CNC Machining Service

CNC machining service making metal & plastic prototypes and production parts

Xometry's Online CNC Machining Service

Xometry is the industry leader in custom, quick-turn CNC machining services for rapid prototyping and production parts. Our online Instant Quoting Engine gives you a CNC machining quote within seconds. Then we make your machined metal or plastic parts and get them to your door in as few as 2 days. We inspect the parts and guarantee their quality.

Our massive partner network means that whatever your part, we have a shop and a machine that can make it. We integrate seamlessly with over 4,000 vetted manufacturing partners globally including over 3,000 in the U.S. Our network includes ITAR qualified facilities and Xometry is ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100D certified.

With such a high number of qualified shops and over 40 engineering-grade materials available, using Xometry takes the guesswork out of CNC part sourcing. Our partners support the latest in CNC machining and turning processes, can support a high level of part complexity, and provide exceptional surface finishes. We can also machine and inspect to any 2D drawing, always ensuring you have the CNC machined parts you need, at-quality and on time.

Advantages of CNC

Rapid Turnaround

Using the latest CNC machines, Xometry produces highly accurate, quick turn parts in as fast as 1 day.

Precision

Offers high-precision tolerances ranging from +/-0.001″ – 0.005″, depending on customer specs.

Custom Finishes

Select from a variety of finishes on solid metal and plastic parts, built to precise design specifications.

Scalability

CNC Machining is perfect for production of 1-10,000 parts.

Material Selection

Choose from over 50 metal and plastic materials. CNC Machining offers a wide variety of certified materials.

CNC Processes

Multi-Axis CNC Milling Centers

5 Axis Machining
4 Axis Machining
3 Axis Machining
Right Angle Milling

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CNC Lathe and Live Action Tooling

Dual Spindle Lathes

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Wire EDM available upon request

The Xometry Manufacturing Partner Network gives you production capacity and diverse machining capabilities for EDM parts with even the tightest tolerances, most complex internal geometries, or augmented process requirements.

CNC Materials

Available aluminum varieties:

Aluminum 5052
Aluminum 7075
Aluminum 7075-T6
Aluminum 6063-T5
Aluminum 7050-T7451
Aluminum MIC-6
Aluminum 6061-T6
Aluminum 2024-T3

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Available brass varieties:

Brass C360
Brass 260
C932 M07 Bearing Bronze

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Available copper varieties:

EPT Copper C110
Copper 101

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Available plastic varieties:

ABS
Acetal [Delrin]
Acrylic
G-10 Garolite
Nylon 6/6
PEEK
Polycarbonate
PTFE [Teflon]
Polypropylene
Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene

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Available steel varieties:

Alloy Steel 4130
Alloy Steel 4140
ASTM A36
Stainless Steel 15-5
Stainless Steel 17-4
Stainless Steel 18-8
Stainless Steel 303
Stainless Steel 304
Stainless Steel 316/316L
Stainless Steel 416
Stainless Steel 420
Steel, Low Carbon
Steel A36

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Available titanium varieties:

Titanium Grade 2
Titanium 6Al-4V

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Available zinc varieties:

Zinc Sheet Alloy 500

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CNC Finishes

As-Milled

The finish option with the quickest turnaround. Parts are left with visible tool marks and potentially sharp edges and burrs, which can be removed upon request. Surface finish is comparable to 125 uin Ra finish.

Bead Blast

The part surface is left with a smooth, matte appearance.

Anodized (Type II or Type III)

Type II creates a corrosion-resistant finish. Parts can be anodized in different colors—clear, black, red, and gold are most common—and is usually associated with aluminum. Type III is thicker and creates a wear-resistant layer in addition to the corrosion resistance seen with Type II.

Powder Coat

This is a process where powdered paint is sprayed onto a part which is then baked in an oven. This creates a strong, wear- and corrosion-resistant layer that is more durable than standard painting methods. A wide variety of colors are available to create the desired aesthetic.

Custom

Don’t see the finish you need? Submit an RFQ and we’ll look into a finishing process for you.

