Wexmar provides CNC machining for electronics enclosures and connectors from our shop in Canastota, New York. Connector makers, electrical equipment OEMs and electronics integrators use us as a connector machine shop for Swiss-turned contacts and pins, connector shells and backshells, terminal studs, copper bus bars, heat sinks and housings machined from solid aluminum. Electrical and connector hardware is one of our core markets, and our Swiss and turning capacity is well suited to the small, high-count parts it requires.
What connector and enclosure buyers order from a machine shop
Electrical and electronic assemblies depend on machined parts that conduct, shield, seal or dissipate heat. Typical requirements include:
- Contacts, pins and sockets for power and signal connectors.
- Connector shells, coupling nuts and backshells with fine threads and keying features.
- Terminal studs, lugs and feedthroughs for power distribution equipment.
- Bus bars and bus connectors in copper and aluminum.
- Machined enclosures, covers and lids for rugged or sealed electronics.
- Heat sinks and cold plates with fins, pockets and tapped mounting patterns.
- Standoffs, spacers and insulators in metal and engineered plastics.
Materials common to electrical and electronic hardware
Free-machining brass C360 is the standard for many connector bodies and contacts because it machines cleanly and plates well. Copper C110 and C145 tellurium copper are chosen for current-carrying parts where conductivity matters. Phosphor bronze appears in spring and contact applications. Aluminum 6061-T6 is used for enclosures, heat sinks and shells, and 303 and 316 stainless for coupling hardware in harsh environments. Engineered plastics such as PEEK, Ultem, PTFE and acetal serve as insulators and inserts. Our materials page has notes on each grade.
Tolerances, finishes and documentation
Connector parts are small and tightly toleranced. Typical callouts include ±.0005 in. on contact diameters, ±.001 in. on shell features, fine-pitch threads on coupling nuts, and concentricity within .001 in. between the contact area and termination end. Enclosures commonly carry flatness of .002 to .004 in. on sealing flanges, with tapped hole patterns at ±.005 in. true position. Plating such as gold, silver, tin and nickel, along with anodize and chemical conversion coating, is performed through qualified outside processors.
Documentation typically includes material certs, dimensional inspection and a certificate of conformance. CMM reports, optical comparator profiles for small features and first article inspection in AS9102 format are available on request. Our quality system is ISO 9001:2015-aligned.
Quantity patterns: prototype and high-count production
Connector programs start with prototype lots of 10 to 100 pieces for qualification testing, then move to production runs of several thousand to tens of thousands of pieces per release. Enclosures and bus bars run in smaller lots, often 10 to 500 pieces aligned with system builds. Our Swiss machines are lights-out capable, which makes them a good fit for high-count contacts and pins, while our horizontals handle enclosure lots on pallets.
How our floor handles CNC machining for electronics enclosures and connectors
Swiss turning for contacts and pins
Four Maier MLK-32 Swiss-type machines with FMB bar feeders produce contacts, pins, sockets and small shells to 32 mm diameter. The guide bushing holds long slender parts steady, and the machines can run unattended for production counts. See our Swiss machining page.
Turning with live tooling
Ten CNC lathes with live tooling and Y-axis produce larger shells, coupling nuts, terminal studs and feedthroughs with flats, slots and cross holes complete.
Horizontal milling for enclosures and bus bars
Six horizontal machining centers with pallet changers run 3- and 4-axis horizontal milling on enclosures, heat sinks and copper bus bars, reaching multiple faces in one setup.
Typical connector and enclosure parts, materials and tolerances
| Part | Common material | Typical tolerance | Primary process |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contact pin | Brass C360, tellurium copper | ±.0005 in. OD | Swiss |
| Connector shell | 6061-T6, 303 | ±.001 in., fine threads | Swiss or lathe |
| Terminal stud | Copper C110, brass | Class 2A threads | Lathe or Swiss |
| Bus bar | Copper C110 | ±.005 in., ±.002 in. holes | Horizontal milling |
| Machined enclosure | 6061-T6 | .002 in. flatness on flange | Horizontal milling |
| Insulator | PEEK, PTFE | ±.002 in. | Swiss or lathe |
Getting a quote
Send drawings or STEP files, quantities, plating requirements and any documentation needs. You can upload a drawing for an instant estimate, and a human estimator confirms every quote. For connector and enclosure parts, call (315) 400-2654, Monday through Friday, 7 to 4 Eastern, or email ron@backwell.com.