy, tolerances, and cost premium.
Parts
CNC Machining Hydraulic and Pneumatic Fittings
How CNC machining produces hydraulic and pneumatic fittings: thread specs, sealing surfaces, brass vs stainless, tolerances, and real cost ranges.
CNC Machining Housings and Manifolds on an HMC
How horizontal machining centers cut housings and manifolds: multi-face setups, bore tolerances, port sealing, deep-hole cross-drilling, and cost ranges.
Swiss Machining Pins, Dowels, and Standoffs at Volume
How Swiss CNC machining produces pins, dowels, and standoffs at volume: tight diameters, L:D ratios, finishes, materials, and real per-part cost ranges.
How Precision Shafts Are Machined
A CNC machinist's guide to precision shaft machining: turning, grinding, concentricity control, tolerances, materials, and real cost drivers.
Machining Bushings and Bearing Sleeves
How CNC shops machine bushings and bearing sleeves: press fits, running clearances, materials, tolerances, bore finish, and real cost ranges.
Machining Flanges
How CNC shops machine flanges: facing flat, drilling bolt circles, sealing-surface finishes, materials, tolerances, and real cost ranges.
Buyer Questions
Where Can I Have Aluminum Machined?
Where can I have aluminum machined? A direct CNC shop in Canastota, NY turns, mills, and Swiss-machines 6061 and 7075 aluminum parts, one-offs to production.
Where Can I Get a Part Machined?
Where can I get a part machined? Send your drawing to a direct CNC machine shop. Wexmar turns, mills, and Swiss-machines custom parts and ships them nationwide.
How Do I Find a Machine Shop for My Parts?
How do I find a machine shop? Match your part to the process, check equipment and inspection, and confirm the shop quotes your quantity. A buyer's guide.
How Much Does It Cost to Machine a Part?
How much does it cost to machine a part? Price depends on setup, cycle time, material, tolerance, and quantity. See the cost drivers and how to lower them.
How Do I Get a Quote for Machined Parts?
How do I get a quote for machined parts? Send a drawing, model, material, quantity, and finish. Learn what speeds quoting and how Wexmar confirms every price.
What File Types Do Machine Shops Accept?
What file types do machine shops accept? STEP models and PDF drawings are the standard. See how STEP, IGES, Parasolid, and DXF compare for machining quotes.
Do Machine Shops Have a Minimum Order Quantity?
Do machine shops have a minimum order quantity? Many set piece or dollar minimums. Wexmar has no MOQ and machines one-offs through production runs in NY.
How Long Does CNC Machining Take?
How long does CNC machining take? Typical lead times run 1-3 weeks for prototypes and 3-6 weeks for production, plus material and finishing. See the factors.
Can You CNC Machine Titanium?
Can you CNC machine titanium? Yes, with rigid setups, sharp tooling, and controlled speeds. Wexmar turns, mills, and Swiss-machines Grade 2 and Grade 5 parts.
Can You CNC Machine Inconel?
Can you CNC machine Inconel? Yes. Inconel 625 and 718 work-harden and wear tools, so they need rigid setups and slow, steady cuts. Wexmar turns and mills them.
Who Makes Custom Metal Parts?
Who makes custom metal parts? Machine shops, fabricators, foundries, and stampers each fit different parts. See which to call and what Wexmar machines in NY.
Will a Machine Shop Take Small Orders?
Will a machine shop take small orders? Many decline, but Wexmar has no minimum and machines small lots of turned, milled, and Swiss parts for B2B buyers.
Can I Get a One-Off Part Machined?
Can I get a one-off part machined? Yes. Wexmar machines single custom parts from a drawing or STEP file with no minimum order. See what one-off machining costs.
How Much Does Prototype Machining Cost?
How much does prototype machining cost? Typical CNC prototypes run from low hundreds to several thousand dollars each. See the cost drivers and how to cut them.
Can I Get Rush CNC Machining?
Can I get rush CNC machining? Often yes, if material is available and the drawing is complete. Learn what can be expedited and how Wexmar schedules rush work.
Where Can I Buy US-Made CNC Parts?
Where can I buy US-made CNC parts? Order direct from a domestic machine shop. Wexmar machines custom parts in Canastota, NY and ships them nationwide.
How Do I Reshore Machining From China?
How do I reshore machining from China? Compare total landed cost, build a clean drawing package, and qualify a US shop with a first article. A buyer's guide.
Where Do I Find Buy American Compliant Machined Parts?
Where do I find Buy American compliant machined parts? Source from a US CNC shop that machines in-house and can supply DFARS specialty metals. See what to ask.
How Do I Write a Machining RFQ?
How do I write a machining RFQ? Include drawings, models, material, quantities, finish, quality and commercial terms. A template and checklist for buyers.
