5 Advantages of Using High Volume CNC Machining for Industries

Posted on November 4, 2020November 7, 2020 by ER Machining

High volume CNC machining is known for producing modern engineered components in bulk keeping its highest quality possible. As industries adapt to manufacture parts in bulk to make more profit out of less budget spend.

CNC machines used these days have replaced the old traditional lathes, routers, mills, and grinders. The future looks even brighter for manufacturing industries with the usage of high volume CNC machining.

One aspect of manufacturing where CNC’s are thriving is ‘milling’. CNC milling services have occupied the central place in the milling process. Compared to the old and manual milling procedures. Today’s employees are computerizing the process by giving numerical inputs in a machine that controls the multi-point cutting tool to remove the material and produce a custom-designed component.

Small to mid-sized CNC machine shops need to leverage high volume CNC machining for their business growth. To meet the deadlines of high volume orders with precise machining. Relevant businesses need to adapt such modern-day technologies to sustain.

If your business isn’t using high volume CNC machining. Then you might wanna rethink after reading these four advantages of using high volume CNC machining in your machine shops:-

1. Qualitative and Quantitative Production

This sounds so good to be true. But with the help of high volume CNC machining, manufacturers can produce engineering components in bulk by maintaining the quality of the material.

CNC machinery is accurate and precise with their output. They can hold tolerances of plus or minus 0.001. This is one of the reasons why CNC machine shops can produce better modern components than others.

The use of CNC machines falls under the ‘precision machining’ category, and according to the industry standards precision machines provide the best outputs. Because they are reliable, error-free, and cheaper in production.

CNC’s are programmed to follow repeatable procedures time and time again. Thus it’s easier to handle multi-axis operations throughout the high volume productions without having to give much attention.

In short, both quality and quantity are being well maintained through high volume CNC machining.

2. Best Option for the Prototype Designs

Before designing a prototype using CNC machines, several factors need to be considered. Most prototypes are designed by the product specifications considered on the production floor.

Here volume, material, and geometry are the three factors that are considered important.

In terms of low and medium production volumes, CNC’s are the right choice. But with the introduction of high volume CNC machining. It makes a better and cheaper option to use rather than 3D printing.

In terms of material, as the use of modern material production gets increased day by day. The expectation of higher precision levels should be well maintained too. CNC machines have developed to equip a wide range of materials to create prototypes for modern parts. As of today, there are few popular materials used for CNC machining.

In terms of geometry, while many complex engineering components are being used, the parts in them are not easy to design and instead need careful inspection. CNC machines can make few part designs look very easy.

As the prototypes are designed from the CNC machines. It makes it a hell lot easier to carry out high volume CNC machining as we input a set of numerical instructions.

3. Fast Production and Less Wastage

High volume production machining, are responsible for rolling out quick productions of custom-designed engineering components. CNC milling services are said to provide the fastest turnaround time for producing desired components. This is mainly due to the operations being completely automated by inserting a few numerical values in the device.

High volume CNC’s along with other reliable machinery, can carry out production duties even in non-working hours. The machines are said to work 24hrs a day and since it requires less human attention and monitoring. This eliminates a few steps to the journey of production, which in the end, fasten ups the production pace.

Along with the faster pace of operations, the internal scrap that leads to unnecessary waste could be reduced. Such scrap on the work floor will result in additional material and labor costs.

Courtesy of software like CAD and CAM, which provides exact finishing process, tool path, and operations cycle time based upon product specifications. This will help manufacturers to reduce the wastage caused during the production.

4. Less Labor Needed

Since the industry is changing from manual handling techniques to automated technology machinery. It leaves less space for human inclusion in the production process.

Even though there will be a decrease in the workforce on the work floor, CNC machine shops do need skilled employees to be present at the time of production and give the right inputs to the machines.

This helps a business as there is a decrease in the maintenance of machinery along with a decrease in the number of laborers required to run operations. The overall cost of producing a unit will be lower, and the profit margins will get thicker.

5. Increased Profitability and Customer Retention

The continuous operations performed on a repeating basis is the stand out feature of CNC machines and carrying out production in bulk is the most effective feature of high volume CNC machining.

Producing in bulk has its pros and CNC machines being involved in it impacts multiple factors like:-

Reduction in manual labor
Meeting with the right delivery dates
Competitive pricing of the parts
Increased in manufacturing capabilities

One of the significant advantages of using high volume CNC machining in industries is to leverage profitability due to the above reasons.

From a business point of view, if the manufactured parts are delivered at the right time. It increases the chances of higher customer retention and could result in the elongation of existing contracts for a business. Thus as buyers get increased, the business will be able to see the flip side of making profits. Contact us for a Quote!

6 Ways in Which Precision Machining Can Enhance Manufacturing Capabilities

Posted on October 30, 2020May 16, 2025 by ER Machining

Throughout the years, machining industries have looked to adopt methods which can make their manufacturing processes simpler, cheaper, and effective. So far, precision machining seems to be the process that can improve product operations on a large scale and ensure good results.

Precision machining is a manufacturing process that helps create and design modern machine parts with the effective use of technology to control the process by tolerating the continuous functions.

This so-called technical process uses machines called Computer Numerical Control (CNC). Which are helping small and mid-sized manufacturers to grow and increase their productivity with controlled computerization and automation.

In general, the precision machine shop is occupied with CNC’s. The whole manufacturing process is done through several operations like turning, milling, drilling, sawing, planning, and broaching. Each step in the process is monitored, and operated on various manufacturing parameters to get that precise final shape.

In this article, we want to share the six ways in which precision machining can enhance the manufacturing capabilities of the production.

1. Convenient and Efficient Operations

Since CNC’s are the whole backbone of precision machining, once the operations are programmed, and the proper parameters are given to go to the machines. They operate with less manual handling and it makes them convenient to handle.

Gone are the days where having hundreds of humans and building a massive workforce was required to grow any business, even in the manufacturing sector which is still adopting AI-powered machines and software to replace the labors with repeatable tasks. Experts are trying to use AI in applied manufacturing to cut down various factors. Thus such computerization is ready to make the operation and production of manufacturing more efficient.

