CNC Milling
3-, 4- and 5-axis milling for prismatic and free-form parts
Vertical and horizontal machining centres with 4th-axis rotary tables and full 5-axis simultaneous capability. Suited to housings, manifolds, brackets, plates and complex contoured geometry in aluminium, steel, titanium and engineering plastics.
Five-sided in one setup
Thin-wall competence
In-process verification
Why it works
Five-sided in one setup
Machining five faces without re-fixturing removes the stack-up that normally creeps in between setups — critical when position tolerances are tighter than ±0.02 mm.
Thin-wall competence
Walls to 0.8 mm in aluminium and 1.2 mm in stainless, using trochoidal toolpaths, staged stress relief and vacuum or low-clamp workholding to keep distortion out of the part.
In-process verification
Spindle probes measure datums and critical bores before and after the finishing pass, so drift is caught on the machine instead of at final inspection.
Process specification
| Max part size (3-axis) | 1500 × 800 × 700 mm |
|---|---|
| Max part size (5-axis) | 600 × 600 × 500 mm |
| Linear tolerance | ±0.01 mm (±0.0004 in) |
| Spindle speed | up to 24,000 rpm |
| Standard surface finish | Ra 1.6 µm / 63 µin |
| Best surface finish | Ra 0.4 µm / 16 µin |
Tighter tolerances than those listed are achievable on review — please mark critical dimensions on your drawing.
What we mill
Our milling cell covers everything from single-setup plate work to five-sided machining of cast and billet housings. Vertical machining centres handle the bulk of prismatic work; horizontal centres with pallet changers run higher-volume families; and simultaneous 5-axis machines take on impellers, manifolds and anything where tool access drives the process plan.
Typical work we see every week:
- Hydraulic and pneumatic manifolds with cross-drilled, deburred internal passages
- Aluminium enclosures and heat sinks with thin walls down to 0.8 mm
- Optical and sensor mounts where flatness and parallelism drive function
- Robotic end-effector components machined from 7075-T6 and 6061-T6 billet
- Mould bases, fixture plates and jigs in P20, 1.2311 and S50C
Process planning and workholding
Every job is programmed in CAM by an engineer who owns the part from quotation to first article. Stock is selected with machining allowance appropriate to the alloy — generous on 7075 and titanium where residual stress relief matters, tighter on 6061 and stainless to control cost.
Where the part is thin, unstable or expensive, we build soft jaws or a dedicated fixture rather than fight the material. That choice is made at quotation stage and reflected in the price you see, so there are no surprises when the job releases.
Surface finish and deburring
Standard as-machined finish is Ra 1.6 µm (63 µin). Ra 0.8 µm and better is achievable on request via finishing passes with high-feed cutters or by adding grinding, lapping or polishing to the routing.
Every part is deburred by hand and inspected for edge condition. Where a drawing specifies an edge break — for example 0.2–0.4 mm chamfer all round — it is verified during first-article inspection and sampled through the run.
Volumes and lead time
We routinely run quantities from a single prototype to 20,000 pieces per release. Prototype parts ship in 3–7 working days; production parts are scheduled against your forecast, with kanban or call-off stock held at our facility on request.
Frequently asked
How quickly will I receive a quotation?
Most quotations are returned within 24 working hours. Simple turned or milled parts are often priced the same day; assemblies, multi-process jobs and requests requiring a material enquiry may take up to two working days. If a quotation will take longer, we tell you when to expect it rather than leaving you waiting.
What files do you need to quote?
A 3D model in STEP, Parasolid (X_T) or IGES is enough to start. Where the part carries tolerances tighter than ISO 2768-m, GD&T, surface finish callouts or thread specifications, please add a dimensioned 2D drawing as PDF or DWG. Telling us the quantity, material and required finish avoids a round of questions and usually gets the price back the same day.
Is there a minimum order quantity?
No. We machine single prototypes as readily as 20,000-piece releases. There is a minimum order value on very small jobs to cover setup and programming, which we state clearly in the quotation — there are no charges that appear later.
What actually drives the price of a machined part?
Four things, roughly in order: the number of setups, cycle time, material cost and the tightest tolerance on the drawing. A tolerance of ±0.01 mm where ±0.1 mm would function can add 30 % to the price, and a feature that forces a fourth setup can add more. Our quotations flag these drivers so you can decide whether the requirement is worth the cost.
Need this process for your part?
Send your drawing and we will confirm feasibility, cost and lead time.
- Reviewed by a manufacturing engineer
- NDA available before file exchange