01
Melting instead of cutting
ABS softens around 105 °C. Run the cut dry at high spindle speed and the surface smears, then the burr tears off what was supposed to be a sealing face. The part measures fine cold and leaks hot.
ABS CNC Machining
ABS CNC Machining for Functional Parts and Prototypes
We machine ABS on 127 high-precision CNC machines, from a single prototype to 10,000+ part runs. Free DFM analysis with your quote, and 100% inspection before shipment.
No minimum order quantity±0.005 mm toleranceRa 0.8–1.6 μm as standard12-hour quote and DFMISO 9001:2015Uploads kept confidential
16Simultaneous 5-axis centers
127High-precision CNC machines
3–5Days to ship machined parts
99.99%Qualification rate
What goes wrong
Where ABS Parts Usually Fail
Most ABS problems start before the cutter touches material. These are the four we see weekly.
02
Fittings crack after assembly
Machined ABS carries molded-in and cutting stress. Screw a metal insert in with no pilot relief and the boss splits days later, after the unit has shipped and the housing is bonded shut.
03
Chips weld to the bore
Long stringy chips wrap the tool and pack into a deep bore. Picking them out by hand scratches the wall, and a scratched bore no longer holds the shaft fit you designed around.
04
Faces that will not sit flat
A thin ABS cover released from the vise springs back overnight. Bolted onto a housing the next morning, it rocks on two corners and the gasket never seats.
How we run it
Machining ABS Like the Material It Is
ABS is not a slow metal. It rewards sharp tools, open flutes, and light finishing passes.
Tooling and coolant
Sharp Cutters, Controlled Heat
ABS machines best with two or three flute carbide cutters polished for aluminum. We run them fast and shallow, then take a light finishing pass to leave a clean wall instead of a melted one. Water-soluble coolant carries the heat away. Skip it and the chip welds back onto the part.
Bore depth is the limit. Past roughly four diameters, chip evacuation gets unreliable and we would rather ream or interpolate in two steps than gamble on one deep pass.
- 1CutterTwo or three flute carbide, polished flutes
- 2CoolantWater-soluble flood, no dry cutting on finish passes
- 3Depth limitAround four diameters before we change strategy
Stress and fixtures
Keep the Part From Moving After the Cut
Machined ABS relaxes. Thin covers, snap-fit rails, and long brackets move after they leave the vise. We rough, let the part rest, then finish, and on thin sections we back the cut with soft jaws or a support plate so the wall cannot deflect into the cutter.
For flatness we face both sides in one setup where the geometry allows. On the 16 simultaneous 5-axis centers we reach features on five faces without re-chucking, which removes the setup error that shows up as a rocking cover.
- 1SequenceRough, rest, then finish on thin walls
- 2SupportSoft jaws or backing plate on flexible sections
- 35-axisFive-face features in one chucking
Material choice
ABS or Something Else?
Pick the plastic that matches the load, not the one on the original drawing.
| Material | Use it when | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| ABS | Housings, covers, brackets, prototypes | Low heat and solvent resistance |
| PC | Impact parts, transparent guards | Higher cost, stress cracking |
| POM | Sliding parts, gears, bushings | Hard to bond, needs sharp tools |
| PA | Wear parts, clips, structural brackets | Moisture uptake changes size |
| PMMA | Windows, light guides, displays | Brittle under sharp impact |
| PEEK | High temperature, chemical service | Expensive, slower to machine |
What we do
ABS and Plastic Machining Services
One shop for the plastic part, its finish, and the housing around it.
01
5-Axis CNC Machining
16 simultaneous 5-axis centers cut five-face features in one chucking. Good for contoured housings and parts with angled bosses.
02
3 and 4-Axis Milling
27 three-axis machines and 12 four-axis mills handle prismatic ABS parts, panels, and drilled plates at volume.
03
CNC Turning and Mill-Turn
16 mill-turn centers cover ABS knobs, bushings, and threaded inserts with a milled feature on the same setup.
04
Rapid Prototyping
One-off ABS parts in 3–5 days. Use them for fit checks and assembly trials before you commit to tooling.
05
Surface Finishing
Bead blasting, tumbling, brushing, and polishing on plastic. Laser marking down to 1.5 mm character height.
06
Sheet Metal and Casting
Metal brackets, die-cast frames, and vacuum-cast covers so the ABS part arrives with the rest of the assembly.