Due to reduced human involvement, the output would be more effective and match the desired results. All this process could be done on complete automation. Still, there is a need for skilled labor to monitor and execute the process.

2. Reduction in Multiple Manufacturing Steps

Precision machining services are a great example of a combination of machines and software in one place. Here the pre-design models are prepared in CAD, and the data is uploaded to the dedicated device. The machine itself does the whole process of cutting, drilling, and finishing.

This eliminates a lot of manual handling and tools adjustments which happens a lot during the operations. All the work is done without interruptions, which in turn eliminates a few steps. Thus fewer the steps for manufacturing, the more will be the capability of manufacturing.

So far, precision machining involves three heating stages and a couple of additional steps for inspection and material measurement.

3. Increased Sustainability of the Materials

CNC for precision machining brings out the best manufacturing capabilities. One such example will be the sustainability of the materials. Most of the CNC’s don’t need additional parts like sanders or drills.

Since machines have less chance of making any errors, this helps manufacturing companies to reduce their waste which could be caused due to the tossing of parts while manufacturing.

With no additional parts being used and there is a reduction in material waste which also leads to sustainability in numerous ways.

4. Effective Prototyping

Mock-ups and effective prototypes are important for better manufacturing. In precise machining, we tend to go after the explicit material and detailed designs. To reduce errors during the process, prototypes should be a part of precise machining.

But most people avoid prototyping to save time and instead spend a lot more time inspecting after the material is re-shaped. Effective prototyping makes it easy to automate processes for precision machining. Once a prototype is prepared, it’s easier for machines to do repeatable tasks with accuracy.

5. Fewer Production Costs (Affordable)

In every precision machine shop and fabrication shop, the main goal is to reduce production costs and increase the market profit on each successfully manufactured material are created.

The machines, tools, and the cost of the heating process included in precision machining is very affordable. The compact machines which carry out crucial production tasks have an affordable price tag keeping small to mid-sized manufacturers in mind.

This precise method of production leads to:-

1. Reduced material waste

2. Less need for labors

3. Little to no possibility of error

4. Effective deliverability of the final material

Fewer production costs and faster operations is a sign of the best manufacturing capabilities. Most of the relevant industries should implement precision machining for their business growth or better outsource them to a precision machine shop for quick results.

6. Increased Speed and Less Risk Factor

Throughout this article, we have talked about how precision machining is helping us to automate the whole process and keeping operations much simpler.

Automation is a sign of ‘market to speed’ for many businesses. Since the computerized devices and software are taking over the majority of the process, this eliminates multiple steps that were mentioned previously. Fewer steps equal faster operations throughout the process.

Due to less manual handling, the overall downturn factor which may be caused by humans is eliminated. The probability of creating errors vanishes too. Smart devices are being used to operate tools with a set of instructions to guarantee smooth operations with little to no risk factor in manufacturing.

Conclusion

With ever-evolving technology in manufacturing space. Businesses and manufacturers need to build their precision machining shops and services to get better identified, simplified, and qualified products from their manufacturing operations.

Sure there will be a cut-down of jobs for an average laborer, but a new and better opportunity opens for a pool of laborers who would be more skillful and knowledgeable of their work.

There are countless pros of using precision machining, which can potentially enhance the manufacturing capabilities for a business to grow more rapidly and swiftly.

Why 5-Axis CNC Machining is Perfect for Your Business

Posted on September 23, 2020September 23, 2020 by ER Machining

5-Axis CNC Machining

For many years, computer numeric control (CNC) machines have been in existence. These machines are used in manufacturing processes and various industries. They are used in different specifications to create simple and complex parts. As a result, they increase the level of efficiency and precision. There are three types of CNC machines, and their categorization is based on their axis movements. These types are 3-, 4-, and 5-axis machines.

The design of CNC machines is such that they have at least three axes. That is X, Y, and Z. The most common CNC machine is the 3-axis type. The 4-axis machine has an additional axis, A. The A-axis rotates around the X-axis. While in the 5-axis machine, the extra axis, B, rotates around the Y-axis. A, B, and C are the three rotational axes of the machine. The CNC machine services that are more popular today is the 5-axis. A CNC machine shop in Houston, or any other region, utilizing the 5-axis machining will reap maximum benefits.

5-Axis Machining: What It’s Made Of

5-axis machining refers to the simultaneous movement of the cutting tool in five different directions. There are various CNC machine services. For 5-axis, two rotational axes apart from the X, Y, and Z-axis are utilized. The axes rotate around the X, Y, and Z-axis at an angle of approximately 180 degrees. Hence, the name rotational axis. Several industries prefer this when looking for CNC machine services. This is because of the advantage of rotational axes. The multidirectional approach of the 5-axis machining allows the user to achieve complex geometries. This will be the result of working on tighter tolerances.

Reasons for Quick Adoption of 5-Axis Machining

Multiple companies have adopted this type of Custom Machining Services. This can be attributed to the factors outlined below. Its Setup Is Quick and Easy

The rotation of the tool in a 5-axis machine is in five different directions. Thus, taking set up breaks in between tasks will not be necessary. Complex parts with multiple faces or contoured parts cannot be worked on easily by a 3-axis machine. Instead, you will need several setups of the 3-axis CNC machine to achieve machining of complex geometry. This will be through manual rotating.

On the other hand, a 5-axis technology will allow this. The clamping and bottom area are the only parts that will not get worked on. This is possible because of its simple set up. With the reduced number of setups, the entire work can be completed. Machinists can thus avoid the hassles that come with intermittent setups and save time.

Improved Tool Cycle and Lifespan

5-axis CNC machining allows minimal to zero collision. The collision is usually between the tool holder and the cutting tool. This is realized by tilting the tool or cutting the table in one direction. However, this is not the case for 3-axis or 4-axis machining. The tool cycle and lifetime will be improved when zero collision is achieved. Also, tilting has significant benefits. It enables optimum maintenance of the cutting position. Consistency in the chip load is also realized.

