How to save money for your CNC Parts in COVID-19?

2020 is a very tough year for the world, until now the situation for the COVID-19 is still very serious for many countries, such as USA, UK, Russia, India, Brazil .As a processional Precision CNC Machine Shop in China, sometimes we are told that our customers have to postpone their sourcing for CNC Machining parts, or delete their orders. So, it is very necessary for CNC Machining companies to think how to reduce the cost for CNC Parts?

CNC machining is an integral part of many industries — getting the tools and parts you need at an accuracy that’s tough to beat. Businesses are often looking for ways to trim their budgets — and CNC machining cost reduction is no exception. By understanding the process and the factors that impact the price, you may be able to reduce your CNC machining cost.

If you’re wondering how to reduce your CNC parts costs, the simplest answer is to make small revisions to your design that make it more compatible with CNC machining. There are a variety of tweaks you can make to your design that can make significant impacts on cost.

1. Select Raw Materials Wisely

Expensive doesn’t always mean better. Raw materials play a huge role in production cost inflation. You can save a lot by being smart with material selection. We’re not asking you to compromise on the quality, by any means; in fact, using cheap, substandard material often leads to unexpected expenses.

Cheaper materials like aluminum, polymers, and cold rolled steel can serve as good bases for functional prototyping. If necessary, use expensive raw materials — such as stainless steel and exotic alloys — when milling medical equipment.

2. Reduce the Number of Setups and Setup Time

You’ve listed your raw materials and selected the process. You already know what the end product will look like. Now come the intermediate steps: operations and setups.

Each CNC machined part involves one or many operations. Every operation necessitates a series of setups. There is machine setup, of course. But there is also CAM programming (which will be different for cutting, milling, and drilling processes), part fixturing (if required), material setup, and more.

You can skip all the mess — and expenses — by cutting down on the number of setups. Most parts can be wrapped up in six setups or less. Try to get this number down to two necessary steps — or one, if possible.

Fewer setups will reduce setup time by half or more. And in this way, you’ll be able to machine CNC milled parts better and faster.

3.Specify Tolerances Only for Critical Features

When your part design includes a tight tolerance, it drives up the cost because it increases the machining time and adds a manual inspection. Unfortunately, tight tolerances are particularly tough to achieve on the internal surfaces of your part, as machining holes and other cavities can develop burrs on the edges. These burrs require an additional step beyond the manual inspection — deburring. Deburring is a manual and time-consuming process that also drives up the cost of CNC machining.

If a specific tolerance isn’t defined by the design, the standard tolerance of ± 0.125 millimeters or better is used. This standard tolerance works well for many features — so you should reconsider any tight tolerances you have and only specify tight tolerance when it’s necessary. If you have the advanced design knowledge necessary for using Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing in your design, you can further reduce the cost of CNC machining, as the tolerances that come with them are usually looser.

One final note regarding tolerances — the numbers that represent your dimensions are critical, as they specify the level of accuracy you require for your part. In CNC machining, that level of accuracy translates to what tool will be used to machine it. The more decimal places you include, the more intricate the tool, and the higher the cost. Make sure you eliminate all unnecessary decimal points from your design.

4.Avoid multiple Finishes

The finish of your CNC machined part helps protect it against harsh environments and often improves the appearance. Unfortunately, it also drives the cost up. Taking it another step further and asking for multiple finishes on one part increases the cost even more.

If you want to save money, consider choosing the as-machined finish for the entire piece. Only ask for multiple finishes when you need them.

5.Try to order larger quantity

The number of parts you order has a significant impact on the unit price. What’s known as the economies of scale can be a powerful tool as you figure out how to reduce CNC Parts costs. Increasing the quantity from one to fifty could decrease the unit price by more than 50%.

We do not have the MOQ limitation, but if you could order more, surely the prices will be reduced a lot.

WORTHY HARDWARE is a CNC Parts partner you can trust. Our high quality comes as a result of attention to detail that is second to none. We identify materials, produce parts and ship from one location. Our customers know they can count on us because we stand behind each and every one of our products and are willing to do what we can to ensure you’re satisfied with your CNC machined part.

Once you’ve optimized your design to reduce CNC machining costs and you’re ready to get a quote, call us at +86-76989919645 or email us [email protected]

Worthy Hardware is a CNC manufacturing and sheet metal fabrication company,including CNC machining services,CNC milling services, CNC turning services, laser cutting services and stamping services.Call us +86-76989919645 or email us [email protected] for more discounts for your projects.