CNC machining:

The Complete
Engineering Guide
Learn all you need to know about CNC machining in 25 minutes or less. Whether you are an experienced
design engineer or just getting started with CNC, this guide is for you.

1
Table of Contents

Part 1

The Basics
5. What is CNC machining?

A brief history of CNC machining

7. Types of CNC machines

3-axis CNC machines

5-axis CNC machining

Summary

14. Benefits & Limitations of CNC machining

Benefits of CNC machining

Limitations of CNC machining

16. Applications of CNC machining

CNC machining vs. 3D printing

Scaling up production

Part 2

Design for CNC

machining 21. CNC machining design restrictions

22. Design rules for CNC machining

24. Designing undercuts

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Part 3

Materials for CNC

machining 26. Materials for CNC machining

Metals

Plastics

Surface finishes

Part 4

Cost reduction
tips 32. Tips to keep your CNC project on budget

Tip #1: Increase the size of all fillets or

add undercuts to sharp edges

Tip #2: Minimize the number of machine

orientations

Tip #3: Consider the cost of the material

Part 5

Start CNC
machining 37. Step 1:
Export your design to a CNC-compatible CAD
file format

38. Step 2:
Prepare a technical drawing

39. Step 3:
Get an instant quote & start manufacturing

Part 6

Useful Resources
41. Knowledge Base

Learn to machine

Other guides

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Part 1

The Basics
What is CNC machining? What are the different types of CNC
machines? How do they work? In this section, we answer all
these questions and we compare CNC machining to other
manufacturing technologies to help you find the best solution
for your application.

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What is CNC machining?
CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machining is a sub-
tractive manufacturing technology: parts are created by
removing material from a solid block (called the blank
or the workpiece) using a variety of cutting tools.

This is a fundamentally different way of manufacturing compared to

additive (3D printing) or formative (Injection Molding) technologies.
The material removal mechanisms have significant implications on the
benefits, limitations and design restrictions of CNC.
CNC machining is a digital manufacturing technology: it produces
high-accuracy parts with excellent physical properties directly from a
CAD file. Due to the high level of automation, CNC is price-competitive
for both one-off custom parts and medium-volume productions. Al-
most every material can be CNC machined. The most common exam-
ples include metals (aluminum and steel alloys, brass etc) and plastics
(ABS, Delrin, Nylon etc).
Foam, composites and wood can also be machined. The basic CNC
process can be broken down into 3 steps. The engineer first designs
the CAD model of the part. The machinists then turns the CAD file into
a CNC program (G-code) and sets up the machine. Finally, the CNC sys-
tem executes all machining operations with little supervision, removing
material and creating the part.

5
A brief history of CNC machining

> The earliest machined object ever discovered was a bowl found in
Italy and made in 700 B.C. using a lathe.

> Attempts to automate machining started in the 18th century. These

machines were purely mechanical and powered by steam.

> The first programmable machine was developed in the late 40’s in MIT.
It used punched cards to encode each movement.

> The proliferation of computers in the 50’s and 60’s added the “C” in
CNC and radically changed the manufacturing industry.
> Today, CNC machines are advanced robotic systems with multi-axis
and multi-tooling capabilities.

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Types of CNC machines
In this guide, we will focus on CNC machines that remove material using
cutting tools. These are the most common and have the widest range of
applications. Other CNC machines include laser cutters, plasma cutters
and EDM machines.

CNC Machining

3 axis Multi axis

CNC Machining CNC Machining

CNC Milling CNC Turning Indexed Continuous Mill-turning

CNC Machining 5 axis
3 + 2 axes CNC Machining

3-axis CNC machines

CNC milling and CNC turning machines are examples of 3-axis CNC
systems. These “basic” machines allow the movement of the cutting
tool in three linear axes relative to the workpiece (left-right, back-forth
and up-down).

5-axis CNC machines

Multi-axis CNC machining centers come in three variations: 5-axis
indexed CNC milling, continuous 5-axis CNC milling and mill-turning
centers with live tooling. These systems are essentially milling machines
or lathes enhanced with additional degrees of freedom.
For example, 5-axis CNC milling centers allow the rotation of the ma-
chine bed or the toolhead (or both) in addition to the three linear axes
of movement. The advanced capabilities of these machines come at an
increased cost. They require both specialized machinery and also oper-
ators with expert knowledge. For highly complex or topology optimized
metal parts, 3D printing is usually a more suitable option though.

