A CNC machining video is only useful if it shows the setup, the cutting parameters and how the part is measured. Here is what we film, and what it tells you about tolerance and repeatability.
The camera sits on the spindle and the fixture never appears. Clamping forces, datum choice and how the part is supported decide whether a thin wall moves 0.05 mm or 0.005 mm. If the clamp is not on screen, the tolerance claim on the drawing is just a number.
A finished part is shown on a bench, but no caliper, no CMM, no report. You cannot tell whether the feature was checked at all. Parts that pass a visual look can still miss a bore position by 0.03 mm.
Long unedited passes look impressive and prove very little. Feed, speed, tool path and coolant strategy are what hold Ra 0.8–1.6 μm on a wall. None of that shows up in a wide shot of a spinning tool.
Clip one shows a block, clip three shows a finished housing, and the sequence in between is missing. You cannot judge cycle time, re-fixturing count or how many operations the job actually needs.
Setup, cutting and inspection, in the order they happen on the floor.
Every job we film starts at the fixture. You see the vise or tombstone, how the part is seated, where the datum is picked up, and how many times the part has to move between operations. That last number is usually the real cost driver on a machined part.
On a 4,000 × 400 × 150 mm travel machine, a large frame may sit in one setup for roughing and a second for finishing. On a 600 × 600 × 600 mm machine, a manifold might run complete in two operations on a Ø400 mm rotary table. Filming both makes the difference visible.
The second half of any useful CNC machining video is the measurement. We film the in-process check with the part still on the machine where the geometry allows it, then the final inspection on the bench: bore diameters, wall thickness, flatness, hole position. Numbers go on screen next to the drawing callout.
Tight work gets measured on a CMM and the report travels with the shipment. On a 17-4PH stainless shaft running at ±0.005 mm, the operator checks the critical diameter after finishing, not at the end of the batch. If a tool wears, we want to know on part two, not part two hundred.
Use this to decide what you actually need from a supplier.
| Part situation | What to ask for | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First prototype, simple geometry | Photos and a dimensional report | Video adds little on a 3-axis part with open features |
| Thin walls or long slender features | Setup footage plus in-process check | Chatter and deflection show up in the clamp and the pass |
| 5-axis contoured surfaces | Full tool-path clip | You can see whether the tool reaches without re-fixturing |
| Tight bore or position callout | CMM clip and final report | Confirms the feature was measured, not just cut |
| Repeat production run | First-article video, then reports | One record sets the baseline for the whole run |
| Cosmetic visible surface | Finishing and handling footage | Bead blasting and anodizing change what the part looks like |
Six service lines, each with its own setup logic.
16 simultaneous 5-axis centers handle contoured surfaces, deep pockets and features on five faces in one setup. Fewer setups means fewer datum shifts and tighter position control.
12 four-axis mills with a Ø400 mm rotary table. Good fit for cylindrical parts, cross-drilled features and jobs that need three faces without a second fixture.
27 three-axis machines for plates, brackets and prismatic parts. Usually the fastest and cheapest route when the geometry is open on one side.
16 mill-turn centers combine turning and milling, so a shaft with flats, slots and cross holes stays on one machine instead of two.
One-off and low-volume parts with no minimum order quantity. Prototype to production can run on the same fixture design when the geometry allows.
Anodizing, plating, powder coating, black oxide, bead blasting and laser marking. Minimum character height for laser marking is 1.5 mm.
