Tips to Reduce CNC Machining Cost

Many industries rely on CNC machining to get the parts and tools they require for their operations. Discerning businesses turn to a CNC machining service in China to further reduce their expenses. You can do the same thing, but you have to understand the process and the factors that can affect the price. That way, you can make an informed decision to outsource the job overseas.

To reduce CNC machining costs, you typically have to make small changes to your design to make it more compatible with the machines and equipment, and to reduce the manufacturing costs. It sounds easier said than done, so are more tips to make it easier to accomplish:

Round the internal corners

Machines will stop when working on sharp 90-degree corners because the part must be rotated before they continue. The stop-and-go process can take time and that means spending extra money. So, you might want to change the internal corner design of the piece to rounded corners, so the machine can keep running without stopping. You can make sure that the radius of the internal corners is around 1/3 the depth of the cavity. Large radii will allow bigger tools to efficiently cut them.

As much as possible, eliminate deep pockets

Deep pockets can impact the cost of the CNC machining service in China because they involve the removal of more material. Removing material takes time and may need a special tool to reach the specific depth you require. So, limit the depth of the pockets in the design to four times the length.

Expand thin walls

Thin walls are fragile and therefore, take more time to machine to prevent fractures or errors. Thicker walls are more affordable and take less time to machine. As long as weight isn’t a problem, use walls that are thicker than 0.8mm for metal parts or more than 1.5mm for plastic parts.

Limit tight tolerances

The tighter the tolerance on your part design, the higher the cost. That’s because it will require manual inspection and additional machining time.

For more design tips, find a CNC machining service in China that offers a free project review. They can give you suggestions on how you can design your parts to cut machining costs.