Resources
Engineering guides for designing, specifying, and sourcing CNC machined parts — written from the shop floor, not a marketing desk.
Engineering Guides
CNC Machining Knowledge Base
These CNC machining guides are the practical references our own engineers use when reviewing drawings and quotes: what drives cost, how to choose materials and tolerances, which process fits your geometry, and how lead time and MOQ really work. They are written from the shop floor, not a marketing desk — no fluff, no vendor pitch, just the decision logic. Use them before you send the RFQ — or send the files and get the same feedback with your quote.
GD&T Concentricity Guide
The concentricity symbol, its cylindrical tolerance zone, why ASME 2018 removed it, and the runout comparison every shop needs.
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Prototype Machining Guide
What prototype machining is, why parts cost more in ones and twos, materials and tolerances, and when a design is ready for production.
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Drilling vs Boring vs Reaming
How the three hole processes divide the work: stock removed, tolerance grades, finish, position correction, and routing by drawing callout.
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Transition Fit vs Interference Fit
Transition vs interference fits with real ISO 286 bands at Ø50 mm — tolerance zones, assembly by press or heat, and machining each side to band.
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What Is CNC Turning? Process & Applications
How lathes and turning centers work, common turning operations, materials, tolerances, and when to specify turned parts.
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Shaft Machining: Types, Tolerances & Turning
Common shaft types, critical tolerances (runout, fits, finish), materials, and how CNC turning produces precision shafts for OEM applications.
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Small Copper & Brass Turned Parts
C360 vs C110 vs C145 vs C172 grades, turning tolerances, chip control, and DFM tips for small copper parts in batch production.
Read the guide →Honing Machining
How the honing process works, crosshatch finish, achievable tolerance and Ra, honing vs reaming vs grinding — plus small-bore honing down to Ø3 mm.
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Metal Pickling
How acid removes mill scale, rust, and oxides — acids, concentrations, pickling vs passivation, and safety.
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ISO 2768 Tolerances
General tolerance classes f/m/c/v for size, H/K/L for geometry, the actual tables, and when it is enough.
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Shot Peening
Compressive residual stress, Almen intensity and coverage, media selection, and fatigue life improvement.
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Stress-Strain Curve
Elastic region, yield point, necking, fracture — plus yield vs tensile strength and modulus.
Read the guide →Does Copper Rust?
No — rust is iron oxide. Copper corrodes into a green patina instead. Corrosion, patina chemistry, and prevention.
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1018 vs 1045 vs 4140 Steel
AISI grade numbers, carbon content, strength, hardness, heat treatment, machinability, and cost.
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Wire EDM Machining
How spark erosion cuts any conductive metal with no cutting force, wire vs sinker EDM, tolerances, and limits.
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Types of Fasteners
Bolts, screws, studs, nuts, washers, pins, rivets, and anchors — with strength grades and how to choose.
Read the guide →Hot Dip Galvanizing
The hot dip galvanizing process, ASTM A123/A153 coating grades, HDG vs electro-galvanized vs galvanneal, and machining rules.
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Chamfer vs Fillet
Chamfer vs fillet differences, drawing callouts (C x 45 deg vs R), stress and cost trade-offs, and DFM rules for edge features.
Read the guide →Case Hardening
Carburizing vs nitriding vs induction hardening: case depth, hardness, distortion, cost, and the machine-harden-grind sequence.
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G Code vs M Code
The two command families behind every CNC program — motion and geometry (G) vs machine functions (M) — with tables and examples.
Read the guide →Magnetic Metals Explained
Which metals are non magnetic? Full chart, why 304 stainless is non-magnetic, and when magnetism drives material selection.
Read the guide →Tolerance Stack Up
Worst case vs RSS stack-up math, a five-part worked example, GD&T bonus tolerance, and design fixes that shrink the chain.
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PTFE Machining
How to machine Teflon: creep, 10x thermal expansion, tooling, parameters, tolerances, filled grades, and selection tips.
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Xometry Alternatives
Xometry competitors compared: marketplace platforms vs Protolabs vs direct factory sourcing — pricing, QC, IP, and fit.
Read the guide →Have a Part Ready to Quote?
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