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Precision CNC Milling Services
When you need parts made just right, CNC milling is the way to go. At Istar Machining, we make metal and plastic parts with special machines that follow computer instructions. These machines cut away material to make the exact shape you need.
- Super accurate - as precise as the width of a human hair!
- Works with many materials - from soft aluminum to hard steel
- Can make complex shapes - even curved surfaces and hidden features
- Consistent quality - every part comes out the same
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Supports uploading of the following file formats: .STEP .STP .SLDPRT .STL .IPT .3MF .3DXML .PRT .SAT .DXF .X_T .X_B .JT .CATPART
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20+ Years
Istar Machining's years in the industry
300,000 square feet
The size of Istar Machining's factory
856 CNC machines
Our CNC equipment count
2000+ skilled workers
Istar's number of skilled machinists/operators
What We Can Make With CNC Milling
We can make all kinds of parts for different industries:
CNC Milling Details You Should Know
Here’s a table showing what our CNC milling machines can do:
Feature | What It Means For You | Why It Matters |
Fast Spindle (30,000 RPM) | Smooth cuts in tough materials | Your aerospace parts come out perfect |
Multi-Axis (3 to 5 Axis) | Can make complex shapes | Your car parts have all the curves they need |
Works With Many Materials | Can cut aluminum, steel, plastic | You can get parts in exactly what you need |
Very Accurate (±0.005 mm) | Parts fit together perfectly | Your medical devices work safely |
CAD/CAM Software | Turns your designs into real parts | Your ideas become real products faster |
Special Tools | Can use diamond-coated cutting tools | Your carbon fiber parts cut cleanly |
Strong Machine Frame | Less vibration means better finish | Your parts look and feel professional |
Flexible Production | Can make 1 or 1,000 parts | Start with a prototype, then order more |
Quick Delivery | Prototypes in 3 days | Get your test parts fast |
Surface Finish Options | From mirror smooth to textured | Your parts feel and look right |
How Our Machines Work
Our CNC mills use spinning cutting tools to shape your parts. Think of it like a very precise drill that can move in many directions. The computer tells the tool exactly where to go.
Key Parts of CNC Milling
- Spindle– This holds and spins the cutting tool
- Cutting Tools– Special metal tools that remove material
- Work Holding– Clamps that hold your part still
- Computer Control– The brain that guides everything
Why Choose Istar Machining?
- ISO 9001certified quality system
- Experiencewith Haas and Siemens CNC machines
- Expert engineerswho use Mastercam to program perfect cuts
- We work with Boeingand other big companies who demand the best
- We follow all ASMEstandards for technical drawings and measurements
Best Materials for CNC Milling
Different materials are better for different jobs. Here’s what works best:
Metals
Aluminum
Stainless Steel
Mild Steel / Carbon Steel
Alloy Steel
Brass
Titanium
Copper
Aluminum
Aluminum (Common Grades: 6061, 7075, 5052, 2024) is lightweight, corrosion-resistant, has excellent thermal and electrical conductivity, and is very machinable.
Good for:
- Housings and enclosures
- Jigs, fixtures, and tooling
- Automotive and aerospace components
- Heat sinks and thermal management parts
- Manifolds and fluid handling blocks
- High-speed prototypes
Why customers love it: “It provides an outstanding balance of strength, weight, machinability, and cost-effectiveness, making it versatile for countless prototyping and production applications.”
Stainless Steel
Stainless Steel (Common Grades: 303, 304, 316/316L, 416, 17-4 PH) offers high strength, excellent corrosion resistance, heat resistance, and durability. Machinability varies significantly by grade (303 is easiest).
Good for:
- Medical devices and surgical instruments
- Food processing and handling equipment
- Marine hardware and components exposed to corrosive environments
- Aerospace parts
- Chemical processing equipment
- Fasteners and fittings
Why customers love it: “Its superior corrosion resistance, strength, durability, and aesthetic appeal make it ideal for demanding applications and harsh environments.”
Mild Steel / Carbon Steel
Mild Steel / Carbon Steel (Common Grades: 1018, 1045, A36) is strong, tough, easily weldable, and relatively inexpensive. It requires protective coating (painting, plating) to prevent rust.
Good for:
- Structural components and frames
- Machine parts and bases
- Jigs, fixtures, and tooling
- Weldments
- Automotive components (non-cosmetic)
Why customers love it: “It’s a cost-effective workhorse material offering good strength, versatility, and ease of fabrication, especially welding.”