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3-axis CNC milling

3-axis CNC milling machines are very common, as they can be used to
produce most common geometries. They relatively easy to program
and operate, so start-up machining costs are relatively low. Tool access
can be a design restriction in CNC milling.
As there are only three axes to work with, certain areas might be
impossible to reach. This is not a big issue if the workpiece needs to
be rotated just once, but if multiple rotations are needed the labor and
machining costs increase fast.

> The workpiece is held stationary directly on the machine bed or in a

vice.

> Material is removed from the workpiece using cutting tools or drills
that rotate at high speed.

> The tools are attached to a spindle, which can move along three lin-
ear axis.

Learn more about CNC milling →

Spindle

Tool

Workpiece

Pros Cons

+ Can produce most parts with simple geometries. - Tool access & workholding design restrictions apply.
+ High accuracy & tight tolerances. - Manual repositioning of the workpiece lowers the achiev-
able accuracy.

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3-axis CNC turning (lathes)

CNC lathes are extensively used, because they can produce parts at
a much higher rate and at a lower cost per unit than CNC mills. This is
especially relevant for larger volumes.
The main design restriction of CNC lathes is that they can only
produce parts with a cylindrical profile (think screws or washers). To
overcome this limitation, features of the part are often CNC milled in a
separate machining step. Alternatively, 5-axis mill-turning CNC centers
can be used to produce the same geometry in one step.

> The workpiece is held on the spindle while rotating at high speed.

> A cutting tool or center drill traces the outer or inner perimeter of the
part, forming the geometry.

> The tool does not rotate and moves along polar directions (radially
and lengthwise).

Learn more about CNC turning →

Spindle

Tool

Workpiece

Pros Cons

+ Lowest cost per part than all other CNC machining - Can only produce parts with rotational symmetry
operations. & simple geometries.
+ Very high production capabilities.

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Continuous 5-axis CNC milling

Continuous 5-axis CNC milling systems have a similar machine archi-

tecture to indexed 5-axis CNC milling machines. They allow, however,
for the movement of all five axes at the same time during all machining
operations.
This way, it is possible to produce parts with complex, ‘organic’ geom-
etries that cannot be manufactured at the achieved level of accuracy
with any other technology. These advanced capabilities come of course
at a high cost, as both expensive machinery and highly-trained machin-
ists are needed.

> The cutting tool can move along three linear and two rotational axes
relative to the workpiece.

> All five axes can move at the same during all machining operations.

Pros

+ Manufactures complex parts at an accuracy that is not possible with

any other process.
+ Produces very smooth “organic” surfaces with minimal machining
marks.

Cons

- Highest cost per part of all CNC machining.

- Tool access restrictions still apply.

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Indexed 5-axis CNC milling

Indexed 5-axis CNC milling systems are also known as 3+2 CNC milling
machines, since they are using the two additional degrees of freedom
only between machining operations to rotate the workpiece. The key
benefit of these systems is that they eliminate the need of manually
repositioning the workpiece.
This way parts with more complex geometries can be manufactured
faster and at higher accuracy than in a 3-axis CNC mill. They lack though
the true freeform capabilities of continuous 5-axis CNC machines.

> During machining the cutting tool can only move along three linear
axis.

> Between operations the bed and the toolhead can rotate, giving ac-
cess to the workpiece from a different angle.

Pros

+ Eliminates the need for manual repositioning.

+ Produces parts with features that do not align with one of the main
axes at a higher accuracy.

Cons

- Higher cost than 3-axis CNC machining.

- Cannot produce very accurately contoured surfaces.

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5-axis mill-turning CNC centers

Mill-turning CNC centers are essentially CNC lathe machines equipped

with CNC milling tools. A variation of the mill-turning centers are swiss-
style lathes, which have typically higher precession.
Mill-turning systems take advantage of both the high productivity of
CNC turning and the geometric flexibility of CNC milling. They are ideal
for manufacturing parts with ‘loose’ rotational symmetry (think cam-
shafts and centrifugal impellers) at a much lower cost than other 5-axis
CNC machining systems.

> The workpiece is attached to a spindle that can either rotate at high
speed (like a lathe) or position it at a precise angle (like 5-axis CNC mill).

> Lathe and milling cutting tools are used to remove material from the
workpiece, forming the part.

Pros

+ Lowest cost of all 5-axis CNC machining systems.

+ High production capabilities & design freedom.

Cons

- Tool access restrictions still apply.

- Most suitable for parts with a cylindrical outline.

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To summarize
> 3-axis CNC milling machines manufacture parts with relatively simple
geometries with excellent accuracy and at a low cost.

