You can have aluminum machined at a precision CNC machine shop that turns and mills production alloys such as 6061-T6 and 7075-T6 directly to your drawing. Wexmar is a direct CNC shop in Canastota, New York that machines aluminum parts from a single prototype through production quantities and ships them nationwide.
When an engineer or buyer asks where to have aluminum machined, the practical question is which shop has the right equipment, inspection, and ordering model for the part on the desk. This page covers the shop options, what aluminum work looks like on our floor, what drives the price, and how to get a quote.
Where can I have aluminum machined? The three usual routes
Buyers generally choose between three routes. The first is a direct machine shop, where the people who quote the part also program it, run it, and inspect it. The second is an online marketplace or broker, which takes the order and routes it to a partner shop you may never speak with. The third is in-house machining, which makes sense only when volume justifies the equipment and staff.
A direct shop is usually the right fit when the part has real tolerances, when drawing questions need a fast answer from someone who knows the job, or when the same part will repeat over time. You get one point of contact, one quality system, and a clear record of who made the part.
How Wexmar machines aluminum parts
Aluminum runs across every department in our Canastota facility. Turned parts go to our ten CNC lathes, which carry live tooling and Y-axis so cross holes, flats, and milled features are finished in one setup. Prismatic parts such as housings, brackets, manifolds, and plates go to six horizontal machining centers with pallet changers for 3- and 4-axis CNC milling. Small-diameter parts up to 32 mm run on four Maier Swiss-type machines with bar feeders, which suits pins, fittings, and connector bodies in volume.
| Alloy | Typical uses | Machining notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6061-T6 | Brackets, housings, fixtures, general hardware | General-purpose, good finish, anodizes well |
| 7075-T6 / T651 | Structural and high-load components | High strength, holds tight tolerances, less weldable |
| 2024-T351 | Aerospace-style fittings | Strong, lower corrosion resistance, usually coated |
| 6082 / 5083 | Marine and structural parts | Good corrosion resistance, common in metric designs |
| MIC-6 cast plate | Fixture plates, tooling bases | Stress-relieved, flat, stable after machining |
Our full alloy list is on the materials page. If your drawing calls out a less common aluminum grade, send it anyway. Most alloys can be sourced with mill certifications.
What drives the cost of machined aluminum
Aluminum cuts quickly, so cycle time is often lower than for steel or stainless. At low quantities, the cost is driven mostly by programming, setup, and inspection rather than spindle time. The main cost drivers are:
- Number of setups. Each time a part is refixtured, time and risk are added.
- Tolerances. Standard tolerances are faster to hold than bores and positions in the tenths.
- Thin walls and deep pockets. These require lighter cuts to control chatter and distortion.
- Stock size. Plate and bar are priced by weight and size, and 7075 costs more than 6061.
- Finishing. Anodize and chem film add cost and a few days of lead time.
Anodizing and other finishes
Type II and Type III anodize, chem film, and other coatings are performed through qualified outside processors. We handle the routing, so the part leaves our shop, gets finished, and comes back for final inspection and packing. Note on your drawing whether dimensions apply before or after finish, because hard anodize adds measurable thickness to features.
Inspection for aluminum parts
Parts are inspected on two Brown and Sharpe CMMs, an optical comparator, and calibrated hand gages under an ISO 9001:2015-aligned quality system. CMM reports, material certifications, and first article inspection in AS9102 format are available when your purchase order calls for them.
Checklist before you send an aluminum RFQ
- Drawing (PDF) with revision, tolerances, and finish callouts
- 3D model (STEP) if available
- Alloy and temper, for example 6061-T6 or 7075-T651
- Quantity breaks, such as 1, 10, and 100 pieces
- Finish requirements and whether dimensions are pre- or post-finish
- Certification and inspection report requirements
- Required delivery date and ship-to location
Getting a quote
If you need aluminum machined, upload a drawing for an instant estimate. The tool returns a preliminary range, and a Wexmar estimator reviews every part before a firm price is issued. You can also call (315) 400-2654, Monday through Friday, 7 to 4 Eastern.