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Precision Swiss Machining
Are you looking for a way to make super small parts with amazing accuracy? At Istar Machining, we’re experts in Swiss machining, a special type of manufacturing that makes the tiniest parts with the tightest tolerances. From medical devices to aerospace components, our Swiss machining service delivers precision that you can count on.
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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 is Swiss Machining?
Swiss machining (also called Swiss turning or Swiss-type lathing) is a special way to make small metal parts. Unlike regular machine tools, Swiss machines hold the material in a special guide bushing while it moves through the machine. This helps make very small, precise parts without them bending or vibrating.
This technique was first created in Switzerland to make tiny watch screws. Today, we at Istar Machining use it to create parts for many industries where small size and high precision matter.
“Swiss machining is like having a microscope for metalworking – it lets us create parts so precise they can fit inside the eye of a needle!” – Engineering Team at Istar Machining
How Swiss Machines Work
Swiss machines are different from regular CNC machines. Here’s what makes them special:
- Sliding headstock: The material moves through the machine instead of the cutting tool moving around the material
- Guide bushing: Holds the material close to where cutting happens to prevent bending
- Multiple tools: Can use many tools at once to make complex shapes
- Live tooling: Can drill and mill while the part spins
- Sub-spindle: Catches the part to work on both ends without resetting
This design makes Swiss machining perfect for small, complex parts that need to be extremely accurate. At Istar Machining, we use the latest Swiss machines with up to 13 axes of movement!
Extensive Material Capabilities for Swiss Machining
Our Swiss machining service can handle many different materials:
Metals
Stainless Steels
Aluminum Alloys
Carbon & Alloy Steels
Brass, Copper & Bronze Alloys
Titanium Alloys
Exotic & High-Temperature Alloys
Stainless Steels
Known for their corrosion resistance, strength, and hygienic properties, making them ideal for medical, food processing, and demanding industrial applications.
Common Grades:
- 303 (Free-Machining) – Excellent machinability for complex parts
- 304 / 304L (Austenitic) – Most versatile and widely used
- 316 / 316L (Austenitic, Medical Grade) – Enhanced corrosion resistance, often for marine and medical implants
- 416 (Martensitic, Free-Machining) – Hardenable with good machinability
- 440C (Martensitic) – High carbon content for hardness and wear resistance
- 17-4 PH (Precipitation Hardening) – High strength and hardness with good corrosion resistance
Our Expertise: Achieving fine finishes and holding tight tolerances on diverse stainless steel grades.
Aluminum Alloys
Valued for their lightweight nature, excellent strength-to-weight ratio, good machinability, and thermal conductivity. Widely used in aerospace, electronics, and consumer products.
Common Grades:
- 6061 (General Purpose) – Good combination of strength, weldability, and corrosion resistance
- 7075 (High Strength) – Primary choice for high-stress aerospace applications
- 2024 (High Strength) – Excellent fatigue resistance
- 2011 (Free-Machining) – Often used for intricate parts requiring high production rates
- 5052 (Good Formability) – Excellent corrosion resistance, especially in marine environments
Our Expertise: Proficient in high-speed machining of complex aluminum components.
Carbon & Alloy Steels
Offering a balance of strength, durability, wear resistance, and cost-effectiveness for various mechanical and structural applications.
Common Grades:
- 12L14 (Leaded Steel) – Outstanding machinability due to lead content
- 1215 (Resulfurized Steel) – Excellent machinability, common for high-volume turned parts
- 1018 (Low Carbon Steel) – General purpose, good for forming and welding
- 4140 (Chromoly Alloy Steel) – High tensile strength and toughness, through-hardening
- 8620 (Nickel-Chromium-Molybdenum Alloy Steel) – Excellent for case hardening, providing a wear-resistant surface
Our Expertise: Delivering robust and reliable steel components via precision Swiss turning.
Brass, Copper & Bronze Alloys
Selected for their excellent machinability (especially brass), high electrical and thermal conductivity (copper), corrosion resistance, and aesthetic appeal.
Brass:
- C360 / 360 (Free-Cutting Brass) – The standard for high-speed Swiss machining due to superior chip control
- C260 (Cartridge Brass)
Copper:
- C101 (OFHC – Oxygen-Free High Conductivity) – For demanding electrical applications
- C110 (ETP – Electrolytic Tough Pitch) – Common grade for electrical conductivity
- C145 (Tellurium Copper) – Improved machinability compared to pure copper
Bronze:
- C510 (Phosphor Bronze) – Good strength and fatigue resistance
- C544 (Phosphor Bronze – Free Machining) – Enhanced machinability
- C932 (SAE 660 Bearing Bronze) – Excellent wear resistance for bearings and bushings
- C954 (Aluminum Bronze) – High strength and corrosion resistance
Beryllium Copper (BeCu):
- C172, C173 – High strength, conductivity, and hardness (Requires specialized handling)
Our Expertise: Specialists in high-volume production of intricate brass fittings, connectors, and high-conductivity copper contacts.