> CNC lathes have the lowest cost per unit, but are only suitable for
part geometries with rotational symmetry.

> Indexed 5-axis CNC milling machines manufacture parts with features
that do not align with one of the main axes quickly and with very high
accuracy.

> Continuous 5-axis CNC milling machines manufacture parts with

highly complex, ‘organic’ geometries and smooth contours, but at a
high cost.

> Mill-turning CNC centers combine the benefits of CNC turning and
CNC milling into a single system to manufacture complex parts at a
lower cost than other 5-axis CNC systems.

Use the table below for a rough estimate of the cost per hour of the dif-
ferent CNC machines. The cost is presented relative to that of a 3-axis
CNC milling machine, which is typically $75 per hour.

CNC machine type Machining Cost

CNC milling (3-axis) $75 ( Baseline for comparison )

CNC turning (lathe) $65 ( - 15% )

Indexed 5-axis CNC milling $120 ( + 60% )

Continuous 5-axis CNC milling $150 ( + 100% )

Mill-turning CNC centers $95 ( + 25% )

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Benefits & Limitations
of CNC machining
Here’s a list of the key strengths and limitations of CNC machining.
Use them to help you decide whether it is the right technology for your
application.

Benefits of CNC machining

Small-to-medium production

CNC machining is also a very price-competitive option for manufac-

turing small-to-medium volumes (from 10’s to 100’s). In fact, when
ordering 10 identical, the unit price is cut by about 70% compared to
a one-off part. This is because ‘economies of scale’ start to kick in: the
relatively high start-up costs of CNC are spread over multiple parts.
In contrast, additive technologies (3D printing) do not scale as well
for higher volumes - the unit price is relatively stable. Formative tech-
nologies (Injection Molding or Investment Casting) only make econom-
ic sense for production volumes in the 1000’s - they have very high
start-up costs.

One-off custom parts & prototypes

In contrast to formative technologies (Injection Molding), CNC machin-

ing does not need any special tooling. So, the on-demand production
of custom one-off parts and prototypes is economically viable. This
is especially relevant for one-off custom metal parts and prototypes,
where CNC is the most cost-competitive solution.

Quick turnaround times

The advances of modern CNC systems, CAM software, and digital sup-
ply chains have greatly accelerated the production times. Now CNC
machined parts are typically ready for delivery within 5 days. This is
comparable to the turnaround of industrial 3D printing processes, such
as SLS.

Excellent material properties

CNC machined parts have excellent physical properties, identical

to the bulk material. This makes them ideal for applications where
high-performance is essential. Additionally, virtually every common
material with enough hardness can be CNC machined. This gives engi-
neers the flexibility to select a material with optimal properties for their
application.

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Highly accurate parts with tight tolerances

CNC machining can create parts with greater dimensional accuracy

than most other common manufacturing technologies. During the final
finishing machining steps, material can be removed from the work-
piece very accurately, achieving very tight tolerances.
The standard tolerance of any dimension in CNC machining is ± 0.125
mm. Features with tighter tolerance down to ± 0.050 mm can be manu-
factured and even tolerances of ± 0.025 mm are feasible. That is about
a quarter the width of a human hair!

Limitations of CNC machining

Relatively high start-up costs

In CNC machining, start-up costs are mainly connected to process

planning. This step requires manual input from an expert, so start-up
costs are usually relatively high when compared, for example, to 3D
printing, where process planning is highly automated.
They are still much lower than formative manufacturing proceses
though (Injection Molding or Investment Casting), which require the
preparation of custom tooling. It is important to keep in mind that start-
up costs are fixed. There is an opportunity to significantly reduce the
unit price per part by taking advantage of ‘economies of scale’, as we
saw above.

Geometric complexity has a high cost

Being a subtractive technology, machining complex geometries come

at an increased cost. It is also restricted by the mechanics of the cut-
ting process. Parts with complex geometry either require the use of a
multi-axis CNC machining system or manual labor from the machinist
(repositioning, realigning etc). To help you keep the price of CNC ma-
chined parts to a minimum, we’ve compiled a list of design tips.

Tool access and workholding restrictions

Since a part is produced by removing material from a solid block, a cut-

ting tool with a suitable geometry must exist. It should also be able to
access all necessary surfaces. For this reason parts with internal geom-
etries or very steep undercuts (for example) cannot be machined.
Holding the workpiece securely in place is essential for CNC machin-
ing and introduces certain design limitation. Improper workholding or
a workpiece with low stiffness can lead to vibrations during machining.
This results to parts with lower dimensional accuracy. Complex geome-
tries might require custom jigs or fixtures.