Best-Suited for Complex Shapes

Additional fixtures and multiple setups are demanded if other machines are used. This is done to achieve different machine angles and arcs. For instance, 5-axis machines enable quick access to the angles and arcs. These machines are very beneficial. First, they reduce the need for a myriad of special fixtures. They allow the part to be held once and rotated in a single process; that is why. Secondly, their simple setup enables the creation of numerous complex shapes. They also prevent the loss of the work’s superior quality and precision.

Increased Part Accuracy

Most of the industries must aim to be very precise in their tasks. Precision is paramount. It allows developing and maintaining of existing clients and attracting new ones. If you have a CNC Machine Shop, you should employ 5-axis machining services. The machine will enable the cutting tool to move in all the desired directions quickly.

You will not have to move the workpiece between various workstations. The part’s precise alignment will be lost every time it is drawn out from the CNC machine. As a result, it compromises its accuracy. 5-axis machine allows completion of the entire machining in a single set up. This guarantees high part accuracy.

Fast Material Removal

The 5-axis machining enables material removal to be fast. Keeping the cutting tool tangential to the workpiece makes this possible. Users can, therefore, save tool times due to the low cycle times. Each time the cutting tool passes, more material will be removed. Thus, reducing costs too.

Excellent Surface Finish

Custom Machining Services using a 5-axis machine will result in better finishes. The parts are brought closer to the cutting tool. The fourth and fifth axes of the machine are the cause of this orientation. The axis also guides short-cutting tools. This results in the excellent surface finish at short turnaround times. Minimal cuts have to be used by a 3-axis machine to achieve the perfect surface finish. With this, longer lead times will be realized.

Minimal Tool Vibration

The use of cutting tools with a shorter length helps minimize tool vibrations. You will also be assured of fast cutting speeds if you use them. Many of the improved 5-axis CNC machines are designed to support shorter tools. This is due to the part being brought closer to the tool by the axes. Shorter tools are less susceptible to vibrations. Furthermore, they help save a lot of time.

The benefits that you will enjoy if you partner with a reliable CNC Machine Shop are numerous. ER Machining, a CNC Machine Shop in Houston, TX, is at the top of the CNC machining industry, made possible by their advanced machining capabilities. They have helped customers across all fields in various ways. Some of the sectors include medical, energy, aerospace, military, and several others.

Providing Custom Machining Services with high-end machines has increased its operational efficiencies. It has also improved its time-to-market. When looking for a CNC machine shop in Houston, you should always do thorough research.

Are you interested in learning more about our CNC Machine Shop in Houston, TX? Contact us today for more information.

Tips for Choosing the Best CNC Machine Shop

Posted on July 11, 2020July 14, 2020 by ER Machining

Choosing a CNC machining shop can be challenging at times. However, you should plan your approach for choosing the best machine shop that meets your firm’s needs. In your approach, you will need to include efficiency, reputation, and long-term value of CNC machining services.

When selecting a machine shop, you should ensure that you examine the operations of the company from all aspects to get the value and price you want. Through this, you will be able to get an excellent machine shop that will increase the quality of your work.

The following are tips for choosing a CNC machine shop:

Capabilities That You Need
Before making an order from a CNC machining shop for your business, you should ensure that the shop has all the qualities and capabilities required for your project. Inquire about the type of tools available given that the CNC machining shop performs numerous styles and functions. For instance, turning machines are used as lathes that are essential for automatically turning the piece while the cutting tool creates the designed shape. Additionally, milling machines shape pieces using equipment from various axes.

Long-Term Value
Making orders for your company implies that you are investing in your firm’s capital and time. Do not select a shop solely based on them offering low prices. Low prices usually imply shoddy quality work. When dealing with CNC machining, most equipment tends to be expensive, meaning that you have to invest some money into the services, so that the shop can use the equipment that provides the best results within the stipulated time.

However, you should ensure that the value you get from the shop is more than the price, customer service should also be part of your evaluation. A quality shop will not only give you the best machining results but enables you to build a long-term relationship with them, ensuring that they meet your needs and expectations. Always consider the return in value over the long-term when choosing a CNC machine shop, which as we stated above, cannot always be indicated by the cost. Quality delivery on orders within the stipulated time will be the best investment.

Customer Feedback
The preexisting clientele of the machining facility offers an insight into the quality of the services provided by the business. The best CNC businesses have clients from large firms. Ensure that when choosing a CNC machine shop, you inquire who they have worked for in the past or are currently working with. The company must have customer feedback and good references readily available.

When choosing a machining shop, also consider looking online for customer testimonials regarding the shop, read through customer experiences, and see if they are repeat customers. Examining the customer reviews of the CNC shop allows you to gain insight into what to expect from the shop.

Up to Date Equipment
You wouldn’t want to use outdated and off-brand equipment to machine your parts. You would want to use quality machines for your work. The implication, in this case, is that you need to expect the same precision from a CNC machine shop. Look at the latest brands manufactured in the industry as they are regarded to have a history of producing quality parts essential for CNC machining services.

However, the use of brand name CNC machines alone cannot give you all the information about the company’s equipment and whether it’s adequate for your project. Make sure to ask the CNC shop if they have qualified employees to program the machines to your required project specifications.

On-Time Delivery
Time is an essential factor in your business; hence every step involved in the supply chain must be choreographed accordingly. Any form of delay in the supply chain process can throw away customers. To avoid such issues when choosing a machine shop, ensure that you check on their delivery policy. If the company guarantees on-time delivery, then they are likely a good hire. You should also check if the company keeps track of complex orders.

Is the Shop Hiring
Just like investing in large firms, every CNC shop should be actively hiring a new team of workers, consider looking at the number of permanent employees in the firm. A growing CNC machine shop requires more skilled and professional CNC workers. The team should undergo extensive training, in case the CNC machine shop is in such a position, it is able to deliver quality services.

Research on Business Details
It would be best if you always researched the CNC machine shop before hiring. Look at how long the shop has been in operation. A CNC machine shop that has been in operation for a long time is more likely to offer quality CNC machining services and uses well-machined equipment.

