CNC machining is widely employed across various industries for its high accuracy, precision, speed, and efficiency. However, CNC machining services can also be somewhat more expensive when compared to other manufacturing methods such as 3D printing. Cost is a crucial consideration in the application of CNC machining for both one-off or large scale production. This article highlights 10 tips through which you can significantly lower the cost of your CNC machined parts.
What Influences the Cost of CNC Machining
Before making any effort to lower machining costs, it is essential to first understand the factors that influence these costs in the first place. CNC manufacturing costs depend on the four following factors.
- Setup costs: These costs cover everything from CAD and CAM files preparation to process planning. Setup costs are fixed and are more significant for small production volumes.
- Material costs: The cost of the material from which a part is to be manufactured significantly affects the overall cost of the manufacturing process and the cost of the finished part. Rare materials drive up cost immensely. Machinability is also another material cost factor as it influences resource consumption and machining time and effort.
- Machining time: In the world of CNC machining, time is literally money. Machining time is a significant cost driver. The more time it takes to machine a part, the more expensive it will be. The costs involved in running and maintaining the CNC machine, energy consumption, and operator wages all increase as machining time increases.
- Miscellaneous costs: These costs in CNC machining cover anything that can be considered as special requirements or extra. These include tight tolerances, special tooling, closer quality control, and lower machining speeds.
Having understood the factors that drive costs in CNC machining, we can now explore the ways by which they can be reduced.