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Applications of CNC machining
Here we collected some examples to show how people used 3D
printing and why they chose it for their specific use cases.

Space

CNC machining is one of the very few manufacturing processes that is

suitable for creating parts for space applications. Not only because of
CNC parts have excellent accuracy and material properties, but also
due to the wide range of surface treatments that can be applied to the
parts after machining. For example, KEPLER used CNC machining and
space grade materials to go from a sketch on a napkin to a satellite in
space in 12 months.

Aerospace

Aerospace was one of the first industries to use CNC machining. This is
due to its ability to manufacture lightweight parts with excellent phys-
ical properties and very tight tolerances. CNC machining is used both
for aircraft parts and also during the development stages.
For example, Tomas Sinnige is a PhD researcher at the Delft Universi-
ty of Technology. With his team of researchers, they used CNC machin-
ing to manufacture scaled-down versions of their prototype engine,
aiming to increase the efficiency of modern propeller engines.

Automotive

CNC machining has applications in the automotive industry when man-

ufacturing of high-performance custom parts is required.For example,
the Dutch company PAL-V, designs Personal Air and Land Vehicles.
These are essentially the world’s first flying cars. During the develop-
ment stages, they chose CNC machining to prototype and manufacture
key components.

Product Design & Development

The ability of manufacture quickly custom metal parts with great di-
mensional accuracy, makes CNC machining an attractive option for
producing functional prototypes. This is essential during later stages of
design and development.
The design team of DAQRI, for instance, used CNC machining to
prototype their professional Augmented Reality (AR) hardware. They
selected this process, as it was the most cost-competitive solution that
was capable of producing custom metal parts with the required level of
detail and at the small-scale needed for their designs.

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Electrical & electronic manufacturing

CNC machining has many applications in the electrical and electronic

manufacturing industry: from the prototyping of PCBs to the manufac-
turing of enclosures. TPAC, for example, used CNC machining to manu-
facture an enclosure for their high-power electronic sensing systems.
Heat dissipation and electrical insulation were the main design re-
quirements in this case. So, CNC machined anodized aluminum was
ideal for their one-off custom enclosure.

Tooling & Industrial manufacturing

A very common industrial application of CNC machining is the

fabrication of tooling for other processes. For example, the molds in
Injection Molding are commonly CNC machined from aluminum or tool
steel. Precious Plastic, for instance, developed a system for the devel-
oping world that turns waste plastic into iPhone cases! For this pur-
pose, they used a low-cost manual injection molder and custom CNC
machined molds.

Sports & motorsports equipment

High-performance sports & motorsports manufacturers always try to

increase the performance of their products by reducing their weight.
CAKE is a Swedish company that designed and developed the first off-
road electric motorbike. Since it is the first of its kind, every single com-
ponent of the motorbike was custom-made with CNC to achieve the
intended level of quality and durability.

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CNC machining vs. 3D printing
Both CNC machining and 3D printing are exceptional tools in the arse-
nal of an engineer. Their unique benefits make each more suitable for
different situations though. When choosing between CNC machining
and 3D printing, there are a few simple guidelines that you can apply to
the decision making process.
As a general rule of thumb parts with relatively simple geometries,
that can be manufactured with limited effort through a subtractive pro-
cess, should generally be CNC machined, especially when producing
metal parts.

Choosing 3D printing over CNC machining makes sense when you

need:

> A low-cost plastic prototype

> Parts with very complex geometry

> A turnaround time of 2-5 days

> Speciality materials

To summarize:

CNC offers greater dimensional accuracy and produces parts

with better mechanical properties than 3D printing, but
this usually comes at a higher cost for low volumes and
with more design restrictions.

Read the full comparison →

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Scalling up production
If high volumes are needed (1,000’s or more), neither CNC machining
nor 3D printing are likely to be suitable options. In these cases, form-
ing technologies, such as investment casting or injection molding, are
more economically viable due to the mechanisms of economies of
scale. For quick reference, use the table below. In this simplification, it
is assumed that all technologies are able to produce the geometry of
the part in question. When this is not the case, 3D printing is generally
the preferred method of manufacturing.

