How Can I Reduce The Cost of My Machined Parts?

Costs associated with CNC machining can be categorized into machining time, start-up expenses, material expenditures, and feature-related costs.

To effectively reduce overall costs, it is essential to comprehend the influence of these factors on the final expense.

1. One of the most effective means to minimize machining time is through the strategic design of features that can be machined swiftly. This entails making choices such as opting for appropriate radii for internal corners, reducing cavity depth, increasing wall thicknesses, limiting thread lengths, and designing holes with standard dimensions.

2. To curb material costs, thoughtful consideration should be given to the size of the initial blank required and the cost-effectiveness and machinability of the base material. Softer alloys, for instance, tend to be faster to machine.

3. Start-up costs can be mitigated by minimizing the number of part rotations or repositioning steps needed to complete the component. This can be achieved by dividing complex geometries into multiple parts that can be subsequently assembled.

4. In terms of feature costs, it is prudent to employ tolerances only when absolutely necessary, eliminate all text and lettering, and steer clear of multiple surface finishes whenever possible.

These measures collectively contribute to cost reduction in CNC machining projects.