Custom metal parts are made by several types of manufacturers: CNC machine shops, sheet metal fabricators, foundries, forging shops, stamping houses, and metal additive suppliers. The right one depends on the part's geometry, tolerance, material, and quantity, and precision parts cut from solid bar or plate come from a CNC machine shop such as Wexmar.
Engineers and buyers searching for who makes custom metal parts often reach a supplier that does not fit their part. This page sorts the options so you can go to the right type of manufacturer first, then explains what Wexmar makes.
Who makes custom metal parts? The main supplier types
| Supplier type | What they make | Suited to |
|---|---|---|
| CNC machine shop | Parts cut from bar, plate, or blanks | Tight tolerances, turned and milled features, prototypes to production |
| Sheet metal fabricator | Cut, bent, and formed sheet | Enclosures, brackets, panels |
| Welding and fabrication shop | Weldments and structural assemblies | Frames, skids, large structures |
| Foundry | Sand, investment, or die castings | Complex shapes at volume, near-net blanks |
| Forging shop | Forged blanks | High-strength parts, often finish-machined later |
| Stamping house | Stamped and drawn parts | Thin parts at high volume |
| Metal additive supplier | 3D-printed metal parts | Complex internal geometry, low volume |
Many parts use more than one. A casting or forging is often finish-machined to hold bores, faces, and threads. A weldment may have machined mounting features. When a part combines processes, the machine shop usually handles the precision features.
What a CNC machine shop makes
A CNC machine shop removes material from a solid blank to produce an accurate part. Typical machined parts include shafts, bushings, flanges, fittings, valve bodies, manifolds, housings, brackets, spacers, pins, and threaded components. Machining is the usual choice when a part needs tight dimensional control, fine surface finish, or accurate threads, or when quantity does not justify tooling for casting or stamping.
What Wexmar makes
Wexmar is a precision CNC machine shop in Canastota, New York, operating under Backwell MFG LLC. We make custom machined parts to customer drawings in three process families:
- Turned parts on ten CNC lathes with live tooling and Y-axis
- Milled parts on six horizontal machining centers for 3- and 4-axis work
- Swiss-turned parts up to 32 mm diameter on four Maier Swiss machines
Materials include carbon and alloy steels, 300 and 400-series and PH stainless, Nitronic 50, Inconel, Monel, Hastelloy, aluminum, brass, bronze, copper, titanium, and engineered plastics. Part examples are on our parts page, and the full equipment summary is on our capabilities page.
What Wexmar does not make in-house
Sheet metal, welding, laser cutting, castings, 3D printing, and wire EDM are not in-house processes at Wexmar. Heat treat, plating, anodizing, passivation, black oxide, and powder coat are performed through qualified outside processors, and we manage that routing for machined parts. If your part is primarily a weldment or a sheet metal enclosure, a fabricator is the better first call. If it is a casting or forging that needs precision features, we can quote the finish machining.
Custom parts from prototype to production
Many custom metal parts start as a single prototype and move to recurring production. Staying with one machine shop through that transition keeps programs, fixtures, and inspection records in one place. Wexmar accepts one-off parts with no minimum order, runs production on a second shift, and runs Swiss machines lights-out for high-volume small parts. The same estimator who quoted the prototype can quote the production lot with the proven process in view.
How to choose a custom metal parts supplier
- Identify the primary process from the part's shape and tolerance
- Confirm the supplier runs that process in-house
- Check inspection equipment against your tightest tolerance
- Ask which operations are subcontracted and who manages them
- Confirm documentation, such as material certs and first article reports
- Confirm the supplier will quote your real quantity
Custom parts for government and defense buyers
Wexmar is registered in SAM.gov under CAGE 16AD7, with NAICS 332710 and 332721, and invoices through WAWF/PIEE. Parts are made in the USA and Buy American compliant, and DFARS 252.225-7009 specialty metals sourcing is available. First article inspection in AS9102 format and CMM reports are available on request.
Getting a quote
If your custom metal part is a machined part, upload a drawing for an instant estimate. A Wexmar estimator reviews the part and confirms the price before it is firm. Call (315) 400-2654, Monday through Friday, 7 to 4 Eastern.