Applications for CNC

Rapid Tooling

Because CNC can be applied to virtually any material, it is perfect for rapid tooling, i.e., creating fixtures or molds.

Rapid Prototyping

The range of materials available, low cost per unit, and speed of production makes CNC a great option for prototyping.

End-Use Production

High-quality finish, vast material options and precise tolerances have made CNC a favorable technology for end-use parts.

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Overview: What is CNC?

The Basics of CNC Machining

CNC (Computer Numerical Controlled) machining is a means to remove material with high precision machines, using a wide variety of cutting tools to create the final design. Common CNC machines include vertical milling machines, horizontal milling machines, lathes, and routers.

How CNC Machining Works

To successfully make a part on a CNC machine, skilled machinists create programmed instructions using CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing) software in conjunction with the CAD (Computer Aided Design) model provided by the customer. The CAD model is loaded into the CAM software and tool paths are created based on the required geometry of the manufactured part. Once the tool paths are determined, the CAM software creates G-Code (machine code) that tells the machine how fast to move, how fast to turn the stock and/or tool, and where to move the tool or workpiece in a 5-axis X, Y, Z, A, and B coordinate system.

Types of CNC Machining

There are several types of CNC machine — namely the CNC lathe, CNC mill, CNC router, and Wire EDM

With a CNC lathe, the part stock turns on the spindle and the fixed cutting tool is brought into contact with the workpiece. Lathes are perfect for cylindrical parts and are easily set up for repeatability. Conversely, on a CNC mill the rotating cutting tool moves around the workpiece, which remains fixed to a bed. Mills are all-purpose CNC machines that can handle most any machining process.

CNC machines can be simple 2-axis machines where only the tool head moves in the X and Z-axes or much more complex 5-axis CNC mills, where the workpiece can also move. This allows for more complex geometries without requiring extra operator work and expertise. This makes it easier to produce complex parts and reduces the chance of operator error.

Wire Electrical Discharge Machines (EDMs) take an entirely different approach to CNC machining in that they rely on conductive materials and electricity to erode the workpiece. This process can cut any conductive material, including all metals.

CNC routers, on the other hand, are ideal for cutting soft sheet materials such as wood and aluminum and are more cost-effective than using a CNC mill for a similar job. For harder sheet materials such as steel, a waterjet, laser, or plasma cutter is required.

Benefits of CNC Machining

The benefits of CNC machining are numerous. Once a tool path is created and a machine is programmed, it can run a part 1 time, or 100,000 times. CNC machines are built for precise manufacturing and repeatability which makes them cost-efficient and highly scalable. CNC machines can also work with a variety of materials from basic aluminum and plastics to more exotic materials like titanium — making them the ideal machine for almost any job. That's why CNC machining is one of the most popular methods of making plastic and metal components.

Xometry's CNC Manufacturing Standards

Sharp edges will be broken and deburred by default. Critical edges that must be left sharp should be noted and specified on a print.
For features of size (Length, width, height, diameter) and location (position, concentricity, symmetry) +/- 0.005”.
For features of orientation (parallelism and perpendicularity) and form (cylindrical, flatness, circularity, and straightness) apply tolerances as follows:

0-12”	Tolerance of 0.005”	Angularity	+/- ½ degree
Over 12”-24”	Tolerance of 0.010”	Angularity	+/- ½ degree
Over 24"-36"	Tolerance of 0.015625" (1/64)	Angularity	+/- 1 degree
Over 36"-60"	Tolerance of 0.03125" (1/32)	Angularity	+/- 1 degree
Over 60"	Tolerance of 0.0625" (1/16)	Angularity	+/- 1 degree

Industries that use CNC

CNC Machining is crucial in many industries such as aerospace and defense, automotive, energy, industrial machinery, medical, robotics, and R&D. These machines are also vital to other manufacturing processes. For example, the molds required for Injection Molding are CNC machined to ensure the precision of both the mold and the plastic part it makes.