The Ultimate Guide to Custom Part Machining

Need a custom part machining service? Don’t know where to start and how to find the best service provider? Then, this guide is for you. This guide provides all answers to queries you have in your mind for custom parts machining and where to find the best supplier.

What is custom parts machining service?

Custom machining services are producing parts that do not exist normally and are created on order. There are many types of machines through which custom parts can be created such as CNC turning, CNC milling, CNC drilling, and EDM machining, etc. Custom machining service providers can provide you parts as simple as gear, shaft, or any large part that you need for your manufacturing applications. A custom part may be of non-standard size, material or it can be a new invention that you created in your mind have wanted to give it existence.

What industries will need custom parts?

Nowadays, almost every industry needs custom parts manufacturing for their applications. Custom parts machining is used for the complex parts that are hard to machine through traditional machines. Industries that mostly use custom parts manufacturing include:

Automotive: The automotive industry gets its motorcycle, metal, shafts, bearings, and other parts created from custom part manufacturing.

Aerospace: In this industry, custom parts manufacturing is used for flight safety equipment and other aircraft parts.

Agriculture: Vehicles and different tools used in farming are created from custom parts manufacturing.

Construction: Construction needs heavy equipment that is used for unique construction and designing. These parts are hard to find in the market so these parts are produced by custom parts manufacturing.

Electronics: Semiconductor parts, cases, and other parts used in consumer electronics are created by machining custom parts.

Firearms: Parts needed for ballistic missiles are custom created.

What materials can be used in custom parts machining?

Custom parts can be created from different materials depends upon the application you are going to use these parts in. Following are the most common materials used for the custom parts machining projects.

Steel

1018: This material has good formability and weldability and it is plain low carbon steel. It is used for parts that require strong welding.

1137: This material has a higher carbon ratio and higher strength which makes it useful in stress applications like shafts and gears.

Stainless Steel

304: It is the most commonly used stainless steel and has low carbon, good weldability, and formability. It is used in car headers, screws, and machinery parts.

316: This material has increased corrosion resistance and chemical resistance. It is used in medical equipment, surgical implants, and the aerospace industry.

Plastics

Ceramic Peek: Ceramic peek has excellent stability and good impact strength and has good machinability. It is used for producing test sockets, connectors, and switches.

PVC: It has excellent chemical, flame, and corrosion resistance and is used in medical devices, construction, debit cards, toys, and pipes.

Nylon 6/6: It has good machinability and flame resistance and is used in insulators and bearings.

What machining processes can be used in custom parts?

3-Axis CNC Machining

This type of machining has the ability to move into 3 axes, the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis. In 3-axis machining the workpiece remains in a stationary position while the cutting tool moves into three dimensions. The X-axis movement is along with the lathe table, the Y-axis towards the front and back of the table, and the Z-axis movement is the motion of the spindle from the top. This process is ideal for a task that does not require detailing or depth. The automotive industry uses this technique to create mechanical parts. This is also used for boring, drilling, milling, tapping, and cutting sharp edges.

3-axis machining functions are complex and require highly skilled professionals for operating and maintaining this machine.

4-Axis CNC Milling

This machine is like 3 axis machine. In 4 axis machining, the workpiece is in a stationary position and the cutting tool moves to remove the material from the workpiece to create the desired part. It has 4 axis X, Y, Z planes and one additional axis from 3 axis machine which is extra movement in for of rotation along the X-axis. 4 Axis milling machines are used for cutting holes and cutting along the arc. This type of machining is specially used in a round and cylindrical-shaped materials. It is also exemplary in milling, drilling, and high-quality precision engravings.

5-Axis CNC Milling

The 5-axis machining is the finest art of 21st-century machining. It has greater machining capabilities as compared to 3 and 4 axis milling machines. 5 axis milling machines are precise, accurate, fast, and have micromachining potential.