No. of Parts Plastic Metal

1 - 10 3D printing 3D printing (consider CNC machining)

10 - 100 3D printing and CNC machining CNC machining

100 - 1000 CNC machining (consider Injection CNC machining (consider Investment
Molding) Casting)

1000+ Injection Molding Investment or Die casting

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Part 2

Design for CNC machining

In less than 15 minutes, you will learn all you need to know to design
parts optimized for CNC machining: from Design for Machinability rules
to cost reduction tips and from material selection guidelines to surface
finishing recommendations.

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CNC machining design restrictions
The design restrictions in CNC machining are a natural result of the me-
chanics of the cutting process and in particular:

Tool access

Surfaces that cannot be reached by the cutting tool, cannot be CNC

machined. This prohibits, for example, the fabrication of parts with
internal ‘hidden’ geometries, and puts a limit to the maximum depth of
an undercut.

Tool geometry

Most CNC machining cutting tools have a cylindrical shape with a flat
or spherical end, restricting the part geometries that can be produced.
For instance, the internal vertical corners of a CNC part will always have
a radius, no matter how small a cutting tool is used.

Workholding

The geometry of a part determines the way it will be held on the CNC
machine and the number of setups required.
This has an impact on the cost, but also the accuracy of a part. For ex-
ample, manual repositioning introduces a small, but not negligible, po-
sitional error. This a key benefit of 5-axis versus 3-axis CNC machining.

Workpiece stiffness

Due to the cutting forces and the temperatures developed during ma-
chining, it is possible for the workpiece to deform or vibrate. This limits,
for example, the minimum wall thickness that a CNC machined part
can have and the maximum aspect ratio of tall features.

Tool stiffness

Most CNC machining cutting tools have a cylindrical shape with a flat
or spherical end, restricting the part geometries that can be produced.
For instance, the internal vertical corners of a CNC part will always have
a radius, no matter how small a cutting tool is used.

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Design rules for CNC machining
In the table below, we summarise how these restrictions translate into
actionable design rules.

Read the detailed guidelines →

Tall features

Recommended max. ratio: height / width < 4

Tall features are difficult to machine accurately, as they are prone to vi-
brations. Consider the overall geometry of the part: rotating the part by
90° degrees during machining changes the aspect ratio.

Cavities & pockets

Recommended depth: 4 x cavity width

Feasible depth: 10 x tool diameter or 25 cm (10’’)

Deeper cavities need to be machined with cutting tools with larger di-
ameter affecting the fillets of the internal edges.

Internal Edges

Recommended: larger than ⅓ x cavity depth

For internal vertical edges, the larger the fillet the better. Edges on the
floor of a cavity should be either sharp or have a 0.1 mm or 1 mm radius.

Minimum wall thickness

Recommended: 0.8 mm (for metals)

Feasible: 0.5 mm
Recommended: 1.5 mm (for plastics)
Feasible: 1.0 mm

Decreasing the wall thickness reduces the stiffness of the workpiece,

increasing vibrations and lowering the achievable tolerances. Plastics
are especially prone to warping and thermal softening, so a larger
minimum wall thickness is necessary.

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Holes

Recommended diameter: standard drill bit sizes

Recommended depth: 4 x nominal diameter
Max. depth: 10 x nominal diameter

Holes with standard diameter are preferred, as they can be machined

with a standard drill bit. Blind holes machined with a drill will have a
conical floor. Holes with non-standard diameter will be machined with
an end mill tool and should be treated as cavities (see previous rule).
Blind holes machined with an end mill tool will be flat.

Threads

Recommended length: 3 x nominal diameter

Recommended size: M6 or larger
Feasible size: M2

Choose the largest thread possible, as they are easier to machine.

Threads longer than 3 times the nominal diameter are unnecessary.
Always design threads as cosmetic in your CAD package and include a
technical drawing to your order.

Small features

Recommended: 2.5 mm (0.100’’)

Feasible: 0.100 mm (.010’’)

Cavities and holes down to 2.5 mm (0.1’’) can be CNC machined with
standard cutting tools. Anything below this limit is considered mi-
cro-machining and must be avoided unless necessary.

Maximum part size

CNC milling: 400 x 250 x 150 mm (typically)

CNC turning: Ø 500 mm x 1000 mm (typically)

Very large CNC machines can produce parts with dimensions up to

2000 x 800 x 1000 mm ( 78’’ x 32’’ x 40’’). 5-axis CNC machining sys-
tems typically have a smaller build volume.

Tolerances

Standard: ± 0.125 mm (.005’’)

Feasible: ± 0.025 mm (.001’’)

Tolerances (unilateral, bilateral, interference or geometric) should be

defined on all critical features, but DO NOT over-tolerance. If no toler-
ance is specified in the technical drawing, then the standard ± 0.125
mm will be held.

