CNC Milling
Star Rapid’s CNC milling services are optimized for product developers. When you require precise geometries on metal and plastic parts in any volume, for rapid prototypes or full production, we have all of the equipment and experience to offer a total manufacturing solution. Your CNC milling projects are complemented with our suite of in-house finishing services. These include painting, anodizing, plating, laser etching, bead blasting, and many more to complete your most sophisticated CNC milling projects.
Your CNC milling projects are complemented with our suite of in-house finishing services. These include painting, anodizing, plating, laser etching, bead blasting, and many more to complete your most sophisticated CNC milling projects.
What is CNC Milling?
CNC milling is one form of computer-controlled machining, where the workpiece is held rigid on the worktable while the cutting tool moves around it. The movement of the tool is guided by a 3D CAD file of the desired finished part. This is subtractive manufacturing, where raw material is selectively removed to reveal the final net shape.
What is CNC Milling Used For?
CNC milling is ideal for making angled shapes, slots and channels, chamfers, holes, curves and flat surfaces, among many other features. A CNC mill removes large amounts of material fast with high accuracy, while producing a good surface finish. Milling can be done on any rigid material, though we primarily work with metals and plastics. Of all the available CNC machining processes, milling is the most versatile.
Milling is used not only to make finished parts but also to build tooling for plastic injection molding and pressure die casting. Set-up time is minimal, so a CAD file can be translated into a finished part in a matter of hours. Because there is no need to make other specialty tools, you aren’t committed to a minimum order quantity so the process is very cost effective with little waste.
CNC Milling Materials
While potentially any solid, stable material can be CNC milled, we have a standard selection of raw materials. These include engineering plastics, aluminum, mild and stainless steels, titanium, magnesium, brass, copper, and many other alloys.
We also routinely fabricate CNC milled parts from rigid thermoplastic. The most common resins include ABS, PC, POM, HDPE and PEEK. Be sure to contact us if you have any special requirements.
Advantages of CNC Milling
There are many advantages to our CNC milling services. These include the ability to keep costs down while providing unmatched precision and quality without compromises, using best-in-class AutoCAD and Vericut software, and skilled operators working with a team of international managers and toolmakers.
✔️ Gühring cutting tools
✔️ International certifications
✔️ Positive material identification
✔️ Trusted by Fortune 500 companies
✔️ Advanced software
✔️ Rapid shipping
CNC Milling Design Considerations
Although CNC mills are highly versatile, there are still some limitations to what they can do. Product designers should be aware of these two important points when preparing your CAD files.
Limit the number of critical dimensions to as few as possible. By doing so, you can avoid the extra time and expense that comes from making too many specifications “critical” when in most cases they don’t need to be.
Remember that CNC mills can only machine a feature if it’s accessible to the cutting tool, or in the “line of sight” of the spindle. That means you can’t machine any feature if it is hidden behind a wall or buried deep in an angle where the tool can’t reach.
CNC Tolerances
We follow the guidelines of ISO-2768-fine for most of our CNC milling and turning work. Learn more about those details here.
Learn more
CNC Milling Applications
Varies applications like tool making, prototypes, jigs and fixtures, production parts, and production tooling can we applied when working with Star Rapid.
Rapid Tooling
Fast material removal and close tolerances are easy to produce when making rapid tooling using multi-axis CNC mills.
Rapid Prototyping
CNC milling can make a single part quickly. This is perfect for full-strength prototypes with the fit and finish of production parts.
End-Use Production
CNC machined parts often don’t need any post-finishing so they can be put into service right away.
Request Your Free CNC Milling Service Quote Today
When you upload your CAD files for a free quotation, our customer service personnel will contact you to ensure you’ve received the information and everything is clear and complete. Upon your approval, we will also provide a complete design for manufacturing analysis to help you optimize your project for the best possible results. So don’t delay, contact us today!