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Protolabs Network

CNC Materials

Surface Finishes

Threading

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When a particular battery required CNC machined parts with tighter than average tolerances–a familiar challenge in aviation engineering – Protolabs introduced Airbus to its global network. Thanks to its partnerships with highly skilled manufacturers around the world with extensive capabilities, Protolabs Network rose to the challenge of producing these parts.

How to Work With Us

Consultation with a Technical Expert

Our in-house technical experts are waiting to support you with a whole host of requirements such as:

Technical consultation for your project
Design tips
Our quoting platform and its design analysis software

Book a free consultation today, to discuss your part.

Book a Meeting

Features	Rapid Machining	Advanced Machining	Production Capabilities
Lead Time	1-4 Days	5-10 Days	From 11 Days
Recommended quantity (units)	Up to 10	10-50	50-1000+
Tolerances down to (mm)	+/- 0.1	+/- 0.05	Custom
Max dimensions (mm) & Materials	254 x 178 x 95 Material List	300 x 300 x 150 Material List	2000 x 1500 x 200 Material List
Thin walls down to (mm)	0.5	0.5	0.5
Min radii (mm)	0.79	2	2
Sharp Corners	n/a	EDM	EDM
Upload Your Part	Protolabs	Protolabs Network

Finishes	Rapid Machining	Advanced Machining	Production Capabilities
As machined (Ra 3.2μm)	V	V	V
Smooth machining (Ra 1.6μm)		V	V
Polishing (Ra 0.8μm)		V	V
Bead blasting	V	V	V
Brushed			V
Custom			V
Upload Your Part	Protolabs	Protolabs Network

Surface Finish Guide

Coatings	Rapid Machining	Advanced Machining	Production Capabilities
Anodising	+ 5 days	+ 3 days	V
Chromate	+ 5 days	+3 days	V
Powder Coating			V
ENP			V
Masking		V	V
Upload Your Part	Protolabs	Protolabs Network

Holes	Rapid Machining	Advanced Machining	Production Capabilities
Min [mm]	Ø 0.5	Ø 0.5	Ø 1
Max depth [mm]	50 on each side	200	Through
Holes / Shaft fits		V	V
Upload Your Part	Protolabs	Protolabs Network

Threading	Rapid Machining	Advanced Machining	Production Capabilities
Metric	from M1.6 to M20	from M1.6 to M36	from M1.6 to M36
UNC	from #2-56 to 3/4-10	from #1-64 to 1 1/2"-6	from #1-64 to 1 1/2"-12
UNF	from #2-64 to 3/4-16	from #0-80 to 1 1/2"-12	from #0-80 to 1 1/2"-12
Custom			V
Coil insert added	Upon Request	V	V
Upload Your Part	Protolabs	Protolabs Network

Threading Guidelines

Part Marking	Rapid Machining	Advanced Machining	Production Capabilities
Laser Engraving	+ 5 days	V	V
Pad Printing	+ 5 days	V	V
Upload Your Part	Protolabs	Protolabs Network

Quality Certification & Documentation	Rapid Machining	Advanced Machining	Production Capabilities
REACH & ROHS	V	V	V
Dimensional Inspection Report (DIR)	V	V	V
FAI	V	V	V
PPAP	V	V	V
CoC	V	V	V
Material Datasheets	V	V	V
Upload Your Part	Protolabs	Protolabs Network

Features

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Finishes

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Coatings

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Holes

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Threading

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Part Marking

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Quality Certification & Documentation

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 Please contact us for any project that requires:

Additional features not covered in this table
Controlled goods, such as subject to dual use & military trade compliance. Please read and acknowledge our code of conduct and trade compliance policy.

Aluminium 6082 Golf Ball

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Surface Finish: As Machined

Aluminium 6082 - CNC Machined Protolabs Hexagon

Aluminium 6082 - Hexagon

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Surface Finish: As Machined

Aluminium 6082 - Mini CNC Machine

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Surface Finish: Bead Blasted

Aluminium 6082 - CNC Machined Geometric Composition

Aluminium 6082 - Ball in Cube

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Surface Finish: Bead Blasted

Tips for Designing your Machined Part

Tolerances
Holes
Threading
Text
Walls and Features
Radii

Tolerances represent dimensional accuracy of a part. It is the amount of acceptable variance in the dimension of a part. Typically, Protolabs will maintain a general machining tolerance of ±0.1 mm or better, however, our network partner can attain down to ±0.010 mm. The best thing about a standardised general tolerance of ±0.1 mm.. you don’t need to produce a 2D drawing, we can start manufacturing as soon as you have the 3D model.

Holes

In general, at Protolabs, most holes are interpolated with an end mill rather than drilled. Apart from allowing for greater flexibility in hole sizes but also offers better surface finishes than drilled holes. The same tool is also used for slots and pockets, which means a reduction in cycle time and part cost. The principle trade-off is that holes more than 6 diameters deep become challenging as they normally need specific drills, which may mean the part needs to be machined from both sides.

We take a more modern approach to thread making, rather than the traditional "taps" used to manually create a thread. We use a single point thread mill to helically cut the thread profile, this CNC process produces an accurate thread and one tool can be used to cut multiple threads that share the same pitch (number of threads per inch). UNC and UNF threads from #2 up to 1/2 inch M2 to M12 (metric) are possible within a single tool set. The full list is available on our threading page.

Learn More

Protolabs is capable of machining text, as long as space between characters and the stroke used to write is at least 0.5 mm
It is worth noting text should be:

recessed not raised, 0.2 to 0.5 mm deep is normally sufficient, because it is quicker to remove material.
fonts with radii, this includes arial, verdana, sans-serif or similar, because this suits circular tools.
20 point or larger, to ensure the text widths are greater than 0.5 mm.

