Lead time
From 1–5 business days depending on complexity and finish
CNC-Bearbeitung
CNC Machining Services
Subtractive manufacturing for tight-tolerance metal and plastic parts — from first articles to production lots.
CNC machining removes material from solid stock with computer-controlled mills, lathes, and multi-axis centers. AIHFABS manufactures custom CNC parts with process planning, material selection and inspection requirements reviewed by our manufacturing team. Choose CNC when you need production-grade alloys, crisp machined finishes, and tolerances that additive methods alone cannot hold.
What is CNC machining?
CNC machining is a subtractive route: mills, lathes, and multi-axis centers cut a finished part from solid metal or plastic stock. Toolpaths follow your CAD, so holes, pockets, threads, and sealing faces can be held to drawing callouts that additive processes usually cannot match on their own.
On AIHFABS you pick milling, turning, 5-axis, Swiss, routing, or a mixed route after the file is reviewed. Use CNC when the alloy, the as-machined finish, or the tolerance stack is the reason the part exists — not when you only need a cheap visual model.
CNC machining capabilities
Figures below are planning values. Instant quote after CAD upload is the live source for price and lead time.
Typical tolerance
±0.05 mm standard; tighter on request with drawing callouts
Max part size
Project dependent — large-format machining available
Surface finish
As-machined, bead blast, anodize, plating, powder coat, polish
Quantity
Prototype through low- to mid-volume production
CNC materials
Metals and engineering plastics from bar, plate, or near-net stock. Catalog grades open on the materials pages.
Aluminum 6061
CNC mill / turn plate and bar
Aluminum 7075
High-strength aerospace aluminum
Stainless Steel 304
General-purpose stainless stock
Stainless Steel 316
Marine-grade stainless
Carbon Steel 1018 / 1045
Traditional mild and medium carbon steel
Brass C360
Free-machining brass
Copper C110
High-conductivity copper
Titanium Grade 5 (Ti-6Al-4V)
CNC mill titanium billet
Clear Acrylic (PMMA)
Transparent CNC sheet and block
Colored / Frosted Acrylic
Opaque, tinted, and matte PMMA sheet
POM (Delrin / Acetal)
Engineering plastic for CNC
Polycarbonate (PC)
Impact-resistant engineering sheet
CNC surface finishes
As-machined is the default. Call out cosmetic faces and coating specs when they matter to fit or appearance.
As machined
Visible tool marks, typically Ra 1.6–3.2 μm unless a finer pass is specified. Fastest path for functional prototypes.
Bead blast + anodize
Aluminum faces evened with blast media, then Type II or Type III anodize for wear and color.
Plate, powder, or polish
Nickel, zinc, powder coat, or polish on faces that see customers or corrosive environments.
How CNC machining compares on AIHFABS
Same upload can be quoted as milling, turning, 5-axis, or Swiss when the geometry fits more than one cell.
| Verfahren | Lieferzeit | Toleranz | Preis |
|---|---|---|---|
| CNC Machining ServicesMetals & plastics | From 1–5 business days depending on complexity and finish | ±0.05 mm standard; tighter on request with drawing callouts | Instant quote · typical prototype from $45 |
| CNC Milling ServicesMetals & plastics | Simple 1–3 days; complex 3–7 days; batch 5–15 days | ±0.01 mm standard; ±0.005 mm high precision | Instant quote · typical prototype from $40 |
| CNC Turning ServicesMetals & plastics | Simple 1–3 days; complex 7–10 days | ±0.01 mm standard; ±0.001–0.002 mm high precision | Instant quote · typical prototype from $35 |
| CNC Routing ServicesPlastics & composites | From 2–4 business days | Medium precision (~±0.025 mm class) | Instant quote · typical panel job from $30 |
| 5-Axis CNC MachiningMetals & plastics | From 3–7 business days depending on complexity | ±0.02–0.05 mm on critical features when specified | Instant quote · typical prototype from $80 |
| Precision Machining ServicesMetals & plastics | From 3–8 business days (complexity dependent) | ±0.005–0.01 mm; Ra 0.4–1.6 μm; CPK ≥ 1.33 | Instant quote · quoted to drawing / inspection grade |
| Large Part CNC MachiningMetals & plastics | Quoted per project (fixturing and logistics driven) | Around ±0.025 mm on critical features; large spans project-dependent | Project quote · fixturing and logistics driven |
| Swiss CNC MachiningMetals & plastics | From 3–7 business days; faster on repeat batches | ±0.005 mm standard; down to ±0.0025 mm when specified | Instant quote · most economical in batch runs |
How we run CNC jobs
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1
Step 1
Upload STEP, IGES, or other CAD with drawings for critical dimensions and finishes.
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2
Step 2
We match your geometry to milling, turning, routing, 5-axis, Swiss, or hybrid mill-turn capacity.
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3
Step 3
Toolpaths remove stock in roughing and finishing passes while holding your specified tolerances.
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4
Step 4
Deburring, inspection, and optional surface treatments complete the part before shipment.
