CNC milling: CNC milling is a machining process in which a rotating cutting tool, moved under computer control, removes material from a fixed block to make a part.
A CNC mill holds the workpiece in a vice or fixture on its table and moves a spinning cutter through it along programmed toolpaths. Mills make prismatic parts: brackets, housings, plates, pockets and features on several faces. A three-axis machine reaches the part from above; four- and five-axis machines tilt or rotate it to reach more faces in one setup.
What it means for the price
A milled part’s price is built from setup (programming, fixturing and first-part checks), cycle time at the machine’s hourly rate, material, and finishing and inspection. Setup is paid once per batch, so it dominates the price of a single prototype and fades as the quantity grows. Tight tolerances, deep pockets, thin walls and small inside radii add tools and time.
Example: a part with 2 hours of setup and 12 minutes of cycle time on a machine at €60 per hour costs €132 for one piece, and €24 each for a batch of ten. The figures are an example.
Common confusions
Milling and CNC routing cut the same way, but a router is lighter and faster and is aimed at wood, plastics and sheet. Quotometry prices CNC milling from the STEP model today; a mesh upload goes to the shop’s review. Read what drives CNC machining cost or see the CNC milling process page.
Go deeper: What drives CNC machining cost, and how estimators work it out