Knowledge base
CNC machining
What makes a milled or turned part expensive, and how to estimate it.
3-axis vs 5-axis machining: cost and capability
A 5-axis machine costs more per hour but can finish a part in one set-up. When that trade pays off, with a worked example that finds the break-even batch size.
CNC machiningHow tolerances drive machining cost (and when to loosen them)
Tight tolerances slow the cut, add inspection and raise scrap. How each tolerance band changes a CNC price, and which dimensions you can safely loosen.
CNC machiningSet-up time in CNC: the hidden cost in small batches
Why one CNC part can cost ten times a part from a batch of a hundred: set-up and programming explained, with a unit cost table from 1 to 100 parts.
CNC machiningCNC milling vs turning: which process for which part
Milling moves a spinning cutter over a fixed part; turning spins the part against a fixed tool. How to tell which one a part needs, and what it does to the price.
CNC machiningWhat drives CNC machining cost, and how estimators work it out
Stock, set-ups, programming, cycle time, tooling, tolerances and finishing: how a CNC estimate is built, with a worked example for one part at two batch sizes.
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