Titanium Alloys
Renowned for their exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, excellent biocompatibility, and superior corrosion resistance, particularly in harsh environments. Ideal for medical implants, aerospace components, and high-performance applications. Machining requires specific expertise.
Common Grades:
- Grade 2 (Commercially Pure) – Good balance of strength and ductility
- Grade 5 (Ti 6Al-4V) – The most common alloy, widely used in aerospace and medical
- Grade 9 (Ti 3Al-2.5V) – Intermediate strength, good weldability
Our Expertise: Proven experience in the demanding, precise machining of titanium alloys.
Exotic & High-Temperature Alloys
Designed for extreme conditions involving high temperatures, high stress, and corrosive environments. These materials are often challenging to machine and require specialized knowledge.
Examples:
- Inconel® (e.g., 625, 718) – Nickel-chromium superalloy for high-temp strength and corrosion resistance
- Monel® (e.g., 400, K-500) – Nickel-copper alloy known for resistance to various corrosive agents
- Hastelloy® (e.g., C-276) – Nickel-molybdenum-chromium superalloy with outstanding corrosion resistance
- Kovar® (Iron-Nickel-Cobalt Alloy) – Controlled thermal expansion for glass sealing
- Nickel Alloys (Various grades)
- Cobalt-Chrome Alloys (e.g., MP35N) – Biocompatible, high strength, often used in medical implants
Our Expertise: Mastery in handling difficult-to-machine exotic alloys for critical applications.
Plastics
PEEK (Polyetheretherketone)
Acetal (POM / includes Delrin®)
Nylon (PA - Polyamide)
PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene / often Teflon®)
Ultem® (PEI - Polyetherimide)
Polycarbonate (PC)
PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)
ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)
PEEK (Polyetheretherketone)
A high-performance thermoplastic renowned for its exceptional mechanical strength, stiffness, and creep resistance, maintained even at continuous operating temperatures up to ~250°C (480°F). PEEK offers outstanding chemical and hydrolysis resistance, inherent flame retardancy, excellent wear properties, and good dimensional stability. Often specified in medical grades (USP Class VI compliant) for implants, surgical instruments, and analytical equipment components due to its biocompatibility and sterilizability. Also widely used in demanding aerospace, semiconductor, and industrial applications requiring high performance. Machines well to tight tolerances with appropriate tooling.
Acetal (POM / includes Delrin®)
Available as homopolymer (e.g., Delrin®) and copolymer grades, Acetal is known for its high stiffness, excellent dimensional stability, low coefficient of friction (natural lubricity), and good wear resistance. It exhibits low moisture absorption, making it ideal for precision parts operating in wet or humid environments. Commonly machined into small gears, bearings, bushings, rollers, electrical insulators, and complex mechanical components requiring consistent, tight tolerances. Offers outstanding machinability, yielding clean finishes and precise details.
Nylon (PA - Polyamide)
A versatile family (including common grades PA 6 and PA 6/6) known for its good toughness, high impact strength, excellent abrasion resistance, and resistance to many chemicals, oils, and fuels. Available in various grades, including glass-filled or MoS2-filled options for increased strength, stiffness, and wear properties. Frequently used for bearings, rollers, gears, structural parts, wear pads, and insulators. Note: Nylon is hygroscopic (absorbs moisture), which can affect dimensional stability and mechanical properties; this must be considered during design and machining for critical tolerance applications.
PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene / often Teflon®)
Distinguished by its extremely broad operating temperature range (approx. -200°C to +260°C / -328°F to +500°F), near-universal chemical inertness, and an exceptionally low coefficient of friction (one of the lowest of any solid material). It’s also an excellent electrical insulator. While inherently soft and potentially prone to creep under load, precision machining is readily achievable with Swiss techniques. Ideal for high-purity seals, gaskets, valve seats, linings, insulators, non-stick surfaces, and low-friction bearings (especially when filled with glass, carbon, or bronze to improve mechanical properties).
Ultem® (PEI - Polyetherimide)
An amorphous, high-performance thermoplastic offering high strength, rigidity, and dimensional stability, particularly at elevated temperatures. Features excellent electrical properties (high dielectric strength and stable dielectric constant), broad chemical resistance, and inherent flame resistance (UL94 V-0). Resistant to hydrolysis, making it suitable for repeated steam sterilization cycles. Common applications include medical instrument components, electrical connectors and insulators, semiconductor handling parts, and aerospace components. Typically amber/transparent in its natural state.
