Precision CNC Turning Services

Aluminum is a popular choice for CNC turning due to its light weight, natural corrosion resistance, and excellent machinability, making it cost-effective for many applications. It also readily accepts finishing processes like anodizing.

Common Aluminum Grades We Turn:

• 6061-T6: Versatile workhorse, good strength, easily welded and machined.
• 7075-T6: High strength-to-weight, favored for aerospace and stressed parts.
• 2024-T3: Strong with good fatigue resistance.
• 5052: Good formability, excellent in marine environments.
• MIC-6: Cast plate, known for its dimensional stability in tooling.

Typical CNC Turned Aluminum Parts: Housings, brackets, heat sinks, prototypes, automotive components, jigs & fixtures, consumer product parts.

Finishing Options: Anodizing (Clear, Color, Type III Hardcoat), Chem Film (Chromate Conversion), Powder Coating, Painting, Polishing, Brushing.

When corrosion resistance and strength are paramount, CNC turning stainless steel is often the solution. Ideal for medical, food, and marine industries, different grades offer tailored properties. Machinability varies significantly, with austenitic grades like 304/316 being more challenging than free-machining grades like 303/416.

Common Stainless Grades We Turn:

• 303: Free-machining grade, optimized for easier turning.
• 304/304L: The most common “18-8” stainless, great all-around corrosion resistance.
• 316/316L: Superior corrosion resistance, especially against chlorides.
• 17-4 PH: High strength precipitation hardening grade.
• 416: Free-machining martensitic grade, can be heat-treated for hardness.
• 440C: High carbon content, achieves high hardness for wear applications.

Typical CNC Turned Stainless Parts: Medical instruments, surgical tools, food processing hardware, marine fittings, valve components, fasteners, shafts, aerospace parts.

Finishing Options: Passivation (enhances corrosion resistance), Electropolishing, Mechanical Polishing, Brushing, Laser Marking.

Steel offers unmatched versatility in strength, durability, and cost. Our CNC turning services shape everything from easily machined low-carbon steels to tough, heat-treatable alloys for demanding structural and mechanical applications.

Common Steel Grades We Turn:

• 1018: Mild (low carbon) steel, excellent machinability, commonly used.
• 1045: Medium carbon steel, stronger and harder than 1018.
• 12L14: Leaded steel, offers exceptional machinability for high volume production.
• 4140 (Chromoly): Alloy steel known for toughness and strength after heat treatment.
• 4340: High strength alloy steel, offers greater toughness than 4140.
• 8620: Case hardening alloy steel for a hard surface and tough core.

Typical CNC Turned Steel Parts: Shafts, axles, gears, sprockets, tooling components, fixtures, structural elements, machine parts, fasteners.

Finishing Options: Heat Treatment (Hardening, Tempering, Annealing, Case Hardening), Black Oxide Coating, Zinc Plating, Nickel Plating, Chrome Plating, Painting.

Tool steels are engineered for maximum hardness, wear resistance, and toughness, primarily used for creating tools, dies, and high-wear components. CNC turning is typically performed on the material in its softer, annealed state before it undergoes critical heat treatment processes.

Common Tool Steel Grades We Turn (Annealed):

• A2: Air-hardening, good balance of wear resistance and toughness.
• D2: High carbon/chromium, excellent wear resistance.
• O1: Oil-hardening, relatively easy to machine (annealed) and heat treat.
• S7: Known for its high shock resistance.
• H13: Popular hot-work tool steel.

Typical CNC Turned Tool Steel Parts: Stamping dies, punches, molds, cutting tools, shear blades, high-wear industrial components.

Finishing Options: Heat Treatment (Essential for desired properties), Surface Coatings (e.g., TiN, TiCN for enhanced wear), Precision Grinding (often post-heat treat).

Titanium stands out for its exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, outstanding corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility. While CNC turning titanium presents challenges due to its unique thermal properties and reactivity, its performance advantages are critical in aerospace, medical, and other high-performance fields.

Common Titanium Grades We Turn:

• Grade 2: Commercially Pure (CP), good balance of strength and formability, excellent corrosion resistance.
• Grade 5 (Ti 6Al-4V): The most widely used titanium alloy, offering high strength.

Typical CNC Turned Titanium Parts: Aerospace structural components, engine parts, fasteners, medical implants (orthopedic, dental), surgical instruments, marine hardware, chemical processing equipment, performance automotive parts.

Finishing Options: Anodizing (Type II – primarily for color coding/identification), Passivation, Polishing, Micro-abrasive blasting.

This alloy family is selected for excellent electrical and thermal conductivity (especially copper), corrosion resistance, and good bearing properties (bronzes). CNC turning these materials is common for electrical components, plumbing fittings, bushings, and decorative items. C360 Brass, in particular, is known for its exceptional machinability.

Common Copper Alloy Grades We Turn:

• C101 / C110 (Copper): Oxygen-Free (OFHC) / Electrolytic Tough Pitch (ETP), valued for conductivity.
• C360 Brass: Free-Cutting Brass, excellent machinability.
• C260 Brass (Cartridge Brass): Good cold working properties.
• C932 Bearing Bronze (SAE 660): Standard for many bearing/bushing applications.
• C954 Aluminum Bronze: High strength, wear and corrosion resistant.
• (Add any other common grades you handle)

Typical CNC Turned Copper Alloy Parts: Electrical contacts, terminals, connectors, heat sinks, plumbing fittings, valve bodies, bushings, bearings, decorative hardware, musical instrument parts.

Finishing Options: Polishing, Plating (Nickel, Chrome, Silver, Gold), Patination, Clear Coating/Lacquering.

CNC turning plastics offers lightweight, insulating, chemically resistant, and often low-friction alternatives to metals. We machine a variety of engineering and commodity plastics, but careful process control is needed due to factors like low melting points and thermal expansion.

Common Plastics We Turn:

• Acetal (POM / Delrin®): Stiff, dimensionally stable, low friction.
• Nylon (PA): Tough and wear-resistant, available in various grades.
• PEEK: High-performance polymer for high temp, chemical resistance, and strength.
• PTFE (Teflon®): Extremely low friction, chemically inert, wide temperature range.
• Polycarbonate (PC): High impact strength, often used for transparent parts.
• ABS: Good general-purpose toughness and impact resistance.
• UHMW PE: Excellent wear resistance and low friction.
• PVC: Good chemical resistance and electrical insulation.
• Ultem® (PEI): High strength/stiffness at elevated temperatures.

Typical CNC Turned Plastic Parts: Bushings, bearings, seals, gaskets, insulators, rollers, guides, medical components, food processing parts, housings, prototypes, manifolds.

Finishing Options: Polishing, Vapor Smoothing (certain types), Annealing (for stress relief), Laser Marking/Engraving.

Our CNC turning expertise extends beyond the core categories. We also have experience with materials such as:

• Nickel Alloys (e.g., Inconel®, Monel®): For extreme heat and corrosive environments. These require specialized approaches due to their difficulty in machining.
• Magnesium Alloys: Extremely lightweight, requires specific safety handling procedures.
• Composite Materials (e.g., G10/FR4, Carbon Fiber – if applicable): Strong, lightweight, insulating materials often requiring specific tooling.

Your Specific Requirement: If the material you need isn’t listed, or if you’re working with a specialty alloy or customer-provided stock, please reach out. We welcome the opportunity to review your project and discuss feasibility.

Contact Us: Let our team assist you in material selection and planning for your CNC turned components.