Here’s Why You Should Pick CNC Lathe Machines for Manufacturing

Posted on March 26, 2020March 12, 2024 by ER Machining

In today’s world of sci-fi and technological revolution, let’s not forget we’ve come a long way in terms of CNC machining capabilities.

Of course! At the heart of it all we’re talking about the lathe machine, a device that works on your materials from start to finish and brings you the desired finished precision machined components.

While in the past, manual machining lathes required intense labor and time to create quality parts, today the same can be achieved with advanced CNC lathes to provide custom CNC machining services.

Becoming the norm as go-to manufacturing tools, these lathes have replaced their old traditional counterparts and are used by all kind of industries for their manufacturing needs.

Which makes understanding them even important.

If you are on the lookout for CNC lathe or CNC machining services, understanding more about lathe machines, known as well as turning machines, can help you pick the ideal CNC service provider to accomplish your needs.

Let’s dive deeper and understand what CNC turning machines are all about.

What is a CNC Turning Machine?

Simply put, a CNC Turning machine is a reinvented manual lathe that utilizes computer controls to rotate a workpiece and cut off excess materials using sharp cutting tools and drill bits to create symmetrical parts.

The cnc turning machines spin the workpiece along a single vertical or horizontal axis while feeding it the cutting tool to create a particular shape.

As opposed to traditional lathe machines, CNC turning machines are programmed by machinists to perform detailed operations such as cuts, metal spinning, metalworking, thermal spraying, etc.

Different Types of Turning Machines

CNC turning machines can be categorized into two different types namely Vertical Lathes and Horizontal Lathes.

1. Vertical CNC Lathes

Vertical cnc Turning Lathe, or machine centers, as the name suggests, have their spindle axis oriented in a vertical fashion where the spindle holds the milling cutters. The workpiece is then rotated upright which lets the spindle cut at certain angles.

Compared to horizontal cnc turning lathes, the vertical lathes generally occupy a small space. These machines are also great for manufacturing workpieces that are large and heavy in nature.

The vertical design also helps the machine stay stable throughout the process which results in more accurately cut parts.

Due to such capabilities, CNC vertical lathes, known as well as CNC Vertical Turning machines, considerably more expensive than their horizontal counterparts.

2. Horizontal CNC Lathes

Horizontal CNC lathes, have the configuration of their cutters mounted horizontally. The workpiece on these machines rotate cylindrically while the tools cut the extra materials.

As the workpiece is held on the chuck vertically, the machines are ideal for working on lighter materials or metals.

Horizontal CNC Turning Machines generally take up more space since they require the workpieces to lie vertically. This also makes them ideal for producing small to mid-sized pieces which may also include shaping flat surfaces.

Now that we’ve distinguished the two major categories, here are some of the most popular turning machines in use today you must know:

Engine Lathes

Engine lathes are some of the most popular and versatile CNC machines in use today that are used for CNC Turning machining. They can operate on a varying range of speeds and are mostly used for low-power and high-power tasks. Generally the first choice among those who need to work on multiple metals.

Speed Lathes

These turning machines do at most two operations but at high speeds. It is much simpler than other lathe machines and used for light work. This also makes it less versatile than the rest.

Turret Lathes

These turning machines have a tool holder to help perform multiple operations on a singular workpiece. These multitasking capabilities make them ideal for quick and sequential tasks.

Gap Bed Lathes

Gap Bed Lathes are those machines in which the bed section can be detached to adjust large diameter and often longer workpieces. When operating these lathe turning machines, operators have the ability to distance the bed from the headstock by about two feet.

Why Choose CNC Lathes Over Manual Lathes?

Great! Now that you know about different lathe/Turning machines, let’s find out why you should prefer CNC Turning, or Lathes, over more traditional ones.

1. Work is Entirely Automated, Easy & Fast

Compared to manual lathe machines, CNC turning machines can produce tons of parts of similar dimensions at the click of a button, while maintaining a precision cnc turning services with awesome quality. Work can thus be made simple and easy on CNC machines, which is a great relief to all the CNC Machine Shops.

No matter what your requirements, they allow you to produce parts of tight tolerances and complex geometries at a non-stop pace.

2. They Are More Flexible and Versatile

What makes CNC turning machines so great for production is their versatility. Unlike manual turning, or lathe, they can work on multiple types of workpieces and create almost any shape which is humanly impossible.

3. Eliminates Human Errors Completely

A major concern in terms of part production and manufacturing is inaccuracy and errors. Thanks to precision CNC machining technology, accuracy is taken care of from the get-go in CNC lathe machines making along with CNC Milling Machines, them ideal for industries requiring high precision machined parts.

4. They Save You a Lot of Money

CNC turning machines offer tremendous benefits in terms of cost savings.

Instead of having someone manually churn out the parts for you, precision machine shops, such as ER Machining, equipped with super awesome precision CNC turning machines that turn raw into your per drawing’s made cnc machined parts. Those advanced Turning machines help you save you costs in terms of setup, material waste, and most importantly, labor costs.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, CNC turning machines are miles ahead in terms of accuracy, usage, as well as offer plenty of advantages over traditional turning machines or lathes.

So now that you have all the needed information about CNC lathes, it’ll help you pick the best CNC machining provider the next time you have machining requirements. You are welcome to reach out to ER Machining and we will treat you as part of the family. ER Machining is a CNC precision machine shop based in Houston, Texas that offers excellent CNC milling services and CNC turning services for major industries such as

the aerospace industries, oil & gas industries, energy industries and more…. With our top of the line precision CNC turning machines and precision cnc milling machines, we can help you with any type of machining requirement.

Call us anytime and we will get your parts precision cnc machined per your drawings’ requirements.

What is CNC Turning? Most Essential Things You Must Know

Posted on March 6, 2020March 12, 2024 by ER Machining

If you want to manufacture a part at a CNC machine shop but not sure about the right process, things can get a bit confusing. Especially if you’re new to the world of CNC machining services.

But hey, good news! It’s not that difficult.

For starters just remember that there are certain automated techniques machinists use to manufacture your parts.

The most common of them are CNC Milling and CNC Turning.

