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CNC MACHINING SERVICES

Need CNC machining service for prototyping? We have focused on rapid prototyping,CNC machining and product development for over 15 years. With our innovative product design team, over 9000+ prototyping projects have been done. Even you just have a concept in mind, no worry, our team can help you.

Applications of CNC Machined Prototypes

CNC prototype machining play an very important role in product developing. In most cases, developers  need a functional prototype to show how the real product works. Meanwhile, CNC prototype can be made with the material that mass production use, such as ABS, metal. In short, CNC prototype will look more beautiful than the other prototypes like 3D Printing, and more close to the end-product.

Most times, machined tooling is often preferable for these functional prototypes requiring strength, mechanical stability.

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CNC Materials

Plastic: ABS, PC, ABS+PC, PP, PS, POM, PMMA (Acrylic), PAGF30, PCGF30, Teflon, DHPE, HDPE, PPS, PEEK. Learn More about our Plastic Machining

Metal: Aluminum, Steel, Stainless Steel (17-4, Inconel 625 & 718), Magnesium, Titanium, Zinc, Brass, Bronze, Copper. Learn More about our Metal Machining These are the most common materials for CNC prototyping and production parts. Besides that, we can work with any type of machinable plastic and metal we can purchase from the stock market. Review More Materials & Finishes Options

What’s more: We are able to create a custom plastic block or bar for the material such as PA GF50, PPS GF50. To discover further plastic materials we can do, please contact our team.

Precision Machining

Aside from standard tolerance CNC parts such as ISO2678M or ISO2678F, we also offers high-precision CNC machining parts. With high precision milling & turning machines, we are able to catch super tight tolerance for prototype machining & production. After being in the manufacturing industry for over 15 years, we discovered that experienced engineers are as much important as high precision machines, who have better understanding in parts and industry. That what make us proud.

CNC Finishes

As-Machined: The most popular and cost efficient way for inner functional components. Fine and even tool path is also good for aspect parts.

Bead Blasted: The part is left with a matt appearance. Range of 120 to 320 beads allows us to create different roughness to the surface.

Anodized: Type II creates a corrosion-resistant finish. Parts can be anodized in different colors—clear, black, red, and blue are most common—and is usually associated with low silicone element series of aluminum. Type III is thicker and creates a wear-resistant layer in addition to the corrosion resistance seen with Type II.

Powder Coat: This is a process where powdered paint is sprayed onto a part which is then baked in an oven. This creates a strong, wear- and corrosion-resistant layer that is more durable than standard painting methods. A wide variety of colors are available to create the desired aesthetic.

Advantages of CNC Machining for Prototypes

Cost-effective

CNC machining is the best option in terms of price point if you need to make just a few prototypes. Unlike the injection molding method, where you might need a few months to get the mold and tolerances ready, CNC prototype machining could start immediately once the blueprint and the tolerances are set just after a few weeks.

High Tolerance

Another advantage that helps speed up the production of prototypes is the high tolerance ranges they tend to have. Unlike 3D printing, you can make your prototype just as detailed as the finished product. This is a great advantage for those who want to use the prototypes for structural and functional tests.

From Prototype to Production

In quite a few cases, making the prototype is one of the latter degrees of production. Except for those who want to test the functionality of the product or use the prototype to pitch the product to a potential investor, the prototype helps to fasten up production as most of the requirements needed for production are ready at this point.

Great similarity to the product

Unlike 3D-printed prototypes, CNC machining prototypes tend to have quite a lot of similarities to the product. Since machining centers are fully capable of producing end-use parts as well as prototypes, it is possible to create prototypes that are close to the end product.

Part of this is down to materials. Many engineering metals are highly machinable, which allows engineers to make prototypes from the same (or similar) materials they will use for the final part. But the quality of the process itself is also a factor: machined parts are strong and do not exhibit weakness along certain axes like printed parts. In contrast, the machining process itself can even replicate other processes like sheet metal forming.

Need CNC machining service for prototyping? RapidDirect has focused on rapid prototyping and custom parts production for nearly 2 decades, we are confident to provide cost-effective CNC machining services from China. 

FAQs

If I don’t have 3D data, can you make the prototype for me?

Yes,Our engineers will do the job for you, of course it needs other extra fee for it.

Is CNC prototype machining the best option for prototyping?

Choosing machined tooling for your work largely depends on a few factors like the material for the job, how structurally sound you want the prototype to be, and a few more. If you however want a prototype that is quite sturdy in nature, CNC prototype machining is one of the best options.

Why CNC Prototyping is more expensive than 3D Printing?

The difference of the time of manufacturing. The CNC Prototyping take much time than 3D Printing. But the materials are stronger and easy to be painted, looking more like the final product due to the materials using, such as ABS,PC.

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