23
Designing undercuts
Undercuts are features that cannot be machined with standard tools,
no matter how the part is rotated, because the cutting tools cannot
access all surfaces. If square aluminum extrusions were manufactured
with CNC machining, then their grooves would be considered under-
cuts. Undercuts can be machined using special T-shaped, V-shaped or
lollipop-shaped cutting tools if designed correctly. Here are some prac-
tical guidelines to help you get started with designing undercuts.

Learn more about undercuts →

Undercut dimensions

Recommended width: 3 mm (1/8’’) to 40 mm (1 ½’’)

Max. Depth: 2x width

Design undercuts with a width of whole millimeter increments or a

standard inch fraction. For undercuts with non-standard dimensions, a
custom cutting tool must be created. The standard tools have a cutting
depth of approximately two times their width. This limits the achievable
depth.

Undercut clearance

Recommended min. clearance: 4x depth

For undercuts on internal faces, add enough clearance between the

opposing walls to ensures tool access.

24
Part 3

Materials for CNC machining

CNC machining can be used with a very wide range of engineering
metals & plastics. In this section, you will learn more about the key
characteristics of the most popular materials. We will also examine the
most common finishes that are applied to CNC machined parts.

25
Materials for CNC machining
Selecting the right material is a crucial step in the design process. The
optimal material option is highly dependent on your specific use case
and requirements. Since almost every material with sufficient hardness
can be machined, CNC offers a very large range of material options
to choose from. For engineering applications, metals and plastics are
most relevant and will be the focus of this section. Surface finishes can
also alter the properties of CNC machined parts and we will examine
them below. To get started, take a look at this decision tree. It contains
high-level material recommendations that cover the most common de-
sign requirements.

26
Metals
CNC machining is primarily used with metals and metal alloys. Metal
can be used for both the manufacturing of custom one-off parts and
prototypes and for low-to-medium batch production. Aluminum 6061 is
by far the most used material in CNC machining.

Learn more about the most common CNC metals →

Aluminum

Aluminum alloys have an excellent strength-

to-weight ratio, a hight termal and electrical
conductivity and natural protection against
corrosion.
> 6061 > 7075 > 5083

Stainless steel

Stainless steel alloys have high strenght, high

ductility, excellent wear and corrosion resis-
tance. They can be welded, machined and
polished.
> 304 > 316 > 2205 > 17-4

Alloy steel

General use steel alloys with improved hard-

ness, toughness, fatigue and wear resistance
over mild steels, but low chemical resistance.
> 4140 > 4340

Mild steel

Low-cost, general use alloys with good

mechanical properties, machinability and
weldability.
> 1018 > 1045 > A36

Tool steel

Exceptionally high hardness, stiffness, abra-

sion and thermal resistance. They are used
for dies, stamps, molds and other industrial
tooling.
> D2 > A2 > O1

Brass

Excellent machinability and frictional char-

acteristics. Aesthetically pleasing golden
appearance
> C360

27
Plastics
Plastics are lightweight materials with a wide range of physical
properties. They are often used for their chemical resistance and
electrical insulation properties. Plastics are commonly CNC machined
for prototyping purposes prior to Injection Molding.

Learn more about the most common CNC plastics →

ABS

Common, lightweight thermoplastic materials

with good mechanical properties and excel-
lent impact strenght.

> Standard ABS

Polycarbonate (PC)

Excellent impact strenght, thermal resistance

and thoughness. Can be colored or transpar-
ent. Suitable for outdoor applications.

> PC

Nylon

General purpose engineering thermoplastic

with all-around good mechanical properties
and excellent chemical resistance.

> Nylon 6

POM (Delrin)

Easiest-to-machine engineering thermoplastic

with high stiffness, excellent frictional charac-
teristics and good thermal stability.

> Delrin

PEEK

High-performance engineering thermoplastic

used in the most demanding applications.

> PEEK

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Surface finishes
Surface finishes are applied after machining and can change the
appearance, surface roughness, hardness and chemical resistance of
the produced parts. Below is a quick summary of the most common
finishes for CNC.

Find out more about surface finishes →

Powder coating

Powder coating adds a thin layer of strong, wear and corrosion resis-
tant protective polymer paint on the surface of a part. It can be applied
to parts of any material and is available in many colors.

