How to Reduce the Cost of CNC Milling?

CNC milling is a type of machining that uses computer-controlled machines to turn raw materials into finished products. The cost of CNC milling depends on the type of material, the complexity of the design, the size of the part and the expertise of the operator. Whether small or large, cost is always a top priority and everyone wants to find a balance between cost, quality, time and service, so how can you reduce the cost of custom machined parts when using CNC milling?

1. Reduce the cost of CNC milling: raw materials

The cost of raw materials varies widely, and when you understand the main function and purpose of a product, you can easily find the best and economical material for making a part. For example, when we consider making parts from stainless steel or aluminum, we can easily find that the price of aluminum material is much cheaper than stainless steel, and aluminum is easier to machine than stainless steel, which means that the total machining cost of aluminum machining is much cheaper than stainless steel machining. So choosing the right raw material can save your CNC milling cost.

2. Reducing CNC milling costs: quantities and forecasts

Making accurate forecasts is very important for your project in the long-term business, you can save time waiting for parts, and you can save time machining parts. CNC milling and other CNC machining services have a set cost per order, which means you pay the set cost per order even if the order is small, and the more quantity you order, the cheaper the unit price you pay per order. The price of a unit machined part varies greatly per 1 to 10pcs and 100 to 500pcs, there are many more ways to reduce the cost of your CNC milled parts, such as surface treatment, dimensional tolerances, packaging, etc.

3. Reducing CNC milling costs: machine type and location

Choosing a professional CNC machining manufacturer can help you choose the right machining machine and save money without sacrificing quality, a manual milling machine is best for small batches of simple design parts because it doesn't require programs that can save settings and add a lot to the cost, 3+1 axis CNC milling is cheaper than 4 axis CNC milling, so choosing the right machine can save you money.

When you are in urgent need of parts or the parts are large in size, you should consider purchasing at a CNC machining shop near you to save time and save on shipping costs. But when you are looking to procure high volume items, and the parts manufacturing price is high in your area, you should consider outsourcing in different areas, for example, you can choose to outsource CNC machining services from a Chinese manufacturer, which can save the overall cost and obtain high-precision quality parts.