Scope
What an ABS Job Includes
| Item | What we deliver |
|---|---|
| Tolerance | ±0.005 mm on critical features, ±0.0002 in |
| Surface finish | Ra 0.8–1.6 μm as standard, Ra 0.2–0.8 μm on request |
| Build size | Up to 4,000 mm on the largest travel |
| Batch size | One prototype to 10,000+ parts, no minimum order |
| Inspection | 100% before shipment, reports on request |
| Lead time | Quote and DFM in 12 hours, parts ship in 3–5 days |
Why GreatLight
What You Get With the Quote
Numbers, not adjectives. Every one of these is checked before parts leave the floor.
15Y
Machining since 2011
Fifteen years on plastic and metal parts, three wholly-owned plants, 7,600 m² of floor space, 150 technicians.
±0.005
Tolerance in millimeters
Held on critical ABS features and verified with in-process monitoring, not just a final check.
12H
Quote and DFM turnaround
Send a STEP file and get a price plus a manufacturability review within 12 hours. Production can start in 24.
0
Minimum order quantity
One prototype or 10,000 parts, same shop, same inspection standard. No tooling to amortize on the first run.
99.99%
Qualification rate
Raw material check, in-process monitoring, final inspection. Reports available on request.
ISO
Four certifications held
ISO 9001:2015, IATF 16949:2016, ISO 13485:2016, ISO 27001:2022 across the plants.
7,600 m²Manufacturing space
150Technicians on staff
3Wholly-owned plants
127CNC machines installed
Where it lands
ABS Parts by Industry
Electronics enclosures
Instrument housings and internal brackets where the cover has to sit flat and shield the board.
- ±0.005 mm
- Ra 0.8–1.6 μm
- 100% inspection
Automotive and EV fixtures
Test fixtures and trim prototypes cut on 5-axis so angled bosses come off in one setup.
- 5-axis
- 16 centers
- 3–5 day ship
Medical device housings
ABS covers and trays machined under an ISO 13485:2016 quality system with traceable inspection.
- ISO 13485
- Reports on request
- 99.99%
Robotics and automation
Lightweight ABS links and sensor mounts where mass matters and wall sections run thin.
- Thin-wall support
- One-off to 10k
- No MOQ
FAQs
ABS CNC Machining Questions
Can ABS be machined as accurately as aluminum?
The machine holds the same ±0.005 mm. The material does not. ABS is softer and moves more after the cut, so we hit tight numbers on features that are supported and stiff, and we tell you when a thin wall cannot hold them.
Send the drawing and we will flag the features that need a tolerance review before quoting.
Why choose ABS over PC or POM?
ABS is the cheapest of the three to machine and easy to bond, paint, and laser mark. It suits housings, covers, and brackets that see room temperature and light loads.
Move to PC when impact is the concern, POM when the part slides against another surface, and PEEK when heat or chemicals are involved.
Does machining ABS leave internal stress?
Yes. The extruded sheet or bar already carries stress, and cutting adds more. On thin parts we rough, let the part rest, then take a light finish pass.
For flat covers we face both sides in a single setup where geometry allows. If the part still moves, we will say so rather than ship it.
What surface finish can you hold on ABS?
Ra 0.8–1.6 μm is our standard machined finish, and Ra 0.2–0.8 μm is available on request. Bead blasting gives an even matte look and hides tool marks on visible faces.
Laser marking works on ABS down to 1.5 mm character height. Deeper engraving tends to raise a burr on plastic.
How deep can you drill or bore into ABS?
Around four diameters on a straight bore before chip evacuation becomes unreliable. Past that we ream, interpolate, or drill from both ends.
Deep bores are where hand-picked chips scratch the wall, so we would rather add a step than risk the fit.
What is the smallest and largest ABS part you run?
There is no minimum order quantity, so a single prototype is fine. The largest travel is 4,000 mm, and we run compact work on 500 × 500 × 450 mm and 500 × 310 × 200 mm machines.
For small parts we quote the batch you actually need, from one to 10,000+ pieces.
How fast can I get ABS parts?
Quotation and free DFM analysis come back within 12 hours, and production can start within 24 hours of approval. Machined parts ship in 3–5 days.
That timeline assumes the drawing is released and the material is in stock. We will tell you if either is not.
Can you sign an NDA before I send files?
Yes. Uploads are secure and confidential, and we sign an NDA on request before drawings change hands. Our ISO 27001:2022 information security system covers how those files are stored.
Ask for it in the first message and we will send the document back before you upload anything.
Send Your ABS Part for a Quote
Upload a STEP file and get a price plus a manufacturability review within 12 hours. One prototype or 10,000 parts, no minimum order.
12-hour quote100% inspectionNo minimum orderNDA on request