Either one has its own specific purpose and there is no competition between the two. This means understanding CNC Turning is as much important as understanding CNC Milling.

As this post is about CNC Turning, let’s dig in to find out what makes it so important for manufacturing.

What is CNC Turning?

Computer Numerical Control Turning (also known as CNC Turning) is a precision machining process that uses a CNC Turning machine to cut the workpiece in a linear manner while it rotates or “turns” to form a cylindrical part.

Done using machinery lathes, the process essentially trims the diameter of the workpiece to a particular shape as per the given dimensions, resulting in a polished ready-made part.

Interestingly, the traditional process dates back to a remote Egyptian time where the concept of lathes has first supposed to have originated.

Nonetheless, it’s one of the most highly-skilled and intricate ways of creating custom components and is used for all sorts of materials from metals to plastics and glass.

How Does CNC Turning Work?

During the CNC turning process, the workpiece (material to be worked on) is established on an instrument called a ‘Chuck’ which is rotated at a specified RPM. During the rotation, sharp CNC turning tools are then moved to the piece to remove excess material and create the needed shape.

As the final piece is created by trimming off the raw material, CNC Turning is also called subtractive machining as opposed to 3D Printing, which is additive. Though the shapes come out to be primarily cylindrical, other shapes such as squares or hexagons can also be created.

The turning process happens in specialized CNC Turning Shops. The lathes used for the process are either horizontal or vertical which depends on the weight and tolerance range of the piece being worked on.

Also, if the CNC Turning Shop providing turning services has access to both turning and milling facilities, the rotation can be opted out for other milling operations.

CNC Turning can be applied to both the exterior as well as the interior of the workpiece (also called ‘boring’) to create more tube-shaped components.

Perfect! Now that you’re cleared with the basics, let’s understand the different types of CNC turning processes.

What are the Types of CNC Turning Operations

There are various turning operations that can be utilized to cut different shapes for a workpiece such as straight, curved, or grooved.

Tapered Turning

In tapered turning, a canonical surface is created by incremental reductions or an increase in the workpiece’s overall diameter from one part to another.

The tapered elements are prominently used in machine constructions and can be internal or external.

2. Hard Turning

Essentially, Hard Turning is the process of turning a workpiece harder than 45 HRC (Rockwell C). Mainly performed after heat treating the piece, hard turning is generally used as a replacement for grinding operations.

3. Facing

Facing in the context of turning refers to the removal of material by bringing the cutting tool an appropriate angle of the rotating workpiece’s axis to create a flat surface.

A 4-Jaw Chuck can also be used in Facing to create shapes different non-cylindrical shapes.

4. Spherical Turning

In spherical turning, a spherical or ball-shaped surface is created on the workpiece with gradual reductions of the material.

It’s mainly applicable for equipment like gears, injection, and hydraulic components.

5. Boring

Boring is basically the process of widening a drilled hole in a workpiece by subtracting material using a single-point cutting bit.

It’s essentially used to cut holes of accurate dimensions as well as tapered holes in a material such as that of a cylinder or a pipe.

6. Parting

Parting, as the name suggests, deals with removing a part of specific length from the original stock piece by feeding a blade-like cutting tool to it.

7. Grooving

Similar to Parting, Grooving deals with cutting a piece from its original raw material to a specific depth without totally cutting it apart from it.

It can be done on both the internal as well as external areas of the piece.

8. Drilling

Drilling is essentially the process of creating a round hole inside the workpiece to remove material from it.

The drilling operation is done by firmly holding the standard drill press in the turret of the lathe and feeding it directly to the piece.

9. Knurling

Knurling is a special kind of turning process in which a straight line or diamond-shaped pattern is impreses onto the workpiece’s surface to make for a better appearance and gripping surface.

This is done using a unique tool.

Final Thoughts

To conclude, CNC Turning is undoubtedly vast.

But by understanding multiple types of operations and features supported by CNC turning laths, you can get a much better idea of what could work best for your manufacturing requirement.

We hope this post has shed some light on CNC turning as a powerful machining process, which you can think of for your machining needs.

Have a manufacturing requirement that requires CNC turning? Feel free to let us know.

We are a CNC turning shop in Houston, Texas and offer excellent CNC turning services for a wide range of industries. Replete with state-of-the-art CNC turning lathes, we can easily machine your part to perfection.

Get in touch with us and we’ll help you out!

5 Reasons Why CNC Milling is Great for Manufacturing

Posted on March 6, 2020May 19, 2025 by ER Machining

If you’ve ever found yourself in the midst of a manufacturing urgency, you may have thought of picking either manual milling or CNC milling services.

While manual milling machines are used for certain types of tasks, these machines still have their own shortcomings.

On the other hand…

Custom CNC milling lathes found in CNC milling shops are more technologically-advanced, provide MORE accuracy, and get the job done in less time.

Yet, the question remains:

Which is an overall better choice for your manufacturing needs?

To make things simple, we’ve compiled this entire blog to help you out.

But first for those new to the term, here’s a refresher.

What is CNC Milling?

In simple terms, CNC milling or Computer Numerical Control Milling is a process of machining in which rotary cutters leverage computerized controls to remove materials from the workpiece and progressively produce a finished product.

The cutting is done in different directions on multiple axes with adjustable cutter head speed and pressure. This allows the machines to accurately produce parts from scratch from numerous materials like metals, plastic, glass, and even wood.

Great! Now that you’re familiar with what CNC Milling is all about, let’s get to the main part.

Benefits of CNC Milling Machines

Here’s what makes CNC milling machines an all-around solution for any manufacturing requirement.

They Offer Laser-sharp Precision

The main area where CNC milling machines beat their traditional counterparts is in accuracy.

CNC mills utilize high-speed cutters that let them perform shallow cuts as well as reduce engagement times. This makes CNC mills ideal for productively cutting parts for small components.

CNC mills provide excellent geometric accuracy for molds and dyes with unparalleled surface texture finishes hard to achieve on manual machines. They also reduce the manual polishing time by a great deal.

Thanks to advanced computer technology, these machines easily eliminate human errors and produce flawless parts in less time.