It has 3 axes similar to 3 axis CNC milling machines and the table rotates along the X-axis like a 4 axis machine, but in addition to that it has pivoting action at the joint of the table that makes rotation motion along the Z-axis, this makes it 5 axis machine. 5 axis CNC milling machine requires a highly skilled professional with trusted experience to operate it.

This milling machine allows the operation of five different dimensions depending upon the complexity of the design. Thus making this process highly capable of creating precise parts. These capabilities make t widely usable in medical, research development, architecture, military, automotive, aerospace, and creative arts industries.

CNC Turning

This is one of the many custom parts machining processes in which different materials are held and rotated to fed the held workpiece to the cutting tool to remove the excess material to shape it in the desired form. The machine is programmed to move the material to remove the material to get the programmed results. This is a subtractive method because it involves removing material.

The shape of the material or workpiece can be round, square, or hexagonal. The complexity of its functioning depends upon the tools turret can hold. The tools attached with the turret are computer-controlled. There are many different types of turning centers with various tooling options, power, speed, and other capabilities depending upon the material and parts machined from CNC turning.

Surface Grinding

This process is mostly used in the finishing process. This process uses a stationary tool that is abrasive in nature and very precisely finishes the metallic surfaces which are held in place by the vise. The vise is a table part that moves back and forth by the abrasive wheel. The surface grinding process can cut prices that are 18” long and 18” wide with 6” high. Surface grinding has the ability to machine parts with extreme hardness with precise and fine surface finishing. It ensures the highest degree of precision in the finishing part.

Centerless Grinding

This process is used by many industries and is used for high-volume machining projects. Centerless grinding is mainly used in the automotive industry for creating components like control rods, valve spools, crankshafts, camshafts, pistons, rollers, and sleeves. In addition to this, this process is also used for creating parts for fluid and hydraulic control, medical equipment, and aircraft parts. Its ability to create cylindrical surfaces with extreme accuracy makes it a top choice for the industry where cylindrical or round equipment is needed.

Deep Hole Drilling

This deep hole drilling has the capability to machine holes ten times deeper than their diameter. This process can be used on metal from aluminum to superalloys. It has a wide range of applications in different industries such as aerospace, automotive, oil and gas, marine, and others. Deep hole drilling is a common machining process in mold making. Deep hole drilling requires a special type of cutting tool, these tools are used to control coolant flow from in and out of the hole to evacuate chips.

Sinker EDM

This machine is well known for its contribution to satellites, space crafts, rocket engines, and other aerospace industry applications. Sinker EDM process is extremely reliable and precise for custom parts manufacturing. This technique is widely used for the production of molds and dies. Plastic molding cavities are produced by sinker EDM. Sinker Edm can create incredible details in dies and molds. So many other components used in a different industry that is impossible to produce from other processes are created from sinker EDM like surgical tools and implants.

Sinker EDM uses an electrode and workpiece submerged in dielectric water. Then power is supplied through the electrode to create an electric potential and generate a spark to shape the workpiece.

Wire EDM

Wire EDM process is used to carefully remove the excess material without putting a strong force. This process is computer controlled thus having fewer chances of damages to the workpiece and less errors. Wire EDM capabilities to machine hard material remove the need for secondary post-machining thermal treatment. Thus, no heat stress is required for the shaped part and reducing the chances of surface distortions.

This process is best for mold and die manufacturing. Wire EDM can be used for prototyping to full production of different materials parts and tools. This process is popular for delicate parts and specific cuts or imprints used by different industries during their production. It is best for applications that require low levels of residual stress. Wire EDM process is most commonly used in electronics, automotive, and aerospace industries for custom parts manufacturing.  It is the best option if you are looking for safety and precision.

EDM machines are capable of quicker manipulation and machining of extremely hard metals and delivering the best efficiency available today.

Does DEK offer custom parts machining services?

Yes, DEK offers custom parts machining services with quick quotes and online ordering. As one of the leading custom parts machining service providers from China, we have served different clients with fast shipping and accurate custom parts. We offer small, medium, and large batch manufacturing with 24/7 expert support and fast shipping service. Our affordable and competitive services are available to everyone, no matter you just started or owns a huge manufacturing plant.

