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.
PP vs Polyethylene
Polypropylene vs polyethylene compared with real data: stiffness, heat, cold toughness, chemical resistance, and cost.
Read the guide →Polycarbonate vs PVC
PC vs PVC compared — impact strength, transparency, heat and flame resistance, machinability, and cost.
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ABS vs HDPE
Stiffness, chemical resistance, machinability, and cost compared — pick the right plastic for your machined part.
Read the guide →Delrin vs HDPE
Stiff, precise Delrin vs tough, chemical-proof HDPE: property data, friction, machining, and cost.
Read the guide →Teflon vs Delrin
PTFE vs POM compared: friction, temperature, chemical resistance, strength, creep, machinability, and cost.
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Counterbore vs Spotface
Counterbore vs spotface vs countersink: definitions, ASME Y14.5 symbols, metric counterbore size chart, and machining methods.
Read the guide →Blind vs Through Holes
Blind hole vs through hole: depth and THRU callouts, chip evacuation, bottoming taps, and why thru holes cost less.
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Clearance Hole Chart
Metric and inch clearance holes for bolts — ISO 273 fine/medium/coarse sizes for M1.6–M30, and when to tap instead.
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GD&T Parallelism Explained
The parallelism symbol under ASME Y14.5: tolerance zones, datum rules, callout examples, and measurement.
Read the guide →GD&T Runout Explained
Circular vs total runout, FIM/TIR, dial-indicator measurement about a datum axis, and typical applications.
Read the guide →Cylindricity in GD&T
The strictest form control for cylinders: symbol, tolerance zone, measurement, and when to specify it.
Read the guide →Perpendicularity in GD&T
The perpendicularity symbol: surface vs axis control with the diameter modifier, datum rules, and measurement.
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Profile of a Surface
Profile of a surface vs line, bilateral and unilateral tolerance zones, and how CMM scanning verifies contours.
Read the guide →GD&T Straightness
Surface straightness vs axis straightness with the diameter modifier: symbols, MMC bonus, and measurement.
Read the guide →Circularity (Roundness)
Roundness under ASME Y14.5: the symbol, how it differs from cylindricity and runout, and how it is measured.
Read the guide →GD&T Datums Explained
Datum features, the 3-2-1 rule, datum reference frames, datum targets, and how to choose the right datums.
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Swiss Machining
Sliding headstock, guide bushing, and done-in-one turning — when long, slender parts belong on a Swiss lathe, and when they do not.
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Machining Brass
C360 vs C260 vs lead-free grades, milling and turning parameters that work, and when bronze is the better call.
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6061-T6 vs T651
Same strength on the datasheet, different behavior on the machine — what the stress-relieving stretch actually buys you.
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Sandblasting vs Bead Blasting
Cutting vs peening: media, roughness, dimensional impact, and which blasting finish to specify.
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Ra vs Rz
What each roughness parameter measures, why there is no fixed conversion, and which one to call out.
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PEEK Machining
Unfilled vs glass- vs carbon-filled grades, the annealing rule, and tooling that survives filled PEEK.
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Stainless Steel Milling
303 vs 304 vs 316 machinability (78/45/40%), carbide speeds and chip loads by grade, and the work-hardening rules that protect tools and finish.
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Aluminum Milling: Feeds & Speeds
Feeds and speeds by operation (800–3,000 SFM carbide), chip load starting points, 6061 vs 7075 vs 5052 behavior, and how to beat built-up edge.
Read the guide →Have a Part Ready to Quote?
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