CNC Milling Services
The decision rule you should use is the same one the floor uses to route your job: pick the lowest axis count that reaches every feature in an acceptable number of setups. The table turns that rule into a lookup.
| Geometry | Axis count | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Flat plate, pocket, holes from one side | 3-axis | One direction reaches everything; cheapest per hour |
| Features around a central axis, four sides | 4-axis | Indexing removes re-fixturing between faces |
| Angled faces, holes in several directions | 5-axis indexed | Tilts the part to each angle in one clamping |
| Contoured, organic, or impeller-like surfaces | 5-axis simultaneous | Only continuous 5-axis motion produces the form |
The general-tolerance reference matters here too. Most milled drawings carry an ISO 2768 class — -m (medium) is a common default at ±0.1 mm on a 6–30 mm dimension, -f (fine) tightens to ±0.05 mm, and -c (coarse) loosens to ±0.2 mm. Surface finish runs the same way: a standard milled face is around Ra 3.2 µm, a finishing pass reaches Ra 1.6 µm, and Ra 0.8 µm or finer usually means grinding. Name the class and the finish, and the axis count, tolerance, and finish all resolve from the same drawing.
What Materials and Tolerances Does the Milling Service Cover?
The milling floor you source from runs the same material set across its 3-, 4-, and 5-axis machines: aluminum (6061, 7075, 5052, 6082), stainless steel (303, 304, 316, 316L, 17-4PH), carbon and alloy steel, brass and copper, titanium (Ti-6Al-4V), and engineering plastics such as POM and PEEK. Material choice changes cutting speed and tool wear, not the process itself — aluminum flies, titanium crawls, and PEEK wears tools, but the machine and the inspection workflow stay the same.
On tolerance, your parts are held to ±0.003 mm on critical features, with precision grinding available at ±0.002 mm where a bearing journal or seal surface demands it. The largest workpiece you can send is 1300 × 700 × 600 mm, which covers housings and large plates as well as small brackets. These numbers are measured, not claimed — a coordinate measuring machine on the floor verifies the result before it ships.
What Surface Finishes Are Applied After Milling?
A part fresh off the mill is rarely finished. The finish that follows changes corrosion resistance, wear life, and appearance, and it is cheaper to plan it in than to bolt it on. The common options by material: anodizing (including hard anodizing) on aluminum, plating (zinc, nickel, chrome, silver, gold) on steel and copper, powder coating and painting for durable color, and brushed or mirror polishing for cosmetic or low-friction surfaces. Stainless parts that must resist corrosion in service are passivated after machining, because cutting disturbs the oxide layer that gives stainless its corrosion resistance.
Deburring is assumed, not requested — sharp edges and burrs are a defect in a finished part, not an option. The finishing step is also the main reason lead times stretch: a part that only needs deburring ships fast, while a part that goes out for anodizing or plating moves to the long end of the schedule.
What Is the Minimum Order and Lead Time?
There is no minimum order — the service accepts a single piece for prototyping and first-article approval, then scales into production batches. Lead time follows complexity rather than quantity alone. Simple parts with few process steps can ship in about three days; standard parts land around seven days; and complex parts with surface finishing can reach thirty days. A part with ten to twenty process steps, or one that leaves the floor for heat treatment or plating, sits at the long end by nature, not by negotiation.
Read lead time as a geometry signal, not a fixed promise. The fastest route to an accurate date is a 3D STEP file with tolerances only on the features that control function. A real schedule needs a real model — a paragraph of description produces a guess, not a date.
How Do You Get a Quote for Milled Parts?
Your quote is only as accurate as the file you send. Send a 3D STEP file plus a toleranced 2D drawing, and flag the two or three dimensions that actually control function. That single step — calling out only the critical features — is the biggest lever on both price and speed, because every tight dimension forces slower cuts and more inspection. Specify material, quantity, and any finish, and the quote comes back with the axis count and setup plan already implied by the geometry.
If the design is early and unfinished, send it anyway. A DFM review will name the features driving cost and suggest changes that often pay for themselves before the first chip falls.
Get a Quote for Your Milled Parts
Send your 3D STEP file and toleranced drawing for a quote. No minimum order — from a single prototype to a production run.
Get a free quote Read the FAQsFrequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 3-axis and 5-axis milling?
In short, A 3-axis machine moves the cutter along X, Y, and Z only, so each face needs its own setup. A 5-axis machine adds two rotary axes that tilt or rotate the part, letting several faces be cut in a single clamping without losing positional reference between them.
Is 5-axis milling always more expensive than 3-axis?
In short, No. The 5-axis hourly rate is higher, but when a part has features on several faces, 5-axis removes the extra setups and fixtures that a 3-axis job would need.
Can the milling service cut both metal and plastic?
In short, Yes. The same milling floor runs aluminum, stainless steel, brass, copper, titanium, and magnesium alloys alongside engineering plastics such as POM and PEEK.