If you’re having a manufacturing requirement that needs great attention to detail, CNC milling machines are an ideal option.

They’re Incredibly Versatile

Most often, businesses have to deal with the manufacturing of several materials at once. From plastics to metals and glass, it can be quite time consuming to produce such a wide range of parts on traditional milling lathes.

CNC milling machines help overcome this problem.

They are designed to work with different types of materials and allow part manufacturers to easily trim and shape different parts with ease without sacrificing productivity.

The versatility of CNC mills gives producers the ability to multitask and work on different parts at the same time.

They’re Best for Mass-Production

The production volume achieved by CNC mills under a short time can be INCREDIBLE.

Thanks to the technology behind CNC milling, the machines can rapidly produce and reproduce accurate parts with the same measurements and thickness.

While there is a high possibility of the output of traditional machines getting affected based on the operator’s work hours, CNC mills can practically work 24 hours a day non-stop.

As CNC machines don’t tire or require breaks, they serve as a great choice for mass-producing parts more efficiently.

So if you are short on time and need several parts manufactured in bulk, CNC milling machines can outrun any manual machine in terms of speed and deliver precision parts in voluminous quantities.

They Come With Advanced Features

Compared to traditional milling machines, CNC milling machines are loaded with top-notch features like an integrated touchscreen, dedicated software controls, and Automatic Tool Changers (ATCs).

This gives CNC milling shops more control to carry out different milling operations and create simple as well as custom parts as per your needs.

Being fully automated and run by computer instructions these machines don’t require special manpower to operate.

CNC milling machines are also capable of smartly automating tasks that help them make optimum use of materials and avoid scrap wastage.

They Eliminate the Need for Inspection

Since manual machines rely on operators to manufacture parts, they increase the dependency on inspection checks for quality. This slows down the process and lengthens the delivery time.

This doesn’t necessarily happen with CNC milling lathes.

CNC mills let you produce superior quality components in one go without having to separately inspect each part for quality.

By simply inspecting the first component produced, milling operators replicate the exact same part for mass production, resulting in a whole batch of quality parts.

Thus, CNC milling machines can easily produce components under quick turnarounds and shorten the delivery time to a great extent.

Final Thoughts

As you can see there are plenty of benefits of opting for CNC milling compared to traditional milling.

CNC milling machines not only provide value in terms of quality and precision but also help you save costs and amp up the delivery time of your parts.

Speaking of CNC milling, if you’re looking for a CNC machine shop that offers CNC milling services we’ll be more than happy to give you a hand.

We are a precision machine shop based in Houston, Texas that offers different types of CNC milling services.

We have an exotic metal experience and can help you machine parts with the right tolerance for any material from wood to glass, metals, and plastics.

Reach out to us and let us know your requirements so that we can help you better.

7 Benefits of a Precision Machine Shop for Your Business

Posted on February 27, 2020May 19, 2025 by ER Machining

Let’s face it.

No matter what industry you’re from, safe and accurate manufacturing is always a high priority. With the market becoming more competitive than ever due to the rising costs of materials or fluctuating economy, businesses find it hard to make profits.

But that’s not the case with precision machining.

A precision machine shop gives you the facility and services to produce high-quality manufacturing parts your customers can rely on in this competitive world.

If you’re still thinking whether partnering with a high precision machine shop is ideal for your business or not, read along.

Here are 5 ways precision CNC machining services can value to your business:

Manufacture Error-free Accurate Parts

Compared to other manufacturing techniques, precision machining utilizes high-speed lathes that provide consistent accuracy for your parts.

Precision machine shops use equipment that intakes CAD-based blueprints to interpret design instructions and then perform the operation. This lets them perform machining tasks with high accuracy and with varied multi-axis positioning.

Most importantly, CNC machines let you repeat the same operation for more accuracy of your part in a consistent and timely manner.

As these machines are specially engineered, they beat any human when it comes to speed, accuracy, and reliability.

In this way, precision CNC machines shops give you error-free machined parts in less time without sacrificing quality.

Prevents Scrap Wastage

Plenty of times manual machining results in excessive scrap wastage. As materials come at a cost, this impacts profitability.

Add that with labor costs for inspecting and sorting which doubles your expenses.

Precision machine shops, on the other hand, have access to CNC technology that optimally manufactures parts with little-to-no wastage.

Thanks to the robust capabilities of CAD/CAM software, CNC machine shops can perfectly visualize the design and identity optimum processes prior to turning or drilling the material.

This lets you reduce internal scrap wastage to a great extent.

Help You Save Cost

The greatest benefit of partnering with a precision machine shop is it helps you save plenty of costs.

Thanks to the comprehensive nature of CNC machining, parts can be produced with minimal wastage, minimum labor, and almost zero error possibilities.

What’s more, as most precision machine shops have their own material inventories, they can also help you save the money spent on raw material and supply chain management.

Thus compared to doing it in-house, CNC machine shops can save costs both in terms of materials and employee wages as well as bring better ROI in the long run.

Have Immense Professional Expertise

Being a dedicated place for precision manufacturing, CNC machine shops have a workforce of skilled machinists, engineers, and designers who are highly trained in the craft of machining.

Together they bring years of technical expertise which help them understand your requirements and manufacture parts quickly yet professionally.

They are also highly skilled in working with specialized tools that cannot be easily operated by a novice.

Such machining experts also assist you during each phase of your manufacturing journey so get a better picture of the process.

Access to Emergency Machining Services

In certain scenarios, businesses are faced with emergency situations in which manufacturing demands have to be met under tight deadlines.

For such cases, precision machine shops offer dedicated emergency machining services to help businesses during a breakdown.

With the expertise of professional machinists available at any given time, businesses can save themselves from having to deal with emergency manufacturing situations.

Machine a Wide Range of Materials

While many businesses turn to 3D Printing or other techniques for manufacturing, they offer quite limited options when it comes to materials.

3D Printers, while offering different material filaments, still fall short when it comes to a certain set of metals used in specialized industries.

Precision machines can work with any type of materials from metals like titanium, alloy, aluminum to plastic, wood, foam, and more to create accurate parts.

