Machined Parts
Machined Parts. Machined parts are everywhere. From tiny metal fasteners used on the motherboard of your computer to aircraft engine components, Roberson Machine Company has manufactured all sorts of parts using our proven process of CNC machining.
Machined parts are more than simply objects built using our machinery. They are parts fabricated using our cutting machines, like our CNC mills and lathes. Machined parts can be metal, plastic, or even some other materials on occasion, but they must be made from a material that can be cut without drastically deforming. Machined parts come from a tried-and-tested manufacturing technique that we have used as an industry standard for decades. No matter your company’s industry, or in which component your machined parts are being utilized, they meet all industry-specific standards and certifications. We make sure of it.
Roberson Machine Company is a custom manufacturer of precision CNC machined parts. We make it easy to get the custom machined parts you need. Call us today at 573-646-3996 or contact us online.
What Materials Can Be Used For Machined Parts?
Machined parts can be made from many different materials, including metals and plastics. However, some materials are easier to machine than others. Extremely hard materials are difficult to penetrate with a cutting tool and may cause the tool to vibrate more, thus possibly reducing quality. Extremely soft materials and materials with a low melting point may deform upon contact with the cutting tool. Some of our most common machined part materials are listed below. As always, we’d be open to a conversation involving machining parts with other materials. Just give us a call at 573-646-3996 or connect with us online.
- Metals: Aluminum (6061, 7075, 7050 or “aa7050 alloy”), Stainless Steel (303, 304), Magnesium, Titanium, Zinc, Brass, Bronze, Copper
- Plastics: ABS, PC, PC-ABS, PP, PS, POM, PMMA, PAGF30, PCGF30, Teflon, DHPE, HDPE, PPS, PEEK
What Are the Applications of Machined Parts For My Company?
Machined parts are used in virtually all types of companies, throughout every industry – from medical devices to consumer goods. Some common machined parts used in a multitude of industries include:
- Fasteners
- Valve bodies
- Ball joints
- Gears
- Shafts
- Housings
- Brackets
- Rollers
If your company is planning a production run of machined parts, give Roberson Machine Company a call at 573-646-3996 or take advantage of our online quote tool.
What Are the Advantages of Machined Parts?
Machined parts from Roberson Machine Company offer certain benefits that may not be possible with injection molded parts or even 3D printed parts. Some of the key advantages include:
Quality
Machined parts can be made to a very high standard, based on your company’s specifications and tolerances. This means our CNC machinists can take extra time on tight-tolerance parts and individual features to ensure the finest quality.
Lead Times
Machined parts can be manufactured faster than parts made via other production processes like molding. This is partly due to the lack of labor-intensive tooling, being able to rely more on the CAD and CAM software our machinists input into the CNC machines. But the manufacturing process itself is also highly efficient – some of our CNC machines have rapid rates of up to 45 yards per minute, although we do not machine parts at those speeds. The one-step nature of machining and the speed of our CNC machines combine to make machined parts some of the fastest to fabricate, reducing lead times for shorter time-to-market and practical rapid prototyping.
Design Freedom
Machined parts can have a wide range of shapes and sizes. This is because CNC machines are not subject to the same constraints of molding, like thin walls and tapering. Machined parts can be thick and robust, yet their features can be fine and detailed. Although machined parts have some limitations when it comes to, for example, internal sections and deep channels, machining still represents the most geometrically flexible manufacturing process.
Alterations
Because CNC machined parts are made from digital CAD files, it is possible to make changes throughout the machining process, right up until the final moment. This is extremely useful during prototyping and our research and experimental development phases, when your team or our engineers might want to make fractional adjustments or refinements to the machined part or create multiple versions. It also reduces the possibility of waste, as defective parts are far less likely to come about.
Strength
Machined parts are cut from solid pieces of material known as blanks, which have typically been cast or extruded. This makes them foundationally strong compared to, for example, 3D printed parts, which can be much weaker along one axis where one layer is built atop the next.
Surface Finish
Machined parts avoid the surface quality issues associated with molding such as flow lines, jetting, and flash at the parting line. With a moderate amount of post-processing, which is accomplished in our value-added services, machined parts can be brought to an extremely high standard in terms of surface finish. Machining also gives a far superior surface finish to 3D printing, even before any secondary service has been carried out by our machinists. 3D printing can leave visible layer lines on the surface of the part which must be smoothed over via sanding or chemical treatment. Machined parts do not have these layer lines.
No Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ)
Machined parts are cut directly from a blank workpiece, making it cost-effective and possible to order extremely small quantities or even one-off parts. For molded parts, it is necessary to fabricate metal tooling – a process that takes a long time and can be expensive. But machining with Roberson Machine Company is unique in offering high-quality parts with no MOQ, making it suitable for smaller companies, small production runs, and prototyping.
Call us today to learn more about machined parts and our CNC capabilities at 573-646-3996 or connect with us online.
What CNC Machinery is Necessary to Make Machined Parts?
The Roberson Machine Company facility is fully stocked with high-end CNC machinery capable of manufacturing precisely machined parts in a fraction of the time compared to our competitors. Our full range of equipment includes:
- CNC Horizontal Mills
- CNC Vertical Mills
- CNC Horizontal Lathes
All mills use rotary cutting to remove materials from a workpiece, but our CNC mills combine the cutting process with advanced computer control to allow for rapid and accurate production. Our horizontal CNC mills quickly and accurately shape your component material to tight tolerances. Our CNC horizontal milling services revolve around state-of-the-art 3 axis, 4 axis, and 5 axis machines.
Vertical CNC mills feature spindles that are perpendicular to the ground, making them ideal for jobs requiring large production runs of moderately complex parts. Although horizontal mills are better for more intricate milling projects, vertical mills are capable of a wide variety of designs.
In contrast to mills, which rely on rotation of the cutting tool, lathes instead rotate the workpiece as material is removed. Compared to manual lathes, which require a degree of expertise to operate, CNC lathes drastically reduce the amount of labor and the probability of human error. These benefits translate into decreases in cost and defect rates.
Reach Out to the Leader in Custom Machined Parts For Your Company | Roberson Machine Company
From prototypes to production, and every step in between, Roberson Machine Company optimizes your entire production workflow with our CNC machines and services. We are truly your one-stop shop, your single-source manufacturer, for everything regarding CNC machined parts. Our devoted leadership team and talented and knowledgeable machinists are passionate about supporting you, your project, and doing whatever it takes for you to succeed.
Give us a call today to learn more about our machined parts production and services at 573-646-3996 or connect with us online.