01. Type Of CNC Machine And Its Machining Cost
Machining cost changes with the change of type of the machine. Mainly, there are two types of machines that are being used for manufacturing parts using CNC machining i.e. 3 axis and multi-axis machines.
The machine cost is also dependent on various factors like the size & weight of the machine, speed, power, and machine configuration.
The machining cost is calculated per hour and the approximate cost of 3 axis CNC machining is around 40$ per hour while for CNC turning machines it is about 35$ per hour. The hourly rate of CNC machining using multi-axis machines is comparatively more ranges between 75$ and 125$.
Due to the involvement of more complex parts, CNC milling is more expensive than other types of machining operations. The machining expenditures increase with the increase in axes of the milling machines. For example, in the case of 5 axis machining, it costs more as compared to 3 axis machines.
Machining costs are affected by two factors: machine pricing and the number of hours a machine is scheduled to run in a year (which is 5000 hours on average). Machinists calculate their machine shop rates by dividing the machine’s cost by the number of hours it will be used in a year (also known as the machining cost per hour).
In general, we should choose a simpler CNC Machinery to manufacture our custom parts based on the material and part design engineering drawings, also quality requirements, with a rich experience engineer that can help you to define which CNC machining method we should choose to have best cost and good quality, also fast delivery.
02. Raw Material Costs Which Used For CNC Machining
The material costs are also imperative in calculating the cost of CNC machining. The price of the final product made by a CNC machine depends upon the type of materials of which you are required to make the product. You may be required to make part of plastic or metal materials.
As the plastic materials are cheaper and of less durability, the machining cost of plastic or aluminum material is less as compared to stainless steel. As in CNC machines, the material is removed from the solid blocks to make the 3D object. so, the required raw material will be more than the material of the final product.
The machinists buy the materials in the form of solid blocks and calculate the expense of the product per block. The most commonly used metals in CNC machining are Aluminum, Stainless Steel, and Brass.
Due to the economical prices and excellent machinability of aluminum, most machinists use aluminum in CNC machines.
Stainless Steel and brass result in more cost due to poor machinability relative to aluminum. The titanium alloy is the most expensive of all these metals so the machining cost of this metal will be the highest because it may require some special tools to manufacture the parts.
In case of the plastics, the price of the bulk material is less, tools required also cost less and less time is required to machine the plastics like Nylon, Delrin, and ABS.
Machinability refers to the ease with which a material can be cut. The higher the machinability, the faster a material can be CNC machined, thereby lowering cost. Machinability depends on the physical properties of each material. Typically, the softer and more ductile a metal alloy, the easier it is to machine.
Aluminum 6061 is by far the most cost-effective material for creating metal prototypes because of its low cost and very good machinability.
Metals that offer greater machinability, such as stainless steel 303 and C360 brass, cost more. Thus, they are better suited for larger volume production. In this case, economies of scale come into play because the shorter machining times outweigh the higher material cost.
When it comes to plastics, ABS, nylon, and POM (Derlin) cost approximately the same as aluminum 6061. However, they are more difficult to machine, so expect a higher cost.PEEK is a very expensive material and should be used only when absolutely necessary.
Optimizing your design while carefully considering your material can reduce machining costs.
Most of materials can be machined by CNC Machining with different custom designs, including of aluminum, titanium, steel, brass, plastic, or wood etc. CNC machining, being a subtractive manufacturing technology which has considerable waste as material is removed from the original block.
The cost of your material is often given per 6″x6″x1″ sheet. The cost of some popular plastics per sheet are:
- ABS costs $17 per block
- POM (Delrin) costs $27 per block
- Nylon 6 costs $30 per block
The cost of some popular metals for CNC machined parts are:
- Aluminum 6061 costs $25 per block
- Aluminum 7075 costs $80 per block
- Stainless steel 304 costs $90 per block
This is a very important factor that machinists consider when doing the CNC machining cost calculation. As CNC machining is a subtractive process, it tends to use more material than what will be on the final product. Machinists buy these materials in blocks, and they calculate the prices per block. The two types of materials used mostly in CNC machining are metals and plastics. Let’s take a closer look at both of them:
– Metals
The common types of metals used in CNC machining include Aluminium 6061, Stainless Steel 303, and Brass C360. Machinists use aluminum 6061 the most due to its blend of economical price and good machinability. Stainless Steel 303 and Brass C360 offer a higher degree of machinability and cost more as a result. You can use our quoting platform to know more about how we factor material costs into your CNC costs.
