A part can meet an Ra limit and still leak across a scratch, drag against a mating surface or fail a cosmetic review. CNC surface finish needs more than a smaller roughness number. The specification must identify the surface, the function, the measurement conditions and the stage at which acceptance applies. Updated October 3, 2026

By 6CProto Engineering Team · Updated August 15, 2026 Brass and bronze are both copper alloys, but they serve different machining jobs. Brass, a copper-zinc alloy, machines beautifully, resists corrosion in many environments, and suits fittings, valves, connectors, and decorative parts. Bronze, typically copper with tin or aluminum, offers higher strength, wear resistance, and bearing

By 6CProto Engineering Team · Updated August 15, 2026 Aerospace CNC machining produces precision parts for aircraft, space, and defense programs, where material traceability, inspection documentation, and process control matter as much as geometry. Typical parts include brackets, housings, fittings, and structural components in aluminum, titanium, stainless, and nickel alloys. Buyers should plan for certified

CNC machining tolerances describe how far a machined dimension may deviate from the nominal value on the drawing. General tolerances such as ISO 2768 give a starting point, while critical features need explicit limits and an agreed inspection method. Typical machined parts hold ±0.01–0.05 mm on well-controlled critical features, but the achievable value depends on

Five-axis machining gets described as the answer to every complex part. It is a powerful process, but it is also a specific tool with a specific price structure. The question engineers and buyers should ask is not "is 5-axis better?" but "does this geometry justify 5-axis?" This article explains the difference between full simultaneous 5-axis

CNC turning and CNC milling both remove material with computer-controlled cutting, but they suit different geometries, and choosing wrong is expensive. Turning spins the workpiece against a stationary tool and produces cylindrical, rotationally symmetric parts. Milling holds the workpiece still and moves the tool to produce prismatic, boxy, and complex 3D shapes. Neither is universally

By 6CProto Engineering Team · Updated August 14, 2026 Urethane casting pours liquid polyurethane into a silicone mold to produce small batches of plastic parts with molded-like quality. CNC machining cuts plastic parts from solid stock with tight tolerances and no tooling. For runs of 1 to 100 parts, the choice depends on geometry, material,

By 6CProto Engineering Team · Updated August 14, 2026 Aluminum is lightweight, easy to machine, and low in cost, with good corrosion resistance and thermal conductivity. Stainless steel is stronger, harder, and more corrosion-resistant, but heavier, more expensive, and slower to machine. Choose aluminum for weight-sensitive, cost-sensitive, or thermally demanding parts, and stainless for strength,

By 6CProto Engineering Team · Updated August 14, 2026 CNC machining cuts parts from solid blocks, while sheet metal fabrication cuts, bends, and joins flat sheets. Machining suits thick, complex, or highly toleranced parts; sheet metal suits enclosures, brackets, and panels where light weight and low material cost matter. Many products use both: machined components

By 6CProto Engineering Team · Updated August 14, 2026 Extrusion pushes heated material through a die to create continuous profiles with a constant cross-section, while injection molding fills a closed mold to create discrete three-dimensional parts. If your part is a long profile, tube, or strip, extrusion fits; if it has complex geometry, molded features,