Zinc, nickel and copper plated CNC parts during coating inspection

Electroplating: Process, Types, Metals, Benefits and Uses

Electroplating is a process that uses electricity to deposit a thin metal coating onto another material. It is commonly used on steel, stainless steel, copper, brass, and aluminum parts when the original material needs better corrosion resistance, wear protection, electrical performance, or appearance.

A steel bracket may be zinc plated to prevent rust. A machined …

Centerless grinding machine finishing the outside diameter of a steel shaft

Centerless Grinding: Process, Types, Tolerances & Uses

Centerless grinding is used to finish the outside diameter of round parts such as shafts, pins, rods, rollers, bushings, and valve components. It removes a small amount of material to improve diameter accuracy, roundness, straightness, and surface finish.

Unlike conventional cylindrical grinding, the workpiece is not clamped in a chuck or held between centers. It …

Surface grinding a hardened tool steel part

Surface Grinding: Process, Tolerances, Finish & Uses

Surface grinding is a precision machining process used to produce flat surfaces, control part thickness, and improve flatness, parallelism, and surface finish. A rotating abrasive wheel removes small amounts of material while the workpiece moves beneath it on a reciprocating or rotary table.

The process is commonly used after CNC milling or heat treatment when …

Wire EDM machining a precision internal profile in hardened tool steel

Electrical Discharge Machining: Process, Types & Uses

Electrical discharge machining (EDM) is a non-contact manufacturing process that removes material from an electrically conductive workpiece through a series of controlled electrical discharges. Instead of using a cutting edge, an electrical discharge machine creates sparks across a small gap between the electrode and the workpiece. Each discharge removes a microscopic amount of material.

EDM …

Manual deburring of a CNC machined aluminum part

Deburring: Definition, Methods, Tools, and CNC Applications

A CNC machined part can meet every dimensional tolerance and still fail during assembly. A small burr around a drilled hole may stop two surfaces from seating correctly. A loose burr inside a hydraulic manifold can break away and block a valve. On parts handled by operators, an untreated edge can also become a safety …

Common metal and plastic materials for CNC machining

CNC Machining Materials: Metals, Plastics, and How to Choose

For many CNC machining projects, the material choice can be narrowed down to a small group of common metals and engineering plastics. Aluminum 6061, aluminum 7075, stainless steel 304 or 316, carbon and alloy steel, brass, POM, nylon, ABS, and polycarbonate cover many prototype and production requirements.

The difficult part is not knowing which materials …

Rectangular CNC machined aluminum manifold with multiple threaded ports in a machine workshop

CNC Machined Manifolds: Types, Materials, and Cost

CNC machined manifolds combine internal passages, threaded ports, valve locations, and mounting features in a single block. They are used to distribute or control hydraulic oil, compressed air, water, coolant, gas, and vacuum within industrial equipment.

A custom manifold can replace several separate hoses, fittings, and connection points, helping the system fit into a smaller …

CNC machined robot joint, motor, and arm components on an industrial worktable

CNC Robotics Parts: Custom Machining, Materials, and Prototyping

Robotics is becoming a larger part of industrial automation, logistics, inspection, warehouse systems, and product development. According to the International Federation of Robotics, 542,000 industrial robots were installed worldwide in 2024, more than twice the number installed ten years earlier. Annual installations have also remained above 500,000 units for four consecutive years.

As robotics expands …

Custom CNC machined aluminum and anodized brackets on an industrial workbench

Custom CNC Machined Brackets: Types, Materials, and Cost

Custom CNC machined brackets are used when standard L brackets, U brackets, or catalog mounting hardware cannot match the required mounting position, hole pattern, thickness, clearance, load, or assembly layout. They are commonly made for motors, sensors, cameras, electronic enclosures, fixtures, machine modules, industrial equipment, and custom products.

A bracket may look simple, but it …

Custom small CNC machined metal parts

Small Parts CNC Machining: Materials, Processes, Tolerances, and Costs

Small parts CNC machining is used to produce compact metal or plastic components such as pins, shafts, bushings, sleeves, threaded parts, connectors, sensor housings, small brackets, and precision spacers. These parts may be physically small, but they often have demanding requirements for hole position, thread quality, burr control, surface finish, and repeatability.

Small CNC machined …

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