Pricing Information

We’ve created this page in order to help customers better understand the pricing system. Much of this information is universal to any CNC manufacturing process so it pertains to both our services and those of other companies too.

Some parts can only be made on a CNC machine but there are sometimes alternatives depending on the precision and complexity required. These are examples of proper CNC applications:
- New designs and inventions
- Modifications or retrofits, in cases where the original parts cannot be modified
- Replacement items that are no longer able to be purchased
These are a couple categories that shouldn't be CNC machined:
- Replacement items you can buy in a store. Generally speaking, making a custom replacement won't be cheaper.
- "Standard hardware" such as screws, pins, bearings, etc.

The cost for machining a component is set at an appropriate amount to justify the precision delivered by a modern machine shop. The equipment is expensive to operate, so prices are determined by the high skill of the machinist responsible for creating the finished part. Prototype parts are particularly expensive because the upfront cost is spread over a very small quantity of items. Higher quantity is always preferable because the final cost per unit is lower.

Determining workpiece cost:

Many factors are taken into consideration when calculating the cost to machine an item. Each job, regardless of the workpiece quantity, requires an upfront charge used to pay for the activities that precede the actual machining.

Upfront costs:
+ Time cost to draw the item in CAD format (if CAD model is not yet available)
+ Time cost to program the machines
+ Cost for any exotic cutting tools required to make the part (if applicable)
+ Time cost to setup the machine, cutting tools, and workholding
+ Materials cost for custom workholding (if applicable)
+ Time cost while machining custom workholding (if applicable)
+ Time cost in fabricating an evaluation prototype, if necessary
+ Cost for shipping (if applicable) 		Recurring costs per unit made:
+ Cost for material for each part
+ Time cost to machine each part

Some of these costs don’t apply to every type of workpiece. Generally, more intricate items require more upfront cost due to special tools or fixtures that need to be made. In cases of extremely complex components, hundreds of dollars may need to be spent before the products themselves get started. This level of complexity is uncommon, but not unheard-of.

Example:
$120 - the upfront cost for making a batch of items (covering the programming, setup time, and one special fixture).
$30 - the cost to actually machine one workpiece (covering the materials cost plus machining time).
Batch cost = upfront cost + (recurring cost per part * quantity)

Note: in the above example, the prices are marked “this batch” because future orders for the same parts often carry a smaller pricetag. During subsequent orders, some of the upfront costs no longer apply (cost for design, programming, fixtures, tools). As a result, the price-per-part often decreases in future batches.

Tips for reducing part cost:
  • Determine which measurements DO and DON'T need to be accurate. Isolating the precise aspects helps to reduce the amount of effort required to make the completed part. Most workpieces only have a few features that require precise control, while the rest of the component is fabricated "as programmed".
  • Surface finish affects the time required to create a component. In an ideal world every surface would have a mirror shine, but creating it is time-consuming in reality. In many cases, finished-machined parts can be sanded and/or buffed after machining, which removes most the small tooling marks.
  • Try to imagine a round tool creating the cuts during machining, as this is often how the work will be performed. Fabrication time is reduced by using the largest tools possible (for strength reasons). This often affects internal corners and pockets/cavities, where concave fillets and radii should be as large as possible.
  • Unless otherwise planned, please avoid having a component halfway-machined at another shop then brought over for the final operations. Doing so creates a strain on our process because we'll first need to identify and adapt to the quality of the work that was already done at the other shop. Should it be necessary, though, we're able to provide a useful service by repairing the improper machining done by another shop.
  • Threads can be applied to holes of any depth, but the depth of the threads can influence part cost. Whenever possible, try to mandate thread depths to be only as deep as necessary.
  • When dealing with lathe components in particular, the outside of a workpiece is significantly easier to create compared to the inside of a workpiece. The outside has a large/open area within the lathe's work envelope, while the inside area is small and confined. The tools required to create internal features must be equally as small, which leads into the realm of customized tooling, special cutters, and features that may require bisecting the workpiece to inspect. All of these factors combine to make internal lathe operations less reliable compared to external/outside lathe operations.
  • The most versatile type of workholding device is a machine vise, but it's only able to clamp on the sized of a flat object. Many finished parts require a more customized solution, such as a bolt-down subplate or purpose-built mating vise jaws. These types of customized workholding items are relatively common, but they do indeed increase the upfront cost for a component.
  • Tight tolerances are sometimes easy to maintain from part to part, but it depends on the type of operation being performed. Maintaining consistency between parts is easier compared to maintaining perfect accuracy. This is the reason behind the importance of tolerances; typically only a handful of features need accuracy, while the rest of the finished component relies more on consistency.
  • Extremely complex, multi-sided components sometimes require more advanced machinery (4-5 axis). Multi-axis CNC equipment requires high skill to program and operate, so the upfront cost is drastically increased. However, recurring costs are sometimes lower, and the finished products are of the upmost quality.
    We can provide a variety of specifications depending on your workpiece requirements, but please remember that higher complexity carries a higher cost. The advantage of a multiaxis process is increased accuracy on multiple sides of a workpiece, sometimes reduced labor cost, and the ability to machine features that are not physically possible by traditional 3-axis means. The disadvantage is a reduced work envelope, limited number of workpieces in the machine at once, and much higher upfront cost due to increased complexity.