We run Swiss-type lathes with guide bushings, live tooling and bar feeders for small-diameter turned parts. Tolerances to ±0.005 mm, finishes to Ra 0.2–0.8 µm, and 100% inspection before shipment.
These are the failure modes we hear from engineers sourcing small turned parts.
A Ø3 mm pin with a 40 mm unsupported length will bend under tool pressure on a conventional lathe. The result is taper, chatter marks and a dimension that drifts from part to part. Swiss-type guide bushings support the work right at the cut, which keeps diameter and runout stable across the whole run.
If your turned part also needs cross-holes, flats or slots, a shop without live tooling will move it to a mill for a second operation. That adds a fixture, another setup and another queue. Live tooling on the sub-spindle lets us cut off the bar and finish the feature in the same cycle.
A prototype cut on a 3-axis mill often behaves differently from a bar-fed production part. Tool pressure, workholding and chip evacuation all change. We quote the prototype and the production run on the same Swiss platform so the first article and the 10,000th part come off the same process window.
A Ø0.8 mm cross-hole, a 0.3 mm wall or a sharp internal corner will draw a 'no quote' from general machine shops. These are routine on Swiss platforms with high-speed spindles and small-diameter tooling, but only if the shop owns the tooling and knows the feeds. We check feature size against our tool library before quoting.
How we hold small turned parts to ±0.005 mm without adding operations.
On a Swiss-type lathe the bar stock slides through a guide bushing and the tools cut within millimeters of that support. There is no long cantilever, so a Ø2 mm shaft does not whip or taper. The Z-axis moves the bar, not the tool, which keeps the cutting zone rigid regardless of part length.
That rigidity is what lets us hold ±0.005 mm on diameter and keep runout tight on parts with a high length-to-diameter ratio. It also means we can run small-diameter stock at higher surface speed without chatter, so the cycle time on a 10,000-piece run stays competitive.
A Swiss lathe with live tooling can mill flats, drill cross-holes, tap and slot while the part is still in the guide bushing. The sub-spindle picks up the part and machines the back side in the same cycle. No second fixture, no re-chucking error, no extra queue time.
For a part with a hex flat and two cross-holes, that usually collapses three operations into one. We check the feature orientation against the subspindle pickup during DFM, because a part that cannot be handed off cleanly will need a different process. If it does, we say so before quoting.
A quick check before you send the drawing.
| Part Characteristic | Swiss-Type Lathe | Mill-Turn or 3-Axis Mill |
|---|---|---|
| Diameter under Ø32 mm | Best fit, bar fed | Workholding overhead |
| Length-to-diameter above 5:1 | Guide bushing prevents deflection | Needs a steady rest |
| Cross-holes, flats, slots | Live tooling, one cycle | Often a second operation |
| Prismatic block, no turning | Not the right platform | Mill or mill-turn |
| Tolerance tighter than ±0.01 mm | Achievable to ±0.005 mm | Depends on setup rigidity |
| Volume from 1 to 10,000+ parts | No MOQ, bar feed scales | Setup cost per batch |
The Swiss platform is one cell in a 127-machine shop. These are the services that surround it.
Bar-fed turning to Ø32 mm with guide bushings, live tooling and sub-spindle pickup for small precision parts.
3-axis and 4-axis milling for prismatic parts, plus mill-turn centers for parts that need turning and milling in one setup.
First articles cut from the same process as production, so dimensions carry over instead of being re-dialed.
16 simultaneous 5-axis centers for complex geometry, undercuts and features that a 3-axis setup cannot reach.
Anodizing, plating, bead blasting, polishing and laser marking, with a 1.5 mm minimum character height for marks.
Raw material check, in-process monitoring and final inspection on 100% of parts, with reports on request.
| Parameter | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bar stock diameter | Ø1–32 mm | Round, hex and square bar |
| Achievable tolerance | ±0.005 mm | Part and feature dependent |
| Fine surface finish | Ra 0.2–0.8 µm | With correct tooling and feeds |
| Standard finish | Ra 0.8–1.6 µm | Typical turned surface |
| Maximum processing size | 4,000 mm | On the large mill-turn platform |
| Minimum order quantity | None | One prototype to 10,000+ parts |
| Quotation turnaround | Within 12 hours | Includes free DFM analysis |
| Production start | Within 24 hours | After drawing and material release |
What we can actually put behind the quote.
Fifteen years of turning and milling, now across three wholly-owned plants and a 7,600 m² floor.
Millimeters, on production runs. Not a best-case lab number, but the working window on the Swiss cell.
16 simultaneous 5-axis centers, 12 four-axis mills, 27 three-axis machines and 16 mill-turn centers.
You get a price and a manufacturability read within 12 hours of sending a drawing.
Every part passes final inspection. Raw material and in-process checks run before that.
ISO 9001:2015, IATF 16949:2016, ISO 13485:2016 and ISO 27001:2022, covering quality and data security.
Fittings and pins in 17-4PH and titanium, with material traceability and full inspection records.
Connector shells and contact pins in brass and beryllium copper, with tight runout on small diameters.
Shafts and inserts in 316L stainless, machined on the same process from first article through production.
Sensor housings and bushing parts in 6061 and 303 stainless, run under IATF 16949 process control.
Bar stock runs from Ø1 mm to Ø32 mm. The platform pays off when the part is small in diameter and long relative to that diameter, or when it needs cross-features that would otherwise become a second operation.
If the part is a prismatic block with no turned features, a mill or mill-turn center is the better platform. We will tell you which one fits during the quote.
Yes, within the limits of the feature. Diameters and features cut close to the guide bushing hold the tightest. A bore deep inside a part with a long tool overhang will have a wider realistic window.
We flag the features that will not hold the tight number before quoting, so the tolerance call is yours to make.
No. We run from one prototype to 10,000+ part runs. There is no minimum order quantity.
For a single part the setup cost is spread over one piece, so the unit price reflects that. For higher volumes the bar feed and cycle time bring the unit cost down.
You get a quotation and a free DFM analysis within 12 hours. Production can start within 24 hours after the drawing and material are released.
Parts ship in 3–5 days for standard work. Our historical late-delivery probability is below 2%.
Aluminium grades include 6061, 2024, 5052, 6082 and 7075. Stainless includes 303, 304, 316, 316L, 17-4PH and 440C. We also run brass C36000, copper C110, titanium TC4 and steel 1018, 1045 and 4140.
If your material is not on the list, send the grade and we will confirm whether it is a fit for bar feed.
A 2D drawing or a 3D model with tolerances, the material and grade, the quantity, and any surface finish or marking requirement. A target price and a delivery window help too.
If the drawing is incomplete on a critical dimension, we will ask before quoting rather than guess.
Uploads are secure and confidential. We can sign an NDA on request before you send drawings.
Our ISO 27001:2022 certification covers the information security side of how customer data is handled.
Yes. We offer anodizing in clear, colour, hardcoat and conductive, plus electroless nickel, zinc, silver and gold plating. Powder coating and black oxide are also available.
Bead blasting, tumbling, brushing and polishing cover the mechanical finishes. Laser marking and engraving run down to a 1.5 mm minimum character height.
Upload your part and we will return a quotation and a DFM read within 12 hours. No minimum order quantity, and every part ships after inspection.
12-hour quote100% inspectionNo MOQNDA available
Trusted by engineers and manufacturers worldwide
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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