Extra cost: $$

Pros Cons

+ Strong, wear and corrosion coating for functional applications - Cannot be applied to internal surfaces
+ Higher impact resistance than anodizing - Less dimensional control compared to anodizing
+ Compatible with all metal materials - Not suitable for small components

As-machined

As-machined parts have the tightest tolerances, as no extra operations

are performed on them. Marks following the path of the cutting tool are
visible though. The standard surface roughness of as-machined parts
is 3.2 μm (125 μin) and can be reduced to down to 0.4 μm (16 μin) with
further operations.

Extra cost: None

Pros Cons

+ Tightest dimensional tolerances - Visible tool marks

+ No added cost (standard finish)

Bead blasting

Bead blasting adds a uniform matte or satin surface finish on a ma-

chined part, removing all tool marks. Bead blasting is mainly used for
aesthetic purposes, as the resulting surface roughness is not guaran-
teed. Critical surfaces or features (like holes) can be masked to avoid
any dimensional change.

Extra cost: $

Pros Cons

+ Visually pleasing matte or satin finish - Visible tool marks

+ Low-cost surface finish
+ Available in different coarseness

29
 Anodizing (clear or colored)

Anodizing adds a thin, hard, non-conductive ceramic coating on the

surface of aluminum parts, increasing their corrosion and wear resis-
tance. Critical areas can be masked to retain their tight tolerances.
Anodized parts can be dyed producing a smooth aesthetically pleasing
surface.

Extra cost: $$

Pros Cons

+ Durable, visually pleasing coating - More brittle than powder coating

+ Can be applied to internal cavities - Only compatible with aluminum and titanium
+ Can be colored to any Pantone tone

Hardcoat anodizing

Hardcoat anodizing produces a thicker, high-density ceramic coat-

ing that provides excellent corrosion and wear resistance. Hardcoat
anodizing is suitable for functional applications. The typical coating
thickness is 50 μm and usually, no color is applied. Critical areas can be
masked to retain their tight tolerances.
Pros
Extra cost: $$$

Cons

+ High wear resistance coating for top-end engineering - More brittle than powder coating
applications - Only compatible with aluminum and titanium
+ Can be applied to internal cavities
+ Good dimensional control

Silk screening

Silk screening is an inexpensive way to print text or logos on the sur-

face of CNC machined parts for aesthetic purposes. It can be used in
addition to other finishes (for example, anodizing). The print can be
applied only to the external surfaces of a part.

Extra cost: $

Pros Cons

+ Low-cost printing of custom text or logos - Can be only applied to external flat surfaces of a part
+ Available in many colors

30
Part 4

Cost reduction tips

Learn more about what affects the costs in CNC machining. Use these
three actionable design tips to cut the price in half and you keep your
project on budget.

31
Tips to keep your CNC project
on budget
The cost of CNC machined parts depends on the following:

> Machining time & model complexity: The more complex the geometry
of a part is, the longer it takes to machine and the more expensive it will
be.

> Start-up costs: These are related to CAD file preparation and process
planning. They are significant for smaller volumes but are fixed. There is
an opportunity to reduce the unit price by taking advantage of econo-
mies of scale.

> Material cost & finishes: The cost of the bulk material and the ease
with which that material can be machined greatly affect the overall cost.

As a rule of thumb:

To minimize the cost of CNC machined parts, stick to de-

signs with simple geometries and standardized features.

In the next sections, we re-examine some of the design rules we visited

previously with cost-reduction in mind. With these 3 design tips, you
can drastically reduce the cost of your CNC machined parts.

Learn 11 more tips to further reduce the cost of your CNC parts →

The Essential CNC Cost

Reduction Checklist

Download the free PDF checklist that will show

you how to optimize your design to cut CNC
machining costs in half →

32
Tip #1: Increase the size of all fillets
or add undercuts to sharp edges

To reduce machining times, add a fillet that is as large as possible to

all internal (and external) vertical edges. This way a larger tool can be
used, removing more material with each cut, and a circular toolpath
can be followed, cutting each corner at a higher speed. When a 90° in-
ternal edge is needed, reducing the radius will not do the job. In these
cases, use an undercut instead (see above).

To minimize cost:

> Add a radius that is slightly larger than 1/3 of the depth of the cavity.

> Add a small fillet also to external edges

> Use undercuts when a 90° internal corner is required.

Pro Tip: Use the same radius for all edges to save time on tool changes

33
Tip #2: Minimize the number of
machine orientations

The part above requires at least two machine setups in a 3-axis CNC
mill. After the features on one side are machined, the workpiece is
rotated manually. This requires manual labor increasing costs. Alterna-
tively, a multi-axis CNC machines can be used. This also increases the
machining costs though by about 60 to 100%.