– Plastics
Plastics are cheaper to use for CNC machining due to the lower average price for the bulk materials and the shorter machining times due to their lower hardness. Plastics like ABS, Nylon 6, and POM (Delrin) have approximately the same bulk costs as Aluminium 6061, although they might cost a little higher per block. Plastics like CNCChinese are really expensive and should only be used when absolutely necessary.
03. Labour Costs Of CNC Machining (CNC Machinist Salary)
Because of the high level of automation in the CNC machining process, you do not need to pay for a large number of staff employees. Simply put, design and digitization account for the majority of the costs. There are three major labor costs associated with CNC manufacturing processes:
3D CAD design and CNC programming costs
The most expensive component of this labor cost is the design and digitalization costs. Developing a CAD file for your product necessitates hiring a professional designer. You can avoid this by doing the work yourself. This is followed by a visit from a manufacturing engineer, who will confirm that your design is repeatable and, if necessary, make suggestions for improvements. The programmer is the final person who converts the CAD file into a CAM file so that the CNC machine can understand the design.
CNC machine set up and running costs
Setting up the CNC machine for a specific task and ensuring everything is done correctly takes a significant amount of time for him. The setup costs can vary greatly depending on the number of items to be manufactured. Because the parts are spread out over a larger number, the cost per component is lower in bulk parts manufacturing.
CNC Machining needs good experience engineer to build product drawing with details including of dimensions, tolerance, raw material, surface treatment requirement etc., then have technique engineer to build machining program by MasterCam for operator to machine the custom parts with right CNC Machinery, the design set-up cost is one-time charge, hence 1pcs order means same design cost with high volume order
Labor in CNC machining is primarily connected to start-up costs (CAM programming, process planning), but these are one time charge costs and are eliminated by higher production volumes.
CNC machining technology has not changed significantly during the past few years. Incremental improvements in machine design, tooling, consumables and CAM software lead to an optimization of the production cycles, improving quality and but not significantly affecting the cost of CNC machined parts.
4. Surface finishing costs
Surface treatments on CNC machined parts can improve their appearance and resistance to harsh environments. Even if they are beneficial, they raise the cost of machining.
In the case of some products, surface finishing is required which also results in an increase in the price of the final products. In order to improve the aesthetic of the final product and remove any scratches made during the machining process, you may require to provide a good finish like polishing.
Other finishing processes may also include coating, anodizing, painting, chroming, blacking, galvanizing, brushing, and water transferring. The inclusion of any of these finishes will add the extra cost to the price of the final product.
5. Tooling costs
Custom CNC fabrications may require a specific set of tools before CNC manufacturing. Despite the fact that the tool bits will be returned to the machine shop after production, you may be liable for some of the machine’s operating costs. When working with extremely hard raw materials, the tool used may prematurely wear out.
6.Quantity
CNC machining also works with the economics of scale. The cost of a CNC machining process will exponentially reduce if the production volume increases.
Let’s try to put this cost savings idea into a better perspective.
Suppose we have a single unit part that costs $40. The cost per unit of this part will drop to about $12.5 if the production volume is 10 parts.
Likewise, the cost per unit will drop to about $8.79 for 100 parts. In summary, increasing production orders from one unit to 100 units can reduce the cost per unit part by over 60%.
The drops occur because every variability involved in the process remains the same. That is, the CAD design is the same, whether you are producing ten units, 50 units, or 100 units of a component.
At the same time, you won’t need to choose a different machine setup for another set of parts. The same settings are selected for the whole production process.
Therefore, you should consider ordering higher quantities to take advantage of this economy of scale.
The volume of the order tremendously affects the cost of the final product. It is true that the overall cost will increase with the increase of required finished parts but the cost per part will decrease.
7. Tolerances
The CNC machining technology is highly precise and can create standard tolerances without driving up costs. Tight tolerances often drive up machining time and cost. They are particularly difficult to achieve on internal surfaces because holes and cavities with tight tolerances may develop burrs.
Removing burrs often requires additional steps that go beyond manual inspection. Since deburring is manual, it can be time-consuming and will require increased labor costs.
Therefore, you should only specify them when necessary. If you don’t define a specific tight tolerance,
CNC machines can create standard tolerances of ± 0.1 mm. This standard tolerance is ideal for several features, and there will be no need for tight tolerances.
If you have advanced design knowledge, we recommend using GD & T in your designs to define looser tolerances.
