Low-volume CNC Machining for Production Parts
Reduce part costs with higher quantities of machined parts
Cost-efficient machined parts at any quantity.
Enhanced Machining Capabilities with Our Digital Network
Get anodizing, tighter tolerances, and volume pricing options through our network of manufacturing partners powered by Hubs. You'll find plating (black oxide, nickel), anodizing (Type II, Type III), and chromate coating at scale; tolerances down to ±0.001 in. (0.020mm); and cost-efficient machined parts at higher volume.
Try Digital Network at HubsWe’re not only the fastest manufacturing supplier of machined prototypes but also the most reliable source of on-demand production parts. Why is this important? You have a single-source supplier from concept validation to short-run production.
We offer more competitive pricing at higher quantities in addition to tighter tolerances, hardware assembly, first article inspection (FAI) reporting, material certifications, and additional finishing options like anodizing and chromate plating. It’s CNC machining designed around your project needs—whether prototyping or production.
Price Break
Starting at part quantity 15
Lead Time
Shipped in as fast as 5 days
Finishing Options
Anodizing and Chromate Plating
Quantity
15 to 1,000 or more parts
4 Reasons to Turn to Protolabs for Machined Production Parts
1. Reduced Piece-Part Price with Higher Quantities
Lower your part cost when you order higher volumes of production parts.
2. Inspection Reporting and Certifications
Get added quality assurance from conventional FAI reporting, CoC documentation, and AS9100 certification.
3. More Finishing Options
Choose from anodizing and chromate plating for complete parts from one supplier.
4. Supply Chain Flexibility
Avoid warehousing fees by ordering only the amount (starting at quantity 15) you need each month.
Production Materials for CNC Machining
| Materials | Max. Part Size |
|---|---|
| Aluminum 6061 | 7 in. x 15 in. x 3 in. / 15 in. x 18 in. x 1.75 in. |
| Aluminum 7075 | 7 in. x 15 in. x 3 in. / 15 in. x 18 in. x 1.75 in. |
| ABS | 7 in. x 15 in. x 1.75 in. |
| Steel 1018 | 7 in. x 15 in. x 1.75 in. |
| Steel 4140 | 7 in. x 15 in. x 1.75 in. |
| Stainless Steel 304L | 7 in. x 12. in. x 1.75 in. |
| Stainless Steel 316L | 7 in. x 12. in. x 1.75 in. |
| Stainless Steel 17-4 PH | 7 in. x 12. in. x 1.75 in. |
| Acetal (black, white) | 7 in. x 15 in. x 1.75 in. |
| Acetal Copolymer (black, natural) | 7 in. x 15 in. x 1.75 in. |
| PEEK (black, natural) | 7 in. x 15 in. x 1.75 in. |
| PEI (Ultem) | 7 in. x 15 in. x 1.75 in. |
Production Capabilities for CNC Machining
Tolerances
- Shop tolerance = +/- 0.005 in.
- Able to hold +/- 0.002 in. for reamed holes (print required)
- Up to +/- 0.002 in. feature location on the same side (print required)
Surface Roughness
- Flat and perpendicular surfaces = 63 µ in.
- Curved surfaces = 125 µ in.
Surface Finish Options
Multiple surface finishes are available for production machined parts.
Anodizing
This process is typically used on machined aluminum parts. Your anodizing options at Protolabs:
- Type II
- ROHS compliant
- Class 1 (Clear)
- Class 2 (Black)
Chromate Plating
Your chromate plating options at Protolabs:
- Type I, Non-ROHS (Yellow)
- Type II, ROHS (Clear)
- Class 1A: for maximum protection against corrosion, painted or unpainted
- Class 3: For maximum protection against corrosion where low electrical resistance is required
Hardware Assembly
- Dowel pins
- PEM inserts
- Helicoils
- Key inserts
Ink Stamping
- Black and white
Threading Options
| Standard Threads | Taper Pipe Threads | Metric Threads | Standard Helicoil Threads | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNC | UNF | NPT | MC | UNC STI | UNF STI |
| 1-64 | 0-80 | 1/16-27 | M1.6 x 0.35 | 2-56 | 2-64 |
| 2-56 | 1-72 | 1/8-27 | M2.0 x 0.40 | 3-48 | 3-56 |
| 3-48 | 2-64 | 1/4-18 | M2.5 x 0.45 | 4-40 | 4-48 |
| 4-40 | 3-56 | 3/8-18 | M3.0 x 0.50 | 5-40 | 5-44 |
| 5-40 | 4-48 | 1/2-14 | M3.5 x 0.60 | 6-32 | 6-40 |
| 6-32 | 5-44 | 3/4-14 | M4.0 x 0.70 | 8-32 | 8-36 |
| 8-32 | 6-40 | M4.5 x 0.75 | 10-24 | 10-32 | |
| 10-24 | 8-36 | M5.0 x 0.80 | 12-24 | 12-28 | |
| 12-24 | 10-32 | Special Threads | M6.0 x 1.0 | 1/4-20 | 1/4-28 |
| 1/4-20 | 12-28 | 3.035-40 SM3 | M7.0 x 1.0 | 5/16-18 | 6/16-24 |
| 5/16-18 | 1/4-28 | 2.035-40 SM2 | M.0 x 1.25 | 3/8-16 | 3/8-24 |
| 3/8-16 | 5/16-24 | 1.035-40 SM1 | M10 x 1.50 | 7/16-14 | 7/16-20 |
| 7/16-14 | 3/8-24 | M12 x 1.75 | 1/2-13 | 1/2-20 | |
| 1/2-13 | 7/16-20 | M14 x 2.0 | |||
| 1/2-20 | M16 x 2.0 | ||||
| M18 x 2.5 | |||||
| M20 x 2.5 | |||||
Quality Reporting
When all of your parts are machined at Protolabs you can be assured those parts are going to be produced in one of our AS9100- and ITAR-certified facilities and never outsourced to another machine shop. All parts are inspected for cosmetic conformance to workmanship standards and dimensional conformance on at least three dimensions (typically X, Y, and Z), but with production parts for machining, we also provide conventional inspection reporting like FAIs, Certificate of Compliance (CofC) documentation, and additional certifications like ISO 9001 and AS9100.
CERTIFICATIONS