To minimize cost:

> Design parts that can be machined in one or two setups in a 3-axis
CNC mill.

> AIf this is not possible, consider splitting the part into multiple geom-
etries that can be machined in one setup and assembled later.

34
Tip #3: Consider the cost of
the material

Cost Metals Cost Plastics

$ Aluminum 6061 $ POM (Delrin)

$$ Alloy steel 4140 $$$ ABS

$$ Aluminum 7075 $$$ Nylon (PA 6)

$$$ Brass C360 $$$ Polycarbonate (PC)

$$$$ Stainless steel 304 $$$$ PEEK

It is obvious that selecting a material with physical properties that

surpass the requirements of your application can quickly and unneces-
sarily increase the cost of your CNC machined parts.

To minimize cost:

> Select the material with the lowest cost that has properties that fulfill
your design requirements.

> Use online instant quoting to get quick feedback on the price of each
material.

35
Part 5

Start CNC machining

With your parts designed and optimized for CNC machining, it is time
to start thinking about manufacturing. In this section, we walk you
through the 3 simple steps needed to manufacture custom parts with
CNC machining.

36
Step 1: Export your design to a
CNC-compatible CAD file format

The file formats predominantly used in CNC machining are STEP and
IGES. These formats are open-source, standardized and can be used
across platforms.

For best results:

Export your designs directly from your native CAD software

into the STEP file format.

On 3D Hubs, you can also upload files and get an instant quote for file
formats used in your the native CAD software, including SLDPRT, 3DM,
IPT, SAT and X_T.

37
Step 2: Prepare a technical drawing

A technical drawing is not always required for machining parts with

CNC. Yet it is recommended to include one in your order as it has infor-
mation that is not presented in a STEP file.

A technical drawing is required in the following situations:

> When your design contain threads

> When any tolerances are specified

> When certain surfaces need a different finishing

Learn how to correctly prepare a technical drawing for CNC →

38
Step 3: Get an instant quote &
start manufacturing

With 3D Hubs, outsourcing parts for CNC machining is easy, fast and
highly price-competitive.
By combining a network of manufacturing services with our smart
sourcing engine, you can instantly access readily available production
capacity for the best possible quotes and lead times.
When you upload your parts to 3D Hubs, our automated Design for
Machinability analysis will detect any potential design issues before
production begins and will give you an instant quote, based on our
machine learning algorithm.
This way you can be sure that you always receive the best price in the
market at the fastest turnaround times for your CNC machining parts!

Upload your parts

Curious about the cost of CNC machining?

Receive an instant quote for your CNC ma-
chining parts now →

39
Part 6

Useful Resources
In this guide we touched upon all you need to get you started with
CNC machining. But there is plenty more to learn. Below we list the
best and most useful resources on CNC machining and other digital
manufacturing technologies for those who want to delve deeper.

40
Knowledge Base
In this guide, we touched upon all you need to get you started with cre-
ating custom parts with CNC machining. There is plenty more to learn
about CNC machining in our Knowledge Base - a collection of technical
articles on all manufacturing technologies, written by manufacturing
experts and curated by 3D Hubs.

Here is a selection of our most popular articles on CNC machining:

> Reducing the cost of CNC machined parts →

> 3D Printing VS. CNC machining →

> 25 CNC machining materials compared →

> How to design parts for CNC machining →

Learn to machine
Are you looking to get your hands dirty with CNC machining? Then
there are several ways to learn how to operate a CNC mill or CNC lathe.

> Visit your local Fab Lab: Many Fablabs and Makerspaces have CNC
milling capabilities and they will run courses on how to opperate them.
Visit the official list of Fab Labs to find one near your area.

> Find resources online: There are a lot of useful resources online to
help you hone your CNC machining skills. The Titans of CNC Academy
and NYCCNC are probably two of the best site to get you started.

> Apply for an apprenticeship: Apprenticeships are probably the best

way to kickstart your career as a CNC machinist. They are offered by
established machine shops and many Universities.

Other guides
Want to learn more about Digital Manufacturing? There are more tech-
nologies to explore:

What is 3D printing?

Find everything you need to know about 3D print-

ing. Whether you are getting started or you’re an
experienced user, you’ll find this guide packed with
useful tips.

Injection molding: The Complete

Engineering Guide
After reading this article you will know the fun-
damental mechanics of the Injection Molding
process and how these relate to its key benefits &
limitations.

41