01
Two revisions, one filename
A file named bracket_final_v3_revB.xlsx holds a hole diameter that was changed two weeks ago in a different tab. The shop cuts to the old number. You scrap the parts and lose the week.
Supply Chain Data
Still Running Supply on Spreadsheets
One stale cell in a shared sheet can hold up a machined order for days. Here is what changes when part data, revisions, and inspection records live in one system instead of fourteen open tabs.
Revision-controlled filesOne part recordInspection reports attachedNo minimum order quantity3–5 day shippingNDA on request
15 yearsMachining since 2011
127High-precision CNC machines
±0.005 mmAchievable tolerance
99.99%Qualification rate
Where it breaks
Four Failures Spreadsheets Hide Until It Is Expensive
None of these show up as a red cell. They show up as a stopped assembly line.
02
Quote math you cannot audit
Material, setup, and finish lines get overwritten by whoever opens the sheet last. When a price looks wrong, nobody can trace which assumption moved or when it moved.
03
Stock counted by hand
Physical counts happen monthly. Between counts, committed material and incoming stock live in someone's head. You buy what you already have and short what you need.
04
Inspection data that stays offline
CMM output sits in a PDF on a laptop. When a customer asks for dimensional records on a 2024 lot, the search takes a day and the answer may not be complete.
The fix
One Part Record Instead of Fourteen Files
A part number should carry its drawing, revision, material, finish, and inspection data with it.
Part master data
Every Part Number Owns Its Own History
A machined part is not a row in a sheet. It is a drawing revision, a material grade, a tolerance callout, a finish spec, and a set of measured results. When those live in one record, a change to the hole diameter reaches the programmer, the machinist, and the inspector at the same time.
We keep that record under ISO 9001:2015 and, for medical work, ISO 13485:2016. Every upload is confidential and covered by NDA on request. You get the drawing revision we cut to, and the inspection report that proves it.
- 1Revision controlOne active drawing revision per part number, with the change noted.
- 2Material traceabilityGrade and condition recorded against the run, not the month.
- 3Report on requestDimensional and finish data attached to the shipment.
Flow from quote to shipment
One Order Path, Visible at Every Step
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. Those numbers only hold if the order moves through one path instead of five inboxes.
The path is simple. Quote, DFM notes, material, machining, finish, inspection, ship. Each step closes before the next opens. If a tolerance cannot be held on the machine we planned, you hear it before the run, not after the parts arrive.
- 1DFM before cuttingWall thickness, tool reach, and datum choices flagged in the quote.
- 2One routingMachining, finishing, and inspection scheduled as one sequence.
- 3Shipment gateNothing leaves before 100% inspection is signed off.
Decision guide
Spreadsheet or System of Record?
Use this to decide which data belongs in a sheet and which does not.
| Data type | Spreadsheet is fine | Needs a system of record |
|---|---|---|
| Cost modeling and what-if | Yes, with dated assumptions | No |
| Released drawing revision | No | Yes, one active revision |
| Material grade and lot | No | Yes, tied to the run |
| Capacity planning | Short-term only | Yes, with machine hours |
| Inspection results | No | Yes, attached to the lot |
| Supplier comparison notes | Yes | No |
What we machine
Services Behind the Data
Six routes, one order path and one inspection standard.
05
5 Axis CNC Machining
16 simultaneous 5-axis centers for contoured surfaces, deep pockets, and parts that would need three setups on a 3-axis machine.
04
4 Axis CNC Machining
12 four-axis mills for cylindrical features, cross holes, and slot patterns cut in a single fixture.
03
3 Axis CNC Machining
27 three-axis machines for plates, housings, and brackets where two setups hold the tolerance.
MT
CNC Milling & Turning
16 mill-turn centers that finish a turned body and its milled features without a second fixture.
RP
Rapid Prototyping
One-off parts for fit checks and design reviews. No minimum order quantity, from one piece upward.
SF
Part Surface Finishing
Anodizing, plating, powder coating, blasting, and laser marking with a minimum character height of 1.5 mm.