This gives you an edge when manufacturing your parts. By outsourcing your needs to a precision machine shop, you can machine almost any material to a particular shape and in the right quantity.

Deliver Parts in Quick Turnaround Time

When it comes to the present-day modern industry, time is money.

In short, you simply cannot compete in the market if you are not able to produce and deliver parts in a timely manner.

This is where precision machine shops come in handy.

Their highly-efficient machines take care of everything from start to finish and deliver parts in short turnaround times.

By adequately utilizing the needed resources, CNC machine shops improve throughput with continual operations without breaks. This significantly enhances the delivery time for your parts while keeping the overall production costs low.

Thanks to this CNC machine shops also offer competitive pricing for your parts.

Final Thoughts

As you may have guessed by now, there are plenty of ways precision machine shops can help you manufacture your part.

By partnering with a CNC machine shop you can accurately manufacture any type of part with tight tolerances and also save yourself the hassle of unnecessary costs and meeting deadlines.

Are you on the lookout for one yourself? If yes, you don’t have to look elsewhere.

We are a precision machine shop ourselves based in Houston, Texas who offer a wide variety of CNC machining services in the realm of manufacturing, custom machining, and metal fabrication.

Let us know your machining requirements, and we’ll take it from there.

When to hire Emergency CNC Machining Services

Posted on November 18, 2019May 19, 2025 by ER Machining

Imagine this, you’re working on the manufacturing batch of your flagship product right before the peak season. You have planned every strategy to market this product during the high demand season and bring huge profits to your company. However, due to technical failures or human error, your manufacturing plant halt for an uncertain period.

Nowadays, manufacturing firms have to function 24/7 to gain a competitive advantage against competitors in the industry. Any delay in a supply of the product in the market allows your rivals to take over your customers. And the worst part is, the emerging businesses hamper the most with manufacturing errors and unpredicted halts.

This is where emergency CNC machining services shine. These are the CNC machine shops that work as a backup manufacturing hub for multiple industries. Companies usually prefer to provide non-crucial manufacturing tasks like designing joints, fixtures, and other parts that are used to create a finalized product.

Do you think you won’t need any services like this? Think again. Other than providing emergency manufacturing backup, these custom machine shops provide additional services that are quite beneficial for your manufacturing business.

With that being said, here are some key reasons why you must opt for an emergency CNC machining services for your business.

Without further ado, let’s get right into it.

1: Well-Equipped for Emergency Manufacturing

Emergency CNC machine shops are well-equipped with a plethora of high-tech CNC equipment that can handle a variety of essential manufacturing tasks. From milling, lathe, laser cutting, to powder coating, these workshops can take care of every manufacturing activity.

Additionally, these custom machines shops are operated by experts with hands-on experience in conducting day-to-day manufacturing activities for multiple products.

These experts understand your product manufacturing needs and customize the manufacturing process to suit your business.

Emergency machining services reduce the time between manufacturing and product launch to give you a significant first-mover advantage. Especially if you’re new to the manufacturing business, you must opt for emergency CNC machining services to avoid initial mistakes in product designing and manufacturing.

Bottom line: CNC machining services can be your contingency plan for machine breakdown, technical errors, and maintenance.

2: Local Manufacturing Support

Here’s a pro tip, if you’re looking for an emergency CNC machine shop, select the one nearest to your location. Even though the precision CNC machine company from your neighboring city provides a competitive price compared to the local one, it might cost you more in the logistics and increases the risk of product damage during shipment.

Having local manufacturing support boosts your manufacturing efficiency by taking care of the emergency manufacturing requirements and works as a standby buffer for future product development. Besides manufacturing, these local CNC machining services also provide additional features like prototyping, design customization, quality control, etc.

All you have to do is state your requirements of manufacturing, the essential raw materials, and the estimated timeline to get the top-notch manufacturing support for production efficiency.

3: Carries out Non-Crucial Manufacturing Tasks

As I’ve mentioned before, local CNC machine shops can reduce the burden from your core manufacturing plant by carrying out non-crucial manufacturing activities. As you conduct crucial business activities like optimizing the production, pricing, and marketing strategy, the external machining shops will keep the manufacturing process running to deliver finished products on time.

Not only that, but third party CNC turning services can also manufacture essential parts by processing metals, laser cutting, powder coating, milling, lathe, turning, etc. these smaller parts can be used in the final product.

In short, you can manufacture the core product in your manufacturing plant while an emergency machine shop will create the essential spare parts for your product’s functionality.

Don’t want to do manufacturing on your own? Don’t worry. Some Precision CNC machining companies also provide turnkey manufacturing services. You can delegate complete manufacturing tasks to these machine shops so that you can focus on your core competencies.

4: Valuable Manufacturing Insights

As CNC manufacturing companies work with multiple manufacturing projects, they have some of the most practical insights about the current market environment. Hiring a third-party CNC manufacturing support will also give you some essential information on the current market trends for your product niche, which comes especially handy for young entrepreneurs.

From the latest design trends that appeal to the customers, to using the raw materials that can optimize the production efficiency and reduce the overall manufacturing cost. You can learn some key ingredients for successful production in your niche.

You can also check the practicality of your new product idea and select the right prototyping approach before starting the actual manufacturing process. Your local CNC machining support can also be your source of valuable production insights.

5: Third-Party Quality Control

Last but not least, emergency CNC machining services providers ensure that the product they’re delivering is up to the best industrial standards. You practically get a third party quality control for your product.

Precisions CNC machining companies work closely with you as a strategic manufacturing partner. They carry out most of the manufacturing activities and responsible for the quality of the finished products.

Whether you are looking for an emergency machining solution or a long term manufacturing partners, hiring a third party manufacturing support ensures that your customers will get the best quality product every single time.

Final Thoughts

To sum it all up, it is important in the manufacturing industry to have a reliable backup plan in case of unpredictable uncertainties. Custom machine shops are the ideal partner for every product based firm to boost manufacturing efficiency.

Speaking of which, we are the local precision CNC machining company from Houston, Texas and well equipped with the latest equipment to face any manufacturing and prototyping challenges.