Does DEK offer small volume custom parts?

Yes, DEK offers small volume custom parts for your manufacturing needs. Usually, small volume production is to check design concept or you run few pieces for sampling. It may be for your production needs. DEK always believed in delivering the finest quality custom parts no matter you need a single part or thousands. Small volume production is becoming popular among manufacturers because it’s a bridge between prototyping and mass production. Small volume production reduces the risks and shortens the product’s launch time, increases flexibility in product design, and saves cost.

DEK’s unmatched and ultra-precision custom part machining services enable you to bring your idea for your product, select the suitable material, provide requirements and give details about finishing and assembling to get you a small volume batch ready by our experts. Order today to get started with your custom parts machining project.

Does DEK offer high-precision custom parts?

Precision, affordability, and quality are our utmost priority and promise to our customers. Our custom-made parts are created from modern CNC machines with the latest technology and under the supervision of veteran engineers. Our engineers can handle small radius cuts with high maintained quality. Multi radius curves chamfered edges and tapped holes are the specialty of DEK that make custom parts more precise and your project more workable. What drives us is our passion to create low-cost, high-quality, precise custom machine parts that bring success to your project.

Are there any precautions for designing custom parts?

Creating custom parts through CNC machines is marvelous technology that can offer a range of techniques and capabilities for precise and accurate parts. There are also some precautions you have to take when creating custom parts.

Machine Type

Before you start making your custom parts keep in mind that every CNC machine has its limitation and strength. The capabilities and functionality of the machine depend upon the material you are going to use. Different machines offer better control over certain shapes and forms.

Lathe machines are popular for their capability to cut cylindrical-shaped material with tight tolerance and cost-effective operation.  Lathe machines are used for turning so shaping is not what they do best. They get less accurate when the material gets thicker.

Milling machines come in different varieties. They are mostly used when the material needed to be removed by cutters. Machines with more axes can provide the advantage of both lathe and milling machines which makes them more efficient and effective.

Tool Restrictions

The most common consideration when selecting a tool is the ratio of the tool diameter to the cavity depth of the design. Lower depth to width ratio leads to tool deflection, chip evacuation, and increased vibration. Also, consider the tool’s geometry, most of the CNC cutting tools are cylindrical in shape and have restricted cutting length. The specialized tool can help you to overcome these problems but they also might have their own limitations and restrictions. For deeper cut, you employ a longer shaft but it can increase vibration and reduces the accuracy of the machine. Designing parts should be done with a tool having a longer diameter and shorter lengths which makes it more feasible.

How to get a quotation from DEK?

DEK quoting process is significantly improved with the improvements in technology. You need to create and submit the detailed product specification and outline of your project along with the CAD file. Then you need to send it to quote@dekmake.com or you can also leave a message on www.dekmake.com/quote, from there our support agent will reach you within 4 hours with a proper quotation and answer all your questions that you may have in your mind before the start of your custom part manufacturing project.

How to order?

To make a purchase order from our website you need to clearly mention the material for your custom parts and select the quantity, and attach details of your requirement and then send this mentioned information to your assigned account manager to get started with your custom parts machining project. It is all we need from your side. Keep in mind that DEK offers small to large batch manufacturing with complex geometry and a wide range of materials.

How long does it take for the order to deliver?

The delivery of your order depends upon quantity, machining difficulty, surface treatment, and other factors. But overall, after the payment is done and under normal circumstances, your small batch order can be shipped within 3-7 days while the large batch takes up to 15 days. If there are any irresistible factors, unseen situations, and holidays, you will be informed beforehand about your shipment.

How do the custom parts ship to us?

Custom parts are of different sizes, weights, and shapes that require special care during transportation. So for these parts, special freight services are chosen depending upon the nature and size of the parts. Small batches are delivered through express or air freight while for the medium and large volume we recommend sea freight because of its safety and delivering parts with extra care.