A machine shop is a manufacturing facility that removes material from metal or plastic stock to make precision parts, using lathes, milling machines, grinders, and inspection equipment. Most industrial machine shops today run CNC equipment and make parts to customer drawings for OEMs, equipment builders, and government buyers.
The term covers a wide range of businesses, from one-machine repair shops to multi-shift production plants. For an engineer or buyer, the useful questions are what kind of machine shop it is, what equipment it runs, and what documentation it can provide.
What a machine shop does
Machining is a subtractive process. The shop starts with bar, plate, tube, forgings, or castings and cuts away material until the part matches the drawing. The main processes are:
- Turning: the workpiece spins and a cutting tool shapes diameters, faces, grooves, and threads. Done on CNC lathes and Swiss-type lathes.
- Milling: a rotating cutter moves across a fixed workpiece to cut faces, pockets, slots, and holes. Done on vertical or horizontal machining centers.
- Drilling and tapping: holes and internal threads, usually performed on lathes with live tooling or on machining centers.
- Grinding: an abrasive wheel produces tight size and fine surface finish on diameters or flat faces.
- Inspection: parts are measured with gages, CMMs, and optical comparators to verify the drawing.
Types of machine shops
| Type | Typical work | Typical quantities |
|---|---|---|
| Job shop | Varied parts to customer drawings | One-offs to a few hundred |
| Production machine shop | Repeat parts on dedicated setups | Hundreds to many thousands |
| Swiss or screw machine shop | Small, slender turned parts | Hundreds to very high volumes |
| Prototype shop | Development parts and fast iterations | One to a few dozen |
| Contract manufacturer | Parts plus sourcing, finishing, and assembly management | Program-based |
| Tool and die shop | Tooling, molds, dies, and fixtures | Usually one-offs |
Many shops span more than one type. A precision CNC machine shop may take one-off prototypes and also run production releases on the same equipment.
Machine shop equipment
The equipment list tells you what a machine shop can make. CNC lathes handle round parts. Lathes with live tooling and a Y-axis can also mill flats, drill cross holes, and cut off-center features without moving the part to a second machine. Horizontal machining centers with pallet changers are efficient for prismatic parts that need work on several faces. Swiss-type machines support long slender parts close to the cutting tool. Inspection equipment such as coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) provides dimensional reports.
Wexmar runs 10 CNC lathes, 6 horizontal machining centers, and 4 Maier Swiss-type machines, with two Brown & Sharpe CMMs, an optical comparator, centerless and surface grinders, and a tool room. The complete list is on our machine list page.
What a machine shop does not usually do in-house
Many machine shops, including Wexmar, send certain operations to qualified outside processors. Common examples are heat treating, plating, anodizing, passivation, black oxide, and powder coating. Sheet metal fabrication, welding, casting, and 3D printing are generally separate trades. A good machine shop manages those outside steps and returns finished parts with the related certifications from the processor.
Who uses a machine shop
Industrial machine shops serve OEMs that build equipment, pumps, valves, instruments, vehicles, and power systems; maintenance and repair organizations that need replacement parts; and federal agencies and prime contractors buying components to government drawings. Engineers use machine shops for prototypes and development parts. Purchasing teams use them for production releases and spares. Our industries page covers the sectors we work with.
The typical flow is the same regardless of customer. The shop receives a drawing and model, quotes the job, buys material to specification, programs and sets up the machines, runs and inspects the parts, sends them to outside processors if needed, and ships them with the requested documentation.
How to choose a machine shop
- Match the equipment to your part: turning, milling, Swiss, or a combination.
- Confirm the materials the shop machines regularly.
- Ask what inspection equipment is used and what reports are available.
- Ask about quality system basis and material traceability.
- Confirm quantity range: prototypes, production, or both.
- Check whether you are dealing with the shop directly or through a marketplace.
Getting a quote
Wexmar is a precision CNC machine shop in Canastota, NY, serving OEMs and government buyers nationwide. Learn more on our about page, or upload a drawing for an instant estimate. To speak with the shop, call (315) 400-2654, Monday to Friday, 7 to 4 Eastern.