How to Reduce the Cost of Customized CNC Machining?

Even with the development of the manufacturing industry today, 3D printing technology has become one of the mainstream machining industries, but the production cost of CNC manufacturing still needs to be considered. Compared with 3D printing, CNC machining is still one of the cost-effective methods of on-demand production.

Due to practical considerations, many customers still find it difficult to calculate the cost of custom CNC machining. If you are this type of customer, then we will take you to understand the cost factors of custom CNC machining and tips on how to reduce your budget.

What is the Cost of Custom CNC Machining?

When starting a new project, some factors must be considered. We have prepared the following components for you: materials, labor costs, process costs and other costs.

1. Material molding cost

Material is often an important factor to consider when determining the cost of custom CNC machining. Usually custom CNC machining is a process of subtracting materials, so when using materials, we usually consider the metal materials that need to be consumed. When considering the use of materials, engineers calculate the price and cost of each metal material. This time we will discuss the price cost of metals and plastics.

Metal material cost

Common metal types include aluminum 6061, stainless steel 303, and brass C360, which are commonly used materials for custom CNC machining. The most commonly used material for engineers is not 6061 aluminum, which has both economical practicality and machining plasticity. Because the workability of stainless steel 303 and brass C360 is higher, it can be seen that the cost is higher. If you need to know more about the cost of custom CNC machining of metal materials, please contact us and we will calculate the cost of custom CNC machining for you as soon as possible.

Plastic cost

Although bulk materials are inexpensive and good-quality materials, they are easy to process and generally short in machining time. But practicality and corrosion resistance are not as good as custom CNC machined metal materials. Even such a large piece of custom CNC processed plastic is still cheaper than a large piece of 3D printed plastic material. (The bulk cost of materials such as ABS, POM (Delrin), and nylon 6 is equivalent to that of aluminum 6061.) Note: Plastic materials such as PEEK are very expensive, please do not use them if necessary.

2. Labor cost

The process of custom CNC machining involves a lot of automation, so you don't need to pay personnel costs. The main labor cost is used for design and digitization. Basically, it can be divided into design programming, customized CNC machining settings, post-product machining, etc.

Design and programming: This is the cost of product digitization. You can outsource the process from design to drawing to an engineering designer to make CAD design drawings for you. Then the CNC manufacturing engineer will check the feasibility of the drawing design for you and provide you with professional modification suggestions. Finally, the CNC machining programmer converts your CAD file into a CAM file to assist the CNC machine tool to input the correct design code. The main production knowledge cost is here.

Customized machining settings: This involves personnel costs and requires CNC machining machine operators to perform settings on the CNC operation to ensure that the products can be smoothly processed and well integrated. If it is mass production, the cost will be allocated to more customized CNC machining parts.

Product post-machining: After the product is produced, it often needs to be assembled and transported to a designated location, and then corresponding personnel assembly and transportation costs will be incurred.

3. Other expenses

In the process of product customization CNC machining, special machining and production are required, and then specific clamping tools and cutting tools are involved. Although the tool will eventually remain in the production workshop, it will still incur some machine consumption costs. This is because different materials will cause certain frictional damage, such as data machining of high-hardness materials. More importantly, the surface treatment that needs to improve the aesthetics, practicability and wear resistance after customized CNC machining will also incur a certain customized CNC machining cost.