Scope
Machining Envelope and Materials
Check your part against these numbers before you send the drawing.
| Item | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum part size | 4,000 mm | Largest travel 4,000 × 400 × 150 mm |
| Medium envelopes | 750 × 1,150 × 550 mm | Also 600 × 600 × 600 mm |
| Compact envelopes | 500 × 500 × 450 mm | Also 500 × 310 × 200 mm |
| Rotary table | Ø400 mm | 4th-axis work on round parts |
| Tolerance | ±0.005 mm | ±0.0002 in where the geometry allows |
| Surface finish | Ra 0.2–0.8 μm | Ra 0.8–1.6 μm typical as machined |
| Aluminum | 6061-T6, 7075, 2024 | Also 5052, 5083, 6063, 6082, ADC12 |
| Stainless | 303, 304, 316L | Also 17-4PH, 420, 440C |
| Titanium | TC4 (Ti-6Al-4V) | Also TA1, TA2, Inconel |
| Plastics | POM, PEEK, ABS | Also PC, PMMA, PA, PP, HDPE |
Why GreatLight
Numbers We Can Stand Behind
Fifteen years in Dongguan, three wholly-owned plants, and a Singapore factory.
15Y
Machining Since 2011
Fifteen years of production work, not pilot runs. Process knowledge sits with the people who run the machines.
±0.005
Tolerance Held in Production
Not a lab number. We quote ±0.005 mm only where the part geometry and material allow it, and we say so when they do not.
127
Machine Capacity on Site
Sixteen simultaneous 5-axis centers, twelve four-axis mills, sixteen mill-turn centers, and twenty-seven 3-axis machines.
12h
Quote and DFM in 12 Hours
You get a price and a manufacturability read on the same day. Production can start within 24 hours of approval.
ISO
Four Certifications
ISO 9001:2015, IATF 16949:2016, ISO 13485:2016, and ISO 27001:2022. The last one covers how your files are handled.
100%
Inspection Before Shipment
Raw material check, in-process monitoring, final inspection. Reports come with the parts when you ask for them.
Industry fit
What Each Industry Demands, and What We Deliver
Aerospace Brackets
Thin-wall aluminum brackets with tight datum control across setups.
- ±0.005 mm
- 5-axis
- 6061-T6
Automotive & EV Housings
Production runs with IATF 16949 records from first article to last.
- IATF 16949
- 10,000+ parts
- 100% inspection
Medical Instrument Parts
Stainless components with material traceability and revision control.
- ISO 13485
- 316L
- Ra 0.8–1.6 μm
Robotics Joints
Mill-turn parts that hold concentricity without a second fixture.
- Mill-turn
- Ø400 mm table
- ±0.005 mm
FAQs
Questions Engineers Ask Before Switching
Do we have to replace our spreadsheet entirely?
No. Sheets are good for cost modeling, supplier comparisons, and one-off what-if work. Keep them there.
The line is simple: anything that a machinist, inspector, or customer will act on later belongs in a controlled record, not in a sheet that anyone can overwrite.
How do we know the drawing revision you cut to?
The quote names the revision. If the drawing changes after the quote, the revision is updated and re-priced before cutting starts.
Every shipment carries the revision it was made to, so an incoming inspection can be matched back to the drawing.
What happens if our CAD file and our spreadsheet disagree?
The CAD file wins, every time. A spreadsheet cell has no geometry and no tolerance callout.
During free DFM analysis we check the model against the notes. When they conflict, we ask before we cut.
Can you hold ±0.005 mm on every feature?
No, and no shop can. That tolerance depends on material, feature size, wall thickness, and how the part is held.
We quote ±0.005 mm where the geometry supports it and tell you which features need a looser callout. That conversation happens at quote stage.
How does material traceability work for a production run?
Material grade and condition are recorded against the run, not against the month. Stainless grades such as 316L and 17-4PH are logged the same way.
If your industry requires lot-level paperwork, say so on the RFQ and it is built into the routing.
Is there a minimum order quantity?
None. We machine from one prototype to 10,000+ part runs on the same order path.
A single part still goes through raw material check, in-process monitoring, and final inspection.
How do you handle confidential drawings?
Uploads are secure and confidential. An NDA is available on request, and our ISO 27001:2022 certification covers how files are stored and accessed.
If your program requires a specific NDA format, send it with the RFQ and we will review it before quoting.
What is the realistic timeline from RFQ to parts?
Quotation and free DFM analysis within 12 hours. Production can start within 24 hours of approval.
Parts ship in 3–5 days for most machined work. Finishing steps such as anodizing or plating add time, and we state that in the quote rather than after.
Send One Drawing and See What Comes Back
A price, a DFM read, and the revision we would cut to, all within 12 hours.
12-hour quote100% inspectionNo minimum order quantityNDA on request
