What to Look for in a CNC Machining Service
CNC machining services provide machined parts for customers in various industries. Whether you are looking for a third party to assist in manufacturing your product or have a quick one-off need for CNC services, choosing the wrong company can result in quality issues and additional costs and time. This post outlines what to look for in a CNC machining service.
Experience
When looking for a CNC machining service, you want to choose a company with experience. Weathering the industry’s storms for decades indicates that the company is resilient. In addition to how long they’ve been in business, it is helpful to know if they have experience handling projects similar to yours or projects in your industry.
Capabilities
Look for a well-rounded partner. What other services do they provide? Having the machining service provider finish the parts may save time and money. A versatile machining service can produce machined parts using multi-axis CNC turning centers and vertical and horizontal machining centers to ensure your project is completed efficiently and to the precision your parts need.
Knowledge of Industry Standards
When you hire a CNC machining service familiar with the current industry standards, you can be sure that the parts you receive will meet your specific requirements. This speeds up the process and is also more cost-effective as you avoid making modifications after production has been completed. You won’t have to worry about costly errors or sending new work back and forth until it’s perfect. Plus, you don’t have to be an expert if you hire one.
Capacity
When choosing a provider, it’s important to consider their capacity. The CNC machining service company you select should have enough machinery to meet your production volume in the required time frame.
Services and Equipment
- CNC turning services. Look for a machining service that has multiple turning machines to accommodate different part sizes. Better yet, a company with a two-spindle turning center can offer faster productivity and better quality parts.
- CNC milling services. The facility should have multiple-axis machines, vertical and horizontal, for more precision and efficiency.
- CNC lathe services. A machining service that has manual and CNC lathes that can produce more products quickly.
- Manual machining services. Sometimes you only need a few parts, or you have a large part that won’t fit on a machine table. Look for a facility that can do custom CNC machining as well.
Inventory
A machining service with a large inventory of steel eliminates supply chain difficulties, and they can complete your project more quickly.
Quality of Work
One of the most important things to consider is the quality of their work. They should fully understand the technical aspects and be able to produce what you need within your specified tolerances. Ask for references or examples of previous projects if you have questions about their abilities or lack thereof.
Delivery Expectations
No one wants to spend months working on a project only to realize that they’re going to miss the deadline because parts aren’t finished. You shouldn’t have to worry about the parts that you have outsourced. Ask the machining service about their turnaround times and how they ensure on-time delivery.
Communication
Good communication is essential when choosing a CNC machining service. You want to be able to ask questions and get clear, concise answers. The last thing you want is miscommunication leading to delays or errors in production. Ask about their process. Take note of their responsiveness in the initial contact phases before you award them the job. If they are not responsive at this point, it may indicate how they will respond after they get the gig.
Quality Control
Besides having state-of-the-art machinery that can offer precise, repeatable results, a good CNC machining service provider must have a robust quality control system to ensure that all parts meet quality specifications.
Look for a company with ISO 9001:2015 certification, illustrating a commitment to superior value and continuous improvement. They should be practicing the principles with continuous improvement projects, corrective/preventative action steps, and lean concepts.
Final Thoughts
CNC machining is a vital process in the manufacturing of metal parts. The technology has advanced rapidly in recent years, making it possible to produce parts with greater speed and precision than ever before.
Westfield Steel, Inc. has proudly served customers across the Midwest for over 40 years, and we have earned an excellent reputation for providing CNC machining services. We carry an extensive steel inventory and offer a wide range of value-added services to give you production-ready steel. We do more with steel, from design and engineering consultation to complete CNC machining, and from initial layout through production and delivery. Contact us today for a quote!
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