Just send us your CNC machining requirements and we’ll get back to you in no time.

5 CNC Machining Services Trends in 2020

Posted on October 16, 2019October 18, 2020 by ER Machining

CNC machining services industry is going to hit a new benchmark at the end of the decade. Experts predict that machining services will surpass $5 billion mark by 2020.

Now that we’re just two months away from a brand new decade, CNC machine shops are getting more and more sophisticated and competitive to gain any market advantage possible. With numerous technologies getting updated every year, 2020 will bring some big game-changers in the manufacturing industry that will become a norm in upcoming years.

From updated technologies to a skilled workforce, every single aspect will be crucial for every manufacturing firm.

With that being said, here are the 5 biggest CNC machining service trends in 2020

Without further ado, let’s get right into it.

1: Updated Software

Before CNC manufacturing, manufacturing was done exclusively my manual machinery operated and supervised a person at all times. Not only it led to fewer products getting manufactured but it also caused significant errors in final products.

Incorporating computers into manufacturing increased the speed and accuracy of manufacturing equipment by thousandfolds. All you have to do is insert the basic commands into the software and it will process the raw material through the machinery with utmost perfection.

Today, all custom machining services have CNC as their core element. From milling, lathe, precision cutting, and turning, every manufacturing activity is done through CNC machining to maximize the economy of scale.

In the upcoming years, IoT, cloud computing, and virtual reality will play a significant role in CNC manufacturing. All the topmost CNC machine shops are making the most out of widespread internet to keep the manufacturing process running 24/7. With IoT, CNC machines can be operated remotely without first-hand human interaction, significantly reducing the risk of workplace hazards.

Virtual and augmented reality will make manufacturing even more immersive. Machining services providers can customize the tiniest detail in product design to maximize its usability.

Other crucial software updates include a touch screen mechanism and virtual simulations under a controlled environment.

2: Skilled Personnel are more important than ever

The advancements in technology have reduced the number of personnel required to do one job. There is a huge panic that technology is taking away our job.

However, it’s quite far from the actual reality. Indeed, machines have significantly reduced employment in the manufacturing itself, there is a significant demand for tech-savvy personnel that can keep up with the latest trends in custom machining and streamlines the manufacturing process.

A skilled and proactive manufacturing expert is the biggest asset to any manufacturing company, and they will become a crucial factor in the company’s growth in 2020. To become a market leader, product companies need to keep themselves updated with the latest manufacturing technology and a person who can use them effectively.

Another crucial job of a manufacturing expert is to use the given resources and technology to maximize production and reducing waste. The machines used in CNC turning services can process raw material with perfection. However, it is the job of a skilled person to give the right command and monitor the entire process for maximum efficiency.

Unless the time comes when machines can create a final product from scratch by themselves, we will always need a skilled human workforce to bring results. Also, other opportunities in manufacturing include research and development, maintenance, scaling up-down the process, raw materials optimization and a lot more.

3: 6-Axis CNC machining

The biggest technological revolution of 2020 might be the 6-axis CNC machining approach.

For starters, the multi-axle machining refers to the ability of a CNC machine to move in 4 or more directions to provide an improved finishing to the raw material. Multi-axle manufacturing uses a milling procedure to remove excess raw material and create one final product.

The biggest advantage of multi-axle equipment in a CNC machine shop is that it allows you to create a finalized product with accurate size shape, and dimensions, without the need to process the product through multiple custom machining equipment again and again.

Currently, the latest CNC machines provide 3 to 5 axis manufacturing support. Which means the machine can process the product in 3 dimensions (x, y, and z). 5 axis machines use a rotating spindle to work with an additional 2 axes.

In 2020, CNC machines are designed to handle up to 6-12 axes at once. Although the technology is still present, each axis is processed using individual levers rested on the cam plates.

The 6 axis manufacturing equipment is known to reduce production time by 75%. Also, it is ideal for high accuracy production of huge machine parts like aerospace and automobile parts which require high precision.

4: Smaller the Better

CNC machines are following the trends of every electronic device in the past decade and getting more and more compact every year. The relatively small size of CNC equipment allows CNC machine shops to keep multiple types of equipment that carry out a variety of functions.

For smaller businesses, having an in-house compact CNC machine can be a game-changer. Not only smaller companies can manufacture the product or packaging from their own company but they can also help them in quality-control.

Future CNC machining is said to be even more compact and ideal for smaller machine parts like nuts, bolts, and other fixtures. This custom machining equipment can also make attractive packages, artworks and other articles that can be a great alternative for a side income.

For big industries, smaller CNC machines allow them to experiment with the product design with a variety of CNC equipment to maximize production. They also save the trouble of outsourcing small tools essential for their core products.

5: 3D Printing will be even more prominent

Finally, the biggest trend of CNC machining services is the increased use of 3D printing.

3D printing has transformed the manufacturing industry forever. It has simplified and accelerated the initial product designing phase by creating multiple scale models.

Putting your initial product idea into a scale modeling allows you to detect the initial design flaws and rectify them as soon as possible.

It’s a much better alternative than putting your product design into CNC machines with actual raw materials, which may lead to the wastage of precious raw material and huge operational costs.

Nowadays, 3D printers are available in a variety of industrial and domestic applications. Some 3D printers are used by hobbyists to create replicas of artworks, pop culture figurines, or a real building and infrastructures. Designing and selling 3D printed artifacts has become a common phenomenon in product design enthusiasts.

On the other hand, 3D printing is used in industries to create initial prototypes, scale models for presentations, or to create small joints and fixtures for a finalized product.

Also, 3D printing has a huge potential in industries like medical, educations, real-estate and SME’s. Simply put, if you belong to a product manufacturing or machining service industry, 3D printing will be the most crucial factor of your business in 2020.

Final Thoughts

There we have it, 5 CNC machining trends that’ll be a gamechanger in 2020. If you follow these trends, you’re practically streamlining your manufacturing process for the upcoming decade.

Speaking of which, if you’re looking for a local CNC machining services in Houston, Texas, we’ll be happy to help you.