Each job is matched to a mill, lathe, or multi-axis cell after a DFM pass on the solid and the drawing. Critical fits, threads, and cosmetic faces need to be marked — the model alone is not the inspection plan.
Deburr, wash, and dimensional checks happen before any coating. First-article or CMM reports are available when the drawing calls for them.
Advantages and Trade-offs
Advantages
- Wide material catalog: aluminum, steel, stainless, titanium, brass, copper, and engineering plastics
- Tight tolerances suitable for mating interfaces, bearings, and sealed assemblies
- Excellent as-machined or post-processed surface finishes for functional and cosmetic parts
- Scales from one-off prototypes to repeat production with consistent process control
Trade-offs
- Internal channels and lattices that a tool cannot reach still need additive or a split design.
- Deep pockets, thin walls, and tiny internal radii add cycle time and risk of chatter.
- Buy-to-fly is poor on bulky billets — consider near-net or printed preforms when stock waste dominates cost.
Design guidelines for CNC
These are shop-ready defaults. Tighten only the features that actually locate or seal.
| Feature | Recommended practice |
|---|---|
| Drawings | Put GD&T and critical fits on a 2D drawing; do not rely on the solid alone. |
| Pockets & walls | Avoid ultra-thin walls and unnecessary deep pockets that drive deflection. |
| Threads & cosmetics | Call out threads, inserts, and show faces before CAM so fixtures can plan for them. |
| Internal corners | Use radii that match common end-mill diameters (typically 1–3 mm). |
Other CNC processes
CNC Milling Services
CNC Milling Services use computer numerical control (CNC) mills to cut workpieces with rotating tools according to programmed toolpaths.
Prozessdetails
CNC Turning Services
CNC Turning Services use computer numerical control lathes to remove material while the workpiece rotates at high speed and the cutting tool feeds along a set path.
Prozessdetails
CNC Routing Services
CNC Routing Services use computer numerical control (CNC) routers with high-speed rotating bits to cut, engrave, drill, and shape materials.
ProzessdetailsCNC machining FAQ
When should I choose CNC instead of 3D printing?
Choose CNC when you need production alloys, sealing faces, bearing seats, or tolerances tighter than typical as-built additive. Printing is usually faster for lattices, internals, and one-off plastics.
What files do you need for a useful CNC quote?
STEP or IGES plus a drawing for datums, threads, and finishes. Quantity, material, and destination help the instant quote stay close to the shop route.
How tight can you hold?
Standard planning tolerance is about ±0.05 mm. Tighter values are quoted when the drawing marks those features and the process (grind, Swiss, or precision milling) can hold them.
Can one upload cover milling and turning?
Yes. Prismatic parts usually go to a mill; shafts and bores go to a lathe or mill-turn. We pick the cell after the file is opened, not from the page you started on.
Do you anodize or plate in-house?
Secondary finishes are scheduled with the same order. Specify color, spec, and masking so the quote includes them instead of adding a second PO later.
CNC Machining Services — engineering review before production
Use these process-specific checks when preparing your model, drawing and quote request. The confirmed quotation and approved drawing define the requirements for your part.
Plan the complete operation sequence
Separate rotational, prismatic and angled features before choosing milling, turning or multi-axis operations. A part may need more than one setup. Critical relationships between features should share a clear datum scheme so the workholding and inspection plan can preserve them.
Stock and finished-part requirements
Specify material grade, temper or hardness, thread details and surface requirements. Consider both tool access and clamp access. Plating or anodizing may change fits, so identify surfaces to mask and state whether a dimension applies before or after finish.
Acceptance checklist
Supply a STEP model and revision-controlled drawing. Mark critical fits and GD&T, request the required reports and confirm the final inspection basis before production begins.
Ähnliche 3D-gedruckte oder CNC-Teile benötigt?
AIHFABS kalkuliert kundenspezifischen 3D-Druck und CNC aus einem CAD-Upload. Vergleichen Sie SLA, SLS, MJF, SLM, FDM, DLP, Fräsen und Drehen und fügen Sie Dampfglätten, Färben, Eloxieren, Polieren oder Pulverbeschichten derselben Bestellung hinzu.
Sofortangebot
Sofortangebote eignen sich für Prototypen, Vorrichtungen, Gehäuse und Kleinserien. Werkstoff, Verfahren, Menge und Lieferzeit stehen zusammen.
Mehrere Verfahren
Werkstoff, Verfahren, Menge und Lieferzeit stehen zusammen, damit Konstruktionsänderungen keine neue Lieferantenrunde auslösen.
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Dateien hochladen
STL, STEP und gängige CAD-Formate für ein Online-Angebot hochladen.
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Optionen vergleichen
3D-Drucktechnologien und CNC am gleichen Teil vergleichen.
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Werkstoff & Finish
Polymere oder Metalle wählen und bei Bedarf 3D-Plus-Hardware-Finish hinzufügen.
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Auftrag bestätigen
Preis und Lieferzeit vor dem Checkout prüfen oder ein manuelles Angebot anfordern.
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