What is the tightest tolerance the milling service holds?
In short, Critical features are held to ±0.003 mm (milling) / ±0.002 mm (turning) on the milling equipment, with tighter dimensions verified in-house on a coordinate measuring machine rather than assumed from the toolpath. Standard production tolerance is wider, and only function-critical dimensions should be called out tight.
Do you require a minimum order quantity for milling?
No. Orders start from a single piece, which suits prototyping and first-article runs, and scale into production batches as demand grows. Lead time rises with complexity and the number of process steps rather than simply with quantity.
How long does a milled part take to produce?
In short, Lead time depends on geometry and the number of process steps. Simple parts can ship in about three days, standard parts in roughly seven, and complex parts with surface finishing can reach about thirty days.
How do I know if my part should be 3-axis or 5-axis?
In short, Count the setups. If every feature is reachable from one or two directions, 3-axis is the cheapest correct path.
What does ISO 2768-m mean for my drawing?
It sets the default tolerance for dimensions you did not call out individually — ±0.1 mm on a 6–30 mm dimension for the -m class. Naming the class lets the shop machine "everything else" without a quote-back question.
What this shop actually runs
Ask for capability evidence and the answer should be specific. The facility behind this guide runs 100+ CNC machines on a 6,800 m2 floor in Dongguan, China, with 100+ staff. The machine list, by category:
- 5-axis machining centres (10+) - Mazak VARIAXIS I-600 (510/910/510 mm travel, 12,000 rpm, 22 kW, 71.6 N·m, 30-tool BT40) and Mazak INTEGREX I-250H S (B-axis 0.0001°, 24 kW, 124 N·m, 38-tool HSK-A63). Used on compound-angle parts, single-setup multi-face prismatic work, and aerospace fittings where datum transfer loss is unacceptable.
- 3-axis / 4-axis machining centres (50+) - Brother SPEEDIO S500Z2N / S700Z2N (10,000 rpm, 14/21-tool ATC, 0.7 s tool-to-tool, Z-axis 2.2 G) and Mazak VCE-430A L / VCE-570C L (10,000 rpm, 118 N·m, 24-tool ATC). Used on prismatic parts, plates, brackets, housings.
- Swiss-type turning centres (10+) - Citizen Cincom A20-3F7 (Φ20 mm, 10,000 rpm), TSUGAMI B0206-III / B0205-III (Φ20 mm, 0.1 µm), STAR SR-32JII / SR-32J Type N (Φ32 mm, 8,000 rpm). Used on long, slender rotational parts at ±0.002 mm.
- CNC turning centres (20+) - HEADMAN T70M/1250 (720 mm swing, 117 mm bore, 3,000 rpm, BMT75 12-station turret). Used on shafts, bushings, flanges up to ±0.002 mm.
- Wire EDM (5+) - Sodick AQ535L (550/350/300 mm travel, ±20° taper, 800 kg workpiece). Used on hardened tool steel, internal splines, sharp internal corners that milling cannot reach.
- Inspection: Hexagon CMM + 20+ gauges - Hexagon CMM for coordinate measurement, plus vision system, profilometer, hardness tester, coating thickness gauge, XRF for material verification. The 10:1 rule (gauge 10x more accurate than the band) is applied to every feature.
- Machine highlights - VARIAXIS I-600: one-setup multi-face 5-axis + MAZA-CHECK auto-calibration; INTEGREX I-250H S: DONE-IN-ONE mill-turn, B-axis 0.0001° + Ai thermal shield; SPEEDIO S500Z2N / S700Z2N: Z-axis 2.2 G + 0.7 s ATC; Swiss-type: guide-bush switchable + 0.1 µm resolution.
Tolerances held: milling ±0.003 mm, turning ±0.002 mm, grinding and wire EDM ±0.002 mm. Capability: Ppk >= 1.67 initial and Cpk >= 1.33 in production on key characteristics.
Certifications: ISO 9001:2015 (116024/A/0001/UK/En), IATF 16949:2016 (131941/A/0001/SM/En, clause 8.3 design excluded, disclosed openly) and ISO 14001:2015 (116024/B/0001/UK/En), issued to Dongguan Zhuohang Ltd, USCC 91441900MA4UWT6X39, established 2005.
Service area: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom in Europe; Brazil, Canada, Mexico and the United States in the Americas; China, Israel, Japan, Singapore and Sri Lanka in Asia; Australia and New Zealand in Oceania; and South Africa in Africa — built in China, shipped worldwide.
Contact: Felipe Iglesias, [email protected], +86 13126536955.
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Standards referenced on this page
- ASTM B211/B211M-19 — Standard Specification for Aluminum-Alloy Rolled or Cold Finished Bar, Rod, and Wire
- ASTM A276/A276M-17 — Standard Specification for Stainless Steel Bars and Shapes
- ISO 9001 — Quality management systems — Requirements