Remember that the numbers representing your dimensions are vital because they specify the level of accuracy needed for your component. Thus, the more decimal places, the more intricate the part is, thereby increasing the cost.
So, you should try to remove unnecessary decimal points from the design.
How To Reduce/Save Cnc Machining Cost
Most times, after estimating CNC machining cost calculations, CNC machining could cost clients a little bit on the high side, especially if they do not make huge quantities of products. Here are a few ways you can adjust CNC machining costs to fit your budget:
1. Reconsider Material
The material you’ll use for your product is a huge determinant in CNC machining costs. You should consider the price of the material before choosing it for the production process. Also, the machinability of the material is very important. This determines the machining time, which in turn, affects the CNC machine shop hourly rates for your production process.
2. Optimizing the Product Design
The structure of your product is taken into account when calculating CNC machining costs. The amount of time it takes to machine your part is directly proportional to its complexity, more complex, more time and money costs. Before you send your design for a quote, ask yourself the following questions to help you reduce its complexity:
- Did I follow the Design for Machinability (DFM) guidelines to optimize my product designs?
- Do I really need features or machining option in my products?
- How can I reduce the complexity of my product without compromising its functionality?
- Is it possible to divide my design into smaller parts to make it easier to CNC manufacture and assemble?
- Can I modify my design to reduce the costs of setups and special tooling required?
- Are there any materials that are less expensive or easier to manufacture that can meet my design requirements?
If you want expert design advice, CNCChinese will be your best choice. A team of 250 engineers is ready to help you with any aspect of your prototyping and batch productions needs. Please do not hesitate to contact us.
3. Outsource Your Need
Outsourcing your project is another great way you can get to minimize your CNC machining costs. However, outsourcing projects to CNC machining companies in developed countries is extremely expensive. Companies in China, on the other hand, offer quite cheaper prices with just the same level of quality. We compiled a range of prices in the two regions below:
– Price in Developed Countries
European CNC machining prices are generally higher due to the higher standards of living in these parts. Their prices generally range from $35 – $40 per hour for 3-axis machines while multi-axis machines cost $75 – $120 per hour.
– Price in Asian Countries
Chinese companies are known for their very affordable CNC machining prices which makes many clients all over the world outsource to companies in this region. A good example of a Chinese company that assures quality and still gives affordable prices is RapidDirect. We offer a range of $8 – $10 for 3-axis machines and $30 for multi-axis machines.
In Asian Countries, especialy in China, the living cost is much lower, so they can offer the same high-quality service with a better price and in CNC machining. Because of the cost-effective CNC machining service offered by Chinese manufacturers, many clients from all over the world would want to work with them.
4. The Delivery Time Frame Required For Your Production Run
The delivery time frame required for your cnc machining production run to save cost is usually determined by the quantities of the project and the size of it. You should also take into account how long you need it to last as well as how much you are willing to spend on it.
The sooner you need then it would cost higher for your cnc machining projects both production & shipment.
How Much Does CNC Machining Cost?
The CNC machine cost can vary a lot depending on what you’re using it for. It’s worth looking at the overall budget for your project before putting an order in.
There are several facets of CNC pricing you need to think about. For example, project planning means that you’re spending money on the project before it’s even begun. And the basic cost of materials that you use also needs to be in your budget.
You also need to think about:
- The specific costs of your order
- The cost of using different types of machines
- Labor costs
- Any additional completion costs
It’s also important to take into account the machine shop rate set by the company you use for your CNC. In order to do this, it’s worth getting a quote from a few different companies.
To understand more, let’s take a look at each of the things that affect CNC machine pricing.
Additional Completion Costs
Finally, you need to pay to get your hands on the final product so you should budget for this cost.
Most CNC machining companies will offer a few different shipping options depending on your deadlines. If you need a fast turn around then you can expect to pay more for shipping. So keep this in mind when scheduling your production.
Bear in mind that the material you use will have an impact on your shipping costs, as these are calculated based on weight. For example, aluminum is a much lighter metal than stainless steel so will be cheaper to ship.
Conclusion
Ensuring affordable CNC machining costs is crucial to your business’s bottom line. Factors like material, design geometry, finishing operations, etc., affect CNC machining costs. However, you can reduce this cost through adequate material selection, design optimization, and other special considerations.
It may be challenging to analyze and use these factors to your advantage. Therefore, work with an expert CNC machining company like CNCChinese. Contact us today, and let’s discuss your CNC machining project!
