CNC machining offers cost-effective manufacturing for your part production and prototypes. It is amongst the most cost-effective and technologically advanced machining technologies for on-demand production. But calculating the project cost can be a stumbling block for you due to the involvement of various tricky factors.
These factors include labor cost, machine cost, complexity in design, materials, and many other requirements to be considered. If you do not know, how to accurately calculate CNC machining cost then do not worry. Just read till the end and you will be able to calculate the cost yourself.
In this article, we will discuss the factors that CNC machining workshops take into consideration before calculating CNC project costs. “How to reduce the cost” will be briefed about too along with some useful tips for optimizing your budgets.
Factors That Determine CNC Machining Cost
Before the introduction of how you can reduce CNC machining cost, some important factors must be taken into consideration. Some of the factors are discussed as follows that are being reckoned before estimating CNC machining cost.
- Part Features
Part features are also a key factor in CNC machining cost calculation. It includes the geometry and complexity in the design of the part. If your part has complex features, then your cost will increase. Because more will have to be spent on programming, machine setup and machine operating hours will be increased.
It is recommended that simplify your design before placing the order. Try to eliminate unnecessary and extra features. Also, try to split your design into multiple parts and then assemble them. Because in some cases, it is found to be more cost-effective.
2. Material
Material of the part is one of the most important factors and plays a huge role in calculating CNC machining cost accurately. Generally, a block of a particular material is passed through the CNC machining process. This block is being subtracted to manufacture the required part shape. Therefore, the decided material is bought in blocks and so, the prices are calculated per block of the material.
There are two types of CNC materials that are used frequently i.e., metals and plastics, and discussed below
1) Metals
The selection of a specific metal is largely based on its functionality and cost. The metals that are commonly used in CNC machining are Aluminum 6061, Brass C360, and Stainless Steel 304. All these metals have their own merits and demerits. Aluminum 6061 is generally preferred as raw material because it is economical and offers good machinability. While brass C360 and Stainless Steel 304 offer excellent machinability but expensive.
2) Plastics
There are many different types of plastics that machinists use. The selection of a specific plastic as material depends on the requirements, qualities, and properties of the part to be manufactured.
The most commonly used plastics in CNC machining are ABS, Nylon, PP, POM, PE, and PC. All these plastics have their benefits. Nylon is a general-purpose machining material and offers good elasticity, it’s washable and dyeable. ABS is preferred when good toughness and strength are required. POM is an engineering thermoplastic and its properties include low moisture sensitivity, good electrical conductivity, high strength, and toughness.
If you are interested in plastic part manufacturing then you can visit Advantages of Plastic CNC Machining: Your Ultimate Guide to Plastic CNC Machining
3. Machining Cost
To calculate the machining cost, one must estimate the type of the machine and the number of hours for which it will be running. Talking about the types of machines. Mainly, there are two types of CNC machines i.e., 3-axis machines and multi-axis (5-axis) machines.
In Europe, the estimated cost of 3-axis machines is $35-$40 per hour and the cost of multi-axis machines is around $75-$120 per hour. But you can get the same quality as Europe at much cheaper rates from us. We offer $10-$15 for 3-axis machines and $30 for 5-axis machines.
The price of the machine and the number of hours for which the machine is expected to be operating in a year (which is 5000 hours on average), also contribute to the machining cost calculations. To calculate the machining cost per hour, divide the machine’s price by the number of operating hours per year.
4. Labor Cost
Since most of the CNC machining process is automated and after the inclusion of artificial intelligence, it helps to reduce the labor cost very effectively. The only labor required is for design and digitalization. So, to calculate the labor cost, the following factors must be considered.
1)Programming
The CNC programming is a part that requires a substantial amount of budget to be spent on. Because it requires a design specialist to create the design of your part. Once the CAD file of your design is created then next involves the conversion of this file into a programming code called CAM code. This step needs a specialist programmer that will convert the CAD file into a computer-readable set of instruction for the CNC machine. All the above-mentioned steps will require a reasonable amount of budget to accomplish them.
2)Set-up
This step requires the labor to set the CNC machine up. Here, the technician will make sure that everything is well placed and fit to execute a successful CNC machining operation. If the number of parts is in bulk then the cost for machine set-up will be lower because the same set-up will be utilized for the whole batch manufacturing.
3)Quality Control
Every workshop has its quality procedures. Typically, a workshop must have a well-trained team of quality control officers that ensure the quality of the parts to be manufactured.
4)Post-processing
Once, CNC machining operation is completed then there will require some post-processing labor that also contributes to the cost such as cleaning, support removal, surface finishes, etc. All these require manual work to be performed.
5. Others
There might be some additional expenses during the CNC process to manufacture your parts, for example:
1)Special Tooling Cost
Some industries might require custom CNC parts that will need some special tool bits for their production. If your workshop does not have them then you might have to pay for them as well.
2)Surface Finish
Sometimes it becomes necessary to apply the surface finishes because of the unwanted introduction of the burrs during the process. If you are worried about the beauty of your product due to burring then see also Deburring: Smoothening Out Your Final Product to Achieve Maximum Machining Efficiency. Or sometimes, to introduce beauty in the final part, surface finishes are applied. No matter what is the reason for applying surface finishes, it will add up to the CNC machining cost.
How to Reduce CNC Machining Costs
The CNC machining cost can be reduced by utilizing the following steps. But keep in mind, do not go for too much cost reduction otherwise your product quality may suffer.
- Reconsider Material
Once you decide on a particular material and before finalizing the things just consider it again. Make sure that the selected material fulfills the requirements properly. Revisit the price and the wanted functionality of the material. If a cheaper material does the job, then go for it. Leave the expensive one.
You should also check the machinability of your chosen material. Because machinability of the material is directly proportional to the machining time and consequently, affects the per-hour rates.
2. Optimize Your Design
Before you send your design for quoting just make sure that if there is any room for making it simpler. Because complex designs cause the increment in the machining time. As a result of that, your cost will be increased. Therefore, before you send your design, just make sure that if it fulfills the following criteria
- Check whether your design complies with the machinability guidelines.
- Check if your design has any extra design features. Try to remove them without disturbing the actual design.
- Check if your design needs to be divided into further parts to reduce the complexity.
- Check if you can optimize your design that can help to eliminate the use of multiple machine setups or special tooling.
- Check if a cheaper material fulfills your part requirements.
If you still find it difficult to calculate the CNC machining costs. Don’t worry! You can contact us. We have a very distinguished team of engineers and technicians to help you to get the best prices according to your requirements and budget. Also we are amongst China’s top-rated CNC machining workshops and we follow the ISO9001/TS16949 standard.