Protolabs tool sets contain materials such as tungsten carbide, a super rigid material that offers maximum tool life and productivity with minimal deflection. But even the strongest tools deflect, as do metals and plastics that are machined.
Minimum feature thickness in the Protolabs factory is 0.5 to 1 mm and maximum single cut depth is 50 mm high and 1 mm wide, has a slenderness ratio of 50:1 - this can work in some materials, but 20:1 is a good general rule.*

As a part of the CNC machining process, sharp corners on a part will be radiused (rounded). This will be identified before the part is milled. In softer materials, tools are flat bottomed so only the tool diameter needs to be considered. In Harder metals it is typical for tools to have a tip radius too – this will leave a small radius in the bottom of pockets. **

Tolerances

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Holes

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Threading

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Text

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Walls and Features

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Radii

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Customer Success Stories for CNC Machining

Customers who have achieved success using Protolabs for CNC Machining.

Airbus

Space Inventor required a reliable partner capable of delivering rapid prototyping services to meet strict project deadlines. Given the complex nature of satellite components and the diverse material requirements, Space Inventor needed a partner with expertise in machining high-quality parts in aluminium, PEEK, and POM.

Space Inventor

Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation recently announced the next-generation model release of its augmented reality (AR) Moverio smart glasses. Protolabs’ rapid CNC machining provided quick-turn prototyping services that helped Epson enhance the comfort of these lightweight, high-resolution glasses.

Epson

To design and prototype the box that houses the electronics of the InduEye device. This wireless sensor is self-powered by residual heat, so the housing has to meet specific geometries, protect the electronics and also conduct the heat to act as a thermoelectric power source.

AEInnova

Nicolas Edel is a Pre-Development Engineer at Mahle, one of the largest automotive suppliers in the world. He is currently overseeing the development of a new generation of high-voltage heaters that are compatible with the 800-volt architecture in fast-charging electric vehicles.

Mahle

Mectronik wanted to build a mount for a racing motorbike’s engine electronic control unit that would be both robust and capable of dampening excessive vibrations. And they needed to do all of this in less than two months.

Mectronik

Canute Rail worked with Protolabs to design and CNC machine a high precision part for critical track inspection work.

Canute Rail

Cyril Clappaz, Design Manager at Ieva, used Protolabs' 3D printing, CNC machining and injection-moulding services to develop and industrialise the various models in the Twin-C collection.

IEVA

As part of the design team at TRW Automotive's Body Control Systems group, Rick Bowes needed to design and test 10+ component parts to make up a new clock spring assembly.

TRW Automotive

Lourd’innov needed working prototypes of their latest piece of medical equipment, and they needed them fast.

Lourd'innov

In 2015, Rotork Gears - part of Rotork plc, a leading actuator manufacturer, was commissioned with identifying and designing how to reduce valve leaks.

Rotork

Sega decided to push gaming boundaries and bring the game’s most recognisable combat weapon, the Power Fist (armoured gauntlet), to life.

LUMA-ID

My race date was getting closer, and I knew Protolabs was one of very few places where I could get such a small quantity of machined parts turned round very quickly. I didn’t want 3D printing for this – I was looking for the superior finish that’s possible with machining.

David Spanton

Every year, teams of engineering undergraduates enter the Formula Student challenge – to design and build a single-seat racing car, and put it to the test at Silverstone, the UK’s most famous motor racing circuit. This year, the Sheffield Formula Racing team from the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Sheffield is sharpening its competitive edge, by working with Protolabs.

Sheffield Formula Racing

When Danish company SBT Aqua needed to prepare its groundbreaking water-analysis technology for production, it turned to Protolabs in the UK. Using all three of the company’s services – 3D printing, CNC machining and injection moulding – the Scandinavian entrepreneurs were able to develop and test their revolutionary design quickly yet thoroughly.

SBT Aqua

Weinor GmbH & Co. KG is one of Germany’s most reputable manufacturers of awnings, patios and conservatories and is best known for being uncompromising when it comes to innovation, quality and aesthetics. Recently, the company used the CNC machining services from Protolabs® to develop parts for its new Zenara series of awnings.

Weinor GmbH & Co. KG

CNC machining, where precision meets innovation. In this blog we'll explore the macroscopic number of technical terms that shape the landscape of CNC machining, and dismantle them - to gain a true understanding of their meaning.

CNC Machined Drone Propeller Blades made from Recycled Plastic

CNC Machining Blogs

An A-Z Guide to CNC Machining Technology

Discover why engineers are selecting 5-axis indexed milling for their parts. This blog looks at the advantages of 5-axis indexed milling.

Why Engineers Choose 5-Axis Indexed Milling for Product Innovation

Slide bearings are a critical component in many engineering applications, they provide a smooth, low-friction surface that allows parts to move back and forth multiple times, with a long service life. This blog covers materials to consider for slide bearings.

CNC Machining for Slide Bearings

Aluminium is a common and popular metal that’s found everywhere and used in a stunningly wide range of parts and products: automotive parts, aerospace components, boat and marine gear, consumer electronics including smart phones, industrial machinery parts, HVAC systems, the list goes on. In this blog we look at why aluminium is so commonly used, why there are so many aluminium alloys, and take a brief glimpse at the main alloys we use at Protolabs.

direct metal laser sintered metal braket for automotive use

Aluminium Alloys: Go-to Materials for Automotive, Aerospace, and More

While CNC Milling has been around for more than 50 years, the technology is moving on and recent advances see automation of the entire process, from design right through to finished part. Such advances make it a technology that is readily available to all, for high or low volume quantities, prototyping to final parts and with lead times of as short as a day.

Understanding and Improving Modern CNC Milling

Understanding CNC manufacturing costs