CNC machining
Material is cut away from solid stock by a computer-controlled cutting tool, working directly from the CAD file with no tooling in between.
- Tolerance
- ±0.02 mm
- Min. wall
- 0.5 mm
- Tooling
- None — programming and setup only
- Batch fit
- 1–2,000 pcs
How it works
Material is cut away from solid stock by a computer-controlled cutting tool, working directly from the CAD file with no tooling in between.
Plain and channel-set rings, precision components, titanium parts, prototypes are the work this route is chosen for. It runs on 316L stainless steel, Titanium, Brass, 925 silver and suits 1–2,000 pcs.
Production steps
Each step below is a separate labour operation, and labour is priced per operation rather than per piece. That is why a 6-step route costs what it does.
CAM programme generated from the CAD file 
Stock bar or plate fixtured 
Roughing pass 
Finishing pass to final dimension 
Deburr and edge break 
Polish or bead blast
Process parameters
These are engineering properties of the process itself. They hold at any competent factory and can be checked against a manufacturing reference.
| Dimensional tolerance | ±0.02 mm |
|---|---|
| Minimum wall / section | 0.5 mm |
| Tooling cost | None — programming and setup only |
| Suited to | 1–2,000 pcs |
| Cycle time | Minutes per piece |
| Materials accepted | 316L stainless steel, Titanium, Brass, 925 silver |
Tooling ranges are industry-typical. A firm figure is quoted against your CAD file — see the cost breakdown.
CNC vs Stamping
Choose CNC for small runs, hard metals and designs still being revised; choose stamping once the design is frozen and the quantity passes roughly a thousand pieces.
Compare with stamping →Materials and categories this suits
Process, material and product category are one decision seen from three sides. These are the combinations that actually work.
| 316L steel | ASTM A276 / EN 1.4404 |
|---|---|
| Titanium | ASTM B348 Gr.2 / Gr.5 (Ti-6Al-4V) |
| 925 silver | ASTM B700 / EN ISO 9202 (925 fineness) |
| Brass | ASTM B36 / EN CW508L |
| Rings | Plain and channel-set bands, ±0.02 mm |
|---|
What to watch out for
CNC machining — buyer questions
Each answer stands alone and can be read without the rest of this page.
What tolerance can cnc machining hold?
CNC machining holds ±0.02 mm on production parts, with a minimum wall or section of 0.5 mm. Material is cut away from solid stock by a computer-controlled cutting tool, working directly from the CAD file with no tooling in between. Tighter tolerances than this normally mean a secondary machining operation rather than a change to the primary process.
How much does tooling cost for cnc machining?
Tooling for this route is none — programming and setup only, quoted as a one-off line and invoiced separately from the unit price. The buyer owns the tooling and it is not charged again on a reorder. Full tooling ranges for every route are on the manufacturing cost page.
What order quantity does cnc machining suit?
This route suits 1–2,000 pcs. Below that range the setup cost dominates the unit price; above it, a different route is usually cheaper per piece. Choose CNC for small runs, hard metals and designs still being revised; choose stamping once the design is frozen and the quantity passes roughly a thousand pieces.
Which metals can be processed this way?
316L stainless steel, Titanium, Brass, 925 silver. Machine time is charged per piece and does not fall with quantity the way stamping does. Above a few thousand pieces CNC is almost always the expensive answer.
CNC or stamping — which is right for my design?
Choose CNC for small runs, hard metals and designs still being revised; choose stamping once the design is frozen and the quantity passes roughly a thousand pieces.
Not answered here? All buyer questions →
Quote a cnc run
Send the CAD file or a sketch. You get the tooling cost as its own line, the unit price at your quantity, and a straight answer on whether cnc is the right route for the design — we will say so if it is not. Production runs in Qingxi, Dongguan, Guangdong.
- 01Reply within one working day, Guangdong business hours.
- 02Itemised cost sheet — mold quoted separately, not folded into the unit price.
- 03NDA on request before any file is shared.