Metal CNC machining
A wide range of metals for CNC machining, with applications in multiple industries. Ideal for both one-off prototypes and end-use custom parts.
Get an instant CNC machining quote All uploads are secure and confidential$ $ $ $ $
| Name | Price | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High machinability and ductility, good strength-to-weight ratio. |
$ $ $ $ $ |
Browse Aluminum materials | Get instant quote | |
| High tensile strength, corrosion and temperature resistant. |
$ $ $ $ $ |
Browse Stainless steel materials | Get instant quote | |
| High machinability and weldability, high stiffness. |
$ $ $ $ $ |
Browse Mild steel materials | Get instant quote | |
| Low friction, excellent electrical conductivity, golden appearance. |
$ $ $ $ $ |
Browse Brass materials | Get instant quote | |
| Excellent thermal and electrical conductivity |
$ $ $ $ $ |
Browse Copper materials | Get instant quote | |
| High strength and toughness, fatigue resistant. |
$ $ $ $ $ |
Browse Alloy steel materials | Get instant quote | |
| High hardness and stiffness, abrasion resistant. |
$ $ $ $ $ |
Browse Tool steel materials | Get instant quote | |
| Excellent strength to weight ratio, used in aerospace, automotive and medical industries. |
$ $ $ $ $ |
Browse Titanium materials | Get instant quote | |
| High-strength and corrosion-resistant nickel alloy. |
$ $ $ $ $ |
Browse Inconel materials | Get instant quote | |
| Nickel alloy with a very low coefficient of thermal expansion. |
$ $ $ $ $ |
Browse Invar 36 materials | Get instant quote |
Metal CNC services
Protolabs Network offers a state-of-the-art CNC metal cutting service, guaranteeing consistent quality and fast turnaround times. With over 1,600 metal milling and metal turning machines at our disposal via our supplier network, we can provide consistent capacity and competitive pricing. Our network of manufacturers allows us to fulfill low volume orders of CNC metal parts and handle more complex CNC machining jobs, like CNC turning. With Protolabs Network, you can produce complex prototypes and high volume production runs in a wide variety of metals and surface finish options. Work with us to access our vast CNC metal machining supply chain today.
Metal machining
Metal machining is the process of cutting down a raw piece of metal to create a desired shape or object. This process is done most accurately with a CNC (Computerized Numerical Control) machine, which can produce almost any three dimensional object designed via CAD (Computer Aided Design) software. Our network of machinists mainly uses 3- and 5- axis CNC machines for producing any metal parts that pass our online DFM checks. State-of-the-art metal CNC machines, like the ones we use, are able to cut complicated features on parts with great accuracy, while maintaining tight tolerances.
Metal milling
CNC metal milling machines remove portions of metal from a raw block or sheet of metal with a precision cutting tool mounted to a spindle rotating at high speeds. The cutting tool can be interchanged for ones of different sizes depending on the thickness of material or the complexity of the design. The raw metal is secured to a work table that can rotate to allow the tool to reach many different angles. Using milling machines for your CNC metal fabrication purposes is the best option for complex designs manufactured from single blocks of metal.
CNC metal fabrication
This process of CNC metal fabrication works excellently for shapes that can be machined from a single piece of metal, a bit like carving out a surfboard from wood except with metal, drills and computers.
Frequently asked questions
How much does metal CNC machining cost?
The cost of metal CNC machining depends on the complexity and size of the part and the type of metal that is used. These variables will affect the type of machine that is required, the time it takes to produce the part, and the cost of the raw material.
We use machine learning algorithms to calculate the exact cost of any machinable part directly from a CAD file, based on millions of CNC machining orders we’ve previously processed. Simply upload a CAD file to generate a quote: get an instant CNC machining quote.
What is metal machining?
Metal machining is a manufacturing process that involves cutting a piece of raw metal until a final desired shape or object remains. With CNC metal machining, unwanted geometry is cut from a raw block of metal, bit by bit with a computer numerically controlled (CNC) milling or turning cutting tool, very precisely and allows complex parts to be produced with great accuracy.
What can you make with a metal CNC machine?
With a CNC machine, you can create almost any component that can be represented with a 3D CAD file. The more complex the machine (eg: 5-axis CNC milling machines) the more complex the geometry that can be milled.
Can you provide vapor polishing on CNC plastics?
Yes, we can provide Vapor polishing through manual requests for polycarbonate and manual polish for acrylic.