Alloy Steel
Alloy Steel (Common Grades: 4140, 4340) is steel alloyed with elements like chromium, molybdenum, nickel, etc., to enhance properties like hardness, strength, toughness, wear resistance, or heat resistance.
Good for:
- High-stress components (gears, shafts, axles)
- Tooling, dies, and molds
- Automotive and aerospace parts requiring high strength or wear resistance
- Components operating at elevated temperatures (depending on alloy)
Why customers love it: “Offers tailored mechanical properties like superior strength, toughness, and wear resistance for demanding, high-performance applications.”
Brass
Brass (Common Grades: C360 – Free Machining Brass) is a copper-zinc alloy known for its exceptional machinability, good corrosion resistance, electrical conductivity, and attractive gold-like appearance.
Good for:
- Fittings, valves, and plumbing components
- Electrical connectors and contacts
- Decorative hardware and architectural elements
- Musical instrument parts
- Bushings and bearings (low load)
Why customers love it: “It’s incredibly easy and fast to machine, producing excellent surface finishes, making it cost-effective for intricate parts while offering good corrosion resistance.”
Titanium
Titanium (Common Grades: Grade 2, Grade 5 / Ti-6Al-4V) boasts an exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, outstanding corrosion resistance (especially to saltwater and chemicals), and biocompatibility. It is more challenging and costly to machine than steel or aluminum.
Good for:
- Aerospace structural components, engine parts, fasteners
- Medical implants (hip, knee, dental) and surgical instruments
- High-performance automotive parts (valves, connecting rods)
- Marine hardware exposed to seawater
- Chemical processing equipment
Why customers love it: “Its unmatched strength-to-weight ratio, incredible corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility are critical for high-stakes aerospace, medical, and performance applications.”
Copper
Copper (Common Grades: C101 – OFE, C110 – ETP) offers unparalleled electrical and thermal conductivity, good corrosion resistance, and antimicrobial properties. It is relatively soft and can be somewhat ‘gummy’ to machine cleanly.
Good for:
- Electrical components (busbars, connectors, contacts, wiring)
- Heat sinks and heat exchangers
- Plumbing fittings
- Antimicrobial surfaces
- Artistic and decorative applications
Why customers love it: “Its superior electrical and thermal conductivity is essential for applications involving efficient transfer of electricity or heat.”
Plastics
ABS
Nylon (PA)
Polycarbonate (PC)
Acetal (POM / Delrin®)
PEEK
Acrylic (PMMA)
UHMW-PE
ABS
ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) is a common thermoplastic known for its toughness, impact resistance, rigidity, and ease of machining. It’s relatively low-cost and available in various colors.
Good for:
- Enclosures and housings for electronics
- Prototyping and modeling
- Consumer goods
- Automotive interior trim parts
- Jigs and fixtures (non-critical load)
Why customers love it: “Provides a great all-around balance of toughness, rigidity, impact resistance, and cost-effectiveness for many general-purpose applications.”
Nylon (PA)
Nylon (PA) (Common Grades: Nylon 6, Nylon 6/6) is a strong, tough engineering thermoplastic with excellent wear resistance, low friction properties, and good chemical resistance. It can absorb moisture, which may affect dimensional stability.
Good for:
- Gears, bearings, and bushings
- Wear pads and slide plates
- Rollers and wheels
- Structural components (where moisture isn’t a critical issue)
- High-impact components
Why customers love it: “Its combination of high strength, toughness, and excellent wear and abrasion resistance makes it ideal for moving parts and high-friction applications.”
Polycarbonate (PC)
Polycarbonate (PC) is an extremely durable, high-impact resistant thermoplastic with excellent toughness and optical clarity (in clear grades). It maintains properties over a wide temperature range.
Good for:
- Machine guards and safety shields
- Sight glasses and clear covers
- Automotive components (headlight lenses)
- Electronic housings requiring high impact strength
- Prototypes needing transparency and toughness
Why customers love it: “Offers exceptional impact resistance and toughness, often described as ‘virtually unbreakable’, along with good clarity and temperature resistance.”
Acetal (POM / Delrin®)
Acetal (POM / Delrin®) is an engineering thermoplastic characterized by its high stiffness, low friction, excellent dimensional stability, good wear resistance, and resistance to moisture and chemicals. It machines beautifully to tight tolerances.
Good for:
- Precision gears, bearings, and bushings
- Rollers, guides, and sliding components
- Electrical insulators
- Components requiring high stiffness and dimensional stability
- Fixtures requiring tight tolerances
Why customers love it: “Its excellent machinability, high stiffness, low friction, and superb dimensional stability make it a top choice for precision mechanical components.”