| Item | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum part size | 4,000 mm | Largest travel 4,000 × 400 × 150 mm |
| Medium travels | 750 × 1,150 × 550 mm | Also 600 × 600 × 600 mm |
| Compact travels | 500 × 500 × 450 mm | Also 500 × 310 × 200 mm |
| Tolerance | ±0.005 mm | ±0.0002 in on qualifying features |
| Surface finish | Ra 0.2–3.2 μm | Depends on feature and tool access |
| Aluminium | 6061, 7075, 2024 | Also 5052, 5083, 6082, ADC12 |
| Stainless | 303, 304, 316L | Also 17-4PH, 440C, 420 |
| Steel | 1018, 1045, 4140 | Also 4130, 4340, A36, tool steel |
| Titanium | TC4 (Ti-6Al-4V) | Also TA1, TA2, Inconel, AZ31B |
| Plastics | POM, PEEK, PC | Also ABS, PA, PP, HDPE, carbon fibre |
15 years of production work, 3 wholly-owned plants and 7,600 m² of manufacturing space in Dongguan, plus a factory in Singapore at No.3 Joo Koon Circle.
16 simultaneous 5-axis centers, 12 four-axis mills, 27 three-axis machines and 16 mill-turn centers. Jobs move between processes without leaving the site.
Held on qualifying features and confirmed with in-process checks plus final inspection. Reports are available on request.
Parts that pass 100% inspection before shipment. Raw material check, in-process monitoring and final inspection are all recorded.
Send a drawing and we return a quotation with manufacturability notes within 12 hours. Production can start within 24 hours.
One prototype or a 10,000+ part run. No setup charge to clear before a first article.
IATF 16949:2016 process control, with first-article inspection before the run is released.
ISO 13485:2016 workflow, clean handling after finishing, and dimensional reports with the shipment.
Mill-turn and 5-axis work keeps complex housings on one machine instead of three.
Three things: the fixture and datum, the cutting pass with real parameters, and the measurement of at least one critical feature. If a clip skips the setup, you learn nothing about how the part is held, and that is where most tolerance problems start.
A wide shot of a spinning tool is marketing. A close shot of a dial indicator on a bore is evidence.
Yes. For first articles we can record the setup and the in-process check, then send the clip with the inspection report. It is most useful on thin-wall parts, contoured 5-axis surfaces and any feature with a tight position callout.
For repeat runs we normally film the first article once and rely on inspection reports afterwards.
No. Video shows the method; the report carries the numbers. We run raw material check, in-process monitoring and final inspection, and 100% of parts are inspected before shipment. Dimensional reports are available on request.
Use the footage to judge the process and the report to accept the parts.
Aluminium 6061 and 7075, stainless 303 and 316L, steel 1018 and 4140, and plastics such as POM and PEEK. Titanium TC4 (Ti-6Al-4V) and Inconel show up on aerospace and energy work.
Material choice drives tooling and speed more than any other single decision, so it is worth settling before the quote.
We hold ±0.005 mm (±0.0002 in) on qualifying features. Whether a specific dimension can hold that depends on feature size, wall thickness, tool access and how many setups the geometry needs.
Send the drawing and the DFM analysis will flag any callout that needs a different strategy or a secondary operation.
Yes. Uploads are secure and confidential, and an NDA is available on request. We also hold ISO 27001:2022 for information security.
Share the minimum needed for a quote first if that is easier.
Quotation and free DFM analysis come back within 12 hours. Production can start within 24 hours of approval, and parts ship in 3–5 days. Our historical late-delivery probability is below 2%.
Lead time depends on material availability and finishing. Anodizing and plating add a step outside the machine.
Maximum processing size is 4,000 mm, with a largest travel of 4,000 × 400 × 150 mm. Medium machines cover 750 × 1,150 × 550 mm and 600 × 600 × 600 mm, and compact machines cover 500 × 500 × 450 mm and 500 × 310 × 200 mm.
Pick the machine by the smallest envelope that fits the part. A large machine on a small part wastes cycle time.
Upload your files and we return a quotation with free DFM analysis within 12 hours. No minimum order quantity, from one prototype to a 10,000+ part run.
12-hour quote100% inspectionNo minimum order quantityNDA on request
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Upload your 3D model or 2D drawing and get a quotation with a free DFM analysis. Maximum processing size 4,000 mm.
CNC Metals 13 grades
CNC Plastics 10 grades
Machines & processes 12 options
Surface & post-processing 10 options
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