Can I Get an Instant CNC Quote Online?
Can I get an instant CNC quote online? Yes. Upload a PDF or STEP file to Wexmar for an AI price range and 3D view, then a human estimator confirms the price.
Can I Upload a STEP File for a Machining Quote?
Can I upload a STEP file for a machining quote? Yes. Upload STEP or PDF to the Wexmar instant quote tool for an AI price range, then a human confirms the price.
How Does a Startup Find a Machine Shop?
How does a startup find a machine shop? Look for no minimums, design feedback, and a path from prototype to production. See how Wexmar works with startups.
Machine Shop for Engineers: How to Work With a CNC Shop
What engineers should expect from a machine shop: drawing review, DFM questions, held tolerances, and inspection data. How to work with a CNC shop on parts.
Machining for Procurement Managers: How to Source CNC Parts
A procurement manager's guide to buying machined parts: RFQ packages, supplier vetting, documentation, lead time, and how to compare CNC machining quotes.
How to Reduce Machining Lead Time on CNC Parts
How to reduce machining lead time: what drives CNC lead time, where parts wait, and the steps buyers and engineers can take to get machined parts sooner.
What Is a Machine Shop?
What is a machine shop? A facility that cuts metal and plastic into precision parts using CNC lathes, mills, and grinders. Types of shops and what they do.
CNC vs Manual Machining: What Is the Difference?
CNC vs manual machining compared: accuracy, repeatability, cost, and when each fits. Why most production and precision parts are made on CNC lathes and mills.
How to Send a Drawing to a Machine Shop for a Quote
How to send a drawing to a machine shop: which file formats to use, what to include with a PDF and STEP file, and how to get an accurate CNC machining quote.
What Tolerances Can a Machine Shop Hold?
What tolerances can a machine shop hold? Typical CNC machining tolerances by process, from standard plus or minus 0.005 in to ground features, and cost drivers.
Surface Finish Ra Explained: What the Numbers Mean
Surface finish Ra explained: what Ra measures, common values in microinches and microns, how each is produced by machining or grinding, and how to call it.
How to Specify Threads on a Drawing for Machined Parts
How to specify threads on a drawing: size, pitch, series, class, and depth for UN and metric threads, plus thread class tables and common callout mistakes.
Material Certs Explained: What Buyers Should Request
Material certs explained: mill test reports, EN 10204 3.1 certificates, certificates of conformance, and DFARS statements. What each shows, when to require it.
What Is Build to Print?
What is build to print? A manufacturing model where the machine shop makes parts to the customer's drawing and specs. How it works and what buyers provide.
What Is Contract Manufacturing?
What is contract manufacturing? An OEM outsources production to a supplier who builds to its drawings. How contract machining works and how to choose a partner.
What Is a Job Shop?
What is a job shop? A machine shop that makes varied custom parts in small to medium lots to customer drawings. How job shops work, price, and schedule work.
How Machine Shops Price Parts
How machine shops price parts: setup, cycle time, material, outside processing, inspection, and quantity. What drives a CNC quote and how to lower cost.
Setup Cost Explained: What You Pay for Before the First Part
Setup cost explained: programming, fixturing, tool setting, and first-piece inspection in CNC machining, why it is fixed per order, and how to reduce it.
Why Small Quantities Cost More in CNC Machining
Why small quantities cost more to machine: setup, programming, material minimums, and inspection are fixed per order. How to plan quantities and lower price.
Heat Treating Machined Parts: Processes, Sequence, and Specs
Heat treating machined parts explained: hardening, stress relief, nitriding, and PH aging, when to heat treat in the machining sequence, and how to specify it.
Deburring Explained: Edge Break Requirements for Machined Parts
Deburring explained for machined parts: what burrs are, how shops remove them, how to call edge break on a drawing, and why deburring affects cost and quality.
Inspection Reports Explained: What Machined Parts Ship With
Inspection reports explained: first article inspection, AS9102 FAI, CMM reports, dimensional reports, and certificates of conformance, and when you need each.
Reverse Engineering a Part Without a Drawing
Reverse engineering a part without a drawing: how a machine shop measures a sample, identifies material, builds a drawing and model, and makes replacements.
Machine Tool Companies vs Machine Shops: Which Do You Need?
Machine tool companies vs machine shops: builders and dealers such as Mazak, Doosan, and Haas sell CNC machines, while machine shops use them to make parts.
Precision Machining Companies in the USA: How to Evaluate One
How to evaluate precision machining companies in the USA: equipment, inspection, documentation, capacity, and direct shop vs marketplace, plus facts on Wexmar.
Send drawings, get a quote
Email a print, STEP file, or solicitation package. Quotes include material, machine time, finishing, inspection, and freight to your dock.