Polycarbonate (PC)
A tough, transparent thermoplastic known for its outstanding impact strength (high resistance to shattering) and good rigidity over a wide temperature range. Offers good electrical insulation properties and dimensional stability. While naturally transparent like glass, it has much higher impact resistance. Used for machine guards, sight glasses, durable housings, electrical components, manifolds, and various medical device components. Requires sharp tooling and appropriate speeds/feeds during machining to achieve clean cuts and avoid stress cracking.
PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)
A widely used and cost-effective thermoplastic available in rigid (uPVC) and flexible forms. Rigid PVC offers good chemical resistance (especially to acids, alkalis, and salts), durability, and inherent flame retardancy. It is also a good electrical insulator. Commonly machined into pipe fittings, valve components, chemical processing parts, electrical boxes, and housings where high strength or temperature resistance is not the primary requirement.
ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)
A common thermoplastic terpolymer valued for its good all-around balance of properties: toughness, high impact resistance (even at lower temperatures), rigidity, chemical resistance, and relative ease of processing and machining. Offers good dimensional stability and can be easily colored, painted, or plated for aesthetic finishes. Widely used for durable enclosures, housings, control panels, prototypes, and various consumer product components requiring good mechanical properties at a reasonable cost.
CNC Products Produced by Istar Machining
Technical Details
For engineers and technical buyers, here are the specifics of our Swiss machining capabilities:
Machine Specifications
- Diameter Range: We can work with material from 0.5mm to 32mm
- Tolerance Capability: Standard ±0.002 mm, with ±0.0005 mm available for special needs
- Surface Finish: Ra 0.4–1.6 µm typical
- Multi-Axis Integration: Our machines feature 7–13 axes for complex geometries
- Lead Times: 5–10 days for prototypes; 2–3 weeks for production runs
Our Equipment
At Istar Machining, we use top-of-the-line Swiss machines:
- Tornos Deco 20a for ultimate precision
- Citizen L32-X for larger diameter work
- High-pressure coolant systems for chip management
- Advanced measurement systems for quality control
Industries We Serve
Our Swiss machining services help many industries create their most important small parts:
Swiss Machining Advantages
Why choose Swiss machining for your small parts? Here are the biggest benefits:
1. Incredible Accuracy
- Can achieve tolerances as tight as ±0.0005 mm (that’s thinner than a human hair!)
- Perfect for parts where every tiny detail matters
- Consistent quality across thousands of parts
2. Smooth Finishes Without Extra Work
- Creates surface finishes as smooth as Ra 0.4 µm right off the machine
- No need for extra polishing or finishing
- Saves time and money on production
3. Perfect for Small Runs and Big Batches
- Efficient for orders from 100 to 100,000+ parts
- 24/7 automation for non-stop production
- Cost-effective for high-volume needs
4. Complex Shapes in One Step
- Can make threads, tiny holes, and unusual shapes in a single setup
- Reduces need for multiple machines or operations
- Faster production and better part quality
At Istar Machining, we combine these advantages with our expertise in precision CNC machining to deliver parts that exceed your expectations.
Why Choose Istar Machining for Swiss Machining?
There are many reasons to partner with us for your Swiss machining needs:
Experience
Our team has decades of combined experience
Quality Focus
ISO 9001, AS9100, and ITAR compliance
Advanced Technology
Latest Swiss machines with full automation
Complete Solutions
From design assistance to finishing services
Competitive Pricing
Efficient processes mean better value
On-Time Delivery
We respect your deadlines and production schedules
The Swiss Machining Process
When you work with Istar Machining for your Swiss machining needs, here’s what happens:
Design Review
Our engineers review your CAD files to ensure they're optimized for Swiss machining
Material Selection
We help you choose the best material for your application
Programming
Our CAD/CAM specialists program the machine for your specific part
First Article
We make a sample part for your approval
Production
Once approved, we begin full production
Frequently Asked Question
A: We can make parts with features as small as 0.3mm and tolerances of ±0.0005mm.
A: Stainless steel, brass, aluminum, titanium, and some plastics like PEEK work extremely well.
A: Swiss machining offers better precision for small parts, can achieve tighter tolerances, and is more efficient for high-volume production of small components.
A: While we specialize in higher volumes, we can accommodate orders as small as 100 pieces.
A: Typically 5-10 days for prototypes and 2-3 weeks for production runs, depending on complexity and quantity.
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