PEEK
PEEK (Polyether Ether Ketone) is a high-performance thermoplastic offering exceptional mechanical strength, high-temperature resistance (continuous use up to ~250°C / 480°F), excellent chemical resistance, and wear resistance. Biocompatible grades are available. It is more expensive and requires care in machining.
Good for:
- Demanding aerospace and automotive components
- Medical implants and devices (biocompatible grades)
- Semiconductor manufacturing equipment parts
- Bearings, seals, and valves in high-temperature or harsh chemical environments
- Electrical connectors for high-temp applications
Why customers love it: “Delivers outstanding performance in extreme conditions – high temperature, harsh chemicals, high mechanical stress – where other plastics fail.”
Acrylic (PMMA)
Acrylic (PMMA / Plexiglas® / Lucite®) is a rigid thermoplastic known for its excellent optical clarity, weather resistance, and UV stability. It’s more brittle than Polycarbonate but easier to polish to a high gloss.
Good for:
- Displays, signs, and light fixtures
- Sight glasses and windows (where impact resistance isn’t paramount)
- Architectural glazing
- Transparent prototypes and models
- Fluidic manifolds (clear viewing)
Why customers love it: “Offers glass-like clarity and excellent weatherability at a lower cost and weight than glass, and is easier to fabricate.”
UHMW-PE
UHMW PE (Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene) is known for its extremely high abrasion resistance, low coefficient of friction, high impact strength, and good chemical resistance. It can be challenging to machine to tight tolerances due to its nature.
Good for:
- Wear strips, chain guides, and chute liners
- Bearings and bushings (low speed/load)
- Food processing machinery components (FDA grades available)
- Impact plates and dock bumpers
Why customers love it: “Its outstanding abrasion resistance and impact strength make it incredibly durable in high-wear, sliding contact applications.”
Composites & Other Materials
Garolite (G-10 / FR-4)
Carbon Fiber (CFRP - specific capabilities required)
Garolite (G-10 / FR-4)
Garolite (G-10 / FR-4) is a high-pressure thermoset laminate made of woven glass fabric and epoxy resin. It offers high strength, low moisture absorption, excellent electrical insulating properties, and good dimensional stability. It is abrasive to machine.
Good for:
- Electrical insulators and terminal boards
- Jigs, fixtures, and test setups
- Structural components requiring high strength and stability
- Wear parts in specific applications
Why customers love it: “Provides a strong, stable, and electrically insulating material suitable for demanding mechanical and electrical applications.”
Carbon Fiber (CFRP - specific capabilities required)
Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) consists of strong carbon fibers embedded in a polymer matrix (typically epoxy). It offers extremely high stiffness-to-weight and strength-to-weight ratios. Machining requires specialized tooling, dust extraction, and techniques due to its abrasive and delaminating nature. (Note: Mention if your service specifically handles this well).
Good for:
- Aerospace components
- High-performance automotive parts (body panels, chassis)
- Sporting goods (bicycle frames, hockey sticks)
- Robotics components requiring low weight and high stiffness
Why customers love it: “Offers unparalleled stiffness and strength for its weight, enabling lightweight and high-performance designs.”
CNC Products Produced by Istar Machining
Industries We Serve
Aerospace
When making parts for planes and spacecraft, mistakes aren’t an option. Our toolpath optimization ensures every cut is perfect. We follow strict GD&T standards and have all the right certifications.
Medical
Medical parts need special care. Our medical CNC machining services make parts with the right surface finish and tolerance for safe use in the human body.
Automotive
Car parts need to be tough and reliable. Our machines can handle everything from engine blocks to custom racing parts. We use special feed rates for different metals to get the best strength.
Send Design
Send us your design file (CAD drawing)
Get Quote
We'll check if it can be made and give you a price
Start Making
After you approve, we start making your parts
QC
We check every part to make sure it's perfect
Shipping
We ship the parts to you, ready to use
Get Started Today!
Ready to turn your ideas into real parts? Contact us for a free quote and CAD file review. We guarantee 99% on-time delivery.
Frequently Asked Question
Yes! We use special carbide tools that can cut even the hardest steels.
Absolutely! We make as few as 1 part for testing, or up to 10,000 for production.
Our machines can hold tolerances as tight as 0.005mm, which is about 1/5 the width of a human hair!
Yes, our 5-axis machining center can reach inside parts to create internal features.
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