Use standardized materials, simplify designs, relax tolerances, choose optimal materials, and avoid secondary operations for significant cost savings
Use Standardized Materials and Parts
Standard materials and partsThe use of standardized materials and parts can cut down the cost of CNC machining in a big way. Consistency results in lower material costs, leaner manufacturing processes, and shorter lead times. Likewise, you can use the said strategy like so…
Use Off-the-Shelf Materials
By using readily available materials like aluminum 6061, steel 1018, and brass 360, much of the costs can be saved. They are inexpensive because they are used a lot and are available in large quantities. Example, Aluminum 6061 is about 20–30% less expensive compared to specialized aluminum alloys. An automotive company with a lighter application made the switch engine components to aluminum 6061 and saw a 25% cost reduction in material.
Utilize Standard-Sized Stock
Buying standard-sized raw materials is going to help with less waste and less cutting costs. An industrial equipment manufacturer charged $10,000 less in scrap each year after it standardized sizes of raw material. Sheets, bars and tubes of standard stock sizes are readily available and straightforward to cut or machine processes, therefore minimising the costs throughout production.
Implement Standard Parts
Using standard parts such as bolts, nuts, bearings, and connectors in your design always helps to achieve a cost advantage. Standard parts are cheaper than custom components, because they are mass-produced. An electronics manufacturer who standardized the fasteners they were using across products achieved a 20% savings in part costs and 30% less assembly time. This standardization achieved 50K+ annual savings for the company.
Use Supplier Relationships
Full-serv. and Quic-Serv. sizes, 12-needlesthat are cassette type Pete G 14cm and Scott -water based Ensure that new onshore teams contracts are managed with client agreements and lead contracts are executed, managed and accounted in Client-based leadership meetings by a Senior Sales Manager Full Serve — People work for a 500 quarter end bonus. A case study by a global aerospace manufacturer reported that they were able to receive 15% off standard materials by working with suppliers to negotiate bulk purchase agreements. By supplying more, this has, n the one hand, reduced material expenses as well as preventing production issues, always providing all the needed supplies.
Optimize Inventory
Materials and parts are standardized, inventory management is streamlined, and overhead costs are reduced. An inventory system based on standard parts carried out by a medical device manufacturing company resulted in cuts in their inventory carrying costs by 20%. They also achieved a 30% reduction in stock turnover as well.
Simplify Product Design
Product design should be simplified in order to reduce CNC machining costs in development. In addition to simpler designs, you also simplify the process at the manufacturing level, which will reduce costs and create a faster production process. So, without further ado, here is how you can develop a method for simplifying product design.
Reduce the Number of Features
Not including features that are not needed can significantly lower machining costs. One company such as designing an automotive part was able to reduce the cost by 25% by simply reducing the number of machined features from 60 to 35. This not only cut machining time by 40%, but also lowered the likelihood of making mistakes, in turn reducing the amount of rework and scrap produced. Less complex designs typically equate to fewer multifeatured parts to manufacture (i.e., that take time and money to machine).
Use Simple Geometric Shapes
Basic geometric shapes are simple to cut and machine faster. In one instance, a tech company that had examined designs for a complex, organic-shaped part replaced those with a simpler, rectangular design had reported a 30% reduction in production costs. This new streamlined shape permitted odometers to be machined faster and without as many tool changes, which led to a more efficient production process. By doing this, the complexity of the machining paths is substantially decreased, and the same setup and cycle times can be achieved.
Minimize the Number of Setups
Every CNC setup change means added time and labor costs. This will help you reduce these costs by designing the parts that can be machined in lesser setups. One example is a medical device manufacturer that reengineered their parts to enable these to be machined in two setups instead of five. This change resulted in reducing their machining time by half and a nearly $50,000 annual savings in labor costs. Machining parts in fewer setups also helps minimize the risks of misalignment as well some other errors introduced by part repositioning.
Standardize Part Sizes
Standardized Part Sizes = Huge $$$ Savings One industrial textile machinery manufacturer saved 20% in material costs when they standardized their parts because they learned they could purchase raw material by the truckload. Parts are standardized which allows machine processes to be optimized for efficiency, driving cost and lead time down. This reduces the number of tools and inventorystock keeping units that are needed, making inventory management easier.
owards machining efficiency
Before I leave you to the savings that will eventually be passed down to you through hundreds, if not thousands, of subtags, I am going to talk about designing with machining efficiency in mind. I learned about a company that works in aerospace component manufacture who tuned their designs to be LESS labour intensive with far less intricate detailing and tight internal corners. The resulting optimization cut machining time by 35% and saved the company over $100,000 every year in production costs. Designed to be efficient by minimizing the number of stone and optimizing tool paths, results in huge time savings between 50 to 70% as compared to traditional methods.
Relax Tolerance Requirements
Loosening tolerance requirements is one of the most powerful ways to lower CNC machining costs. The need to hold tighter tolerances, for example, typically necessitates longer machining times at lower feed rates, more frequent tool changes and inspections. It steps through specific data and examples and reveals how you can use it to reduce incorrect operational tolerances
Assess Functional Necessities
When creating as-designed models, consider which tolerances are important for the function of the part and which ones can be more relaxed. For example, one precision engineering company increased their machining time by 30% and reduced tool wear by 20% by simply reducing their tolerance on non-critical sizes from ± 0.01mm to ± 0.05mm. This change improved the company by saving $15,000 a year in tooling and labor costs.
Different Tolerances for Different Features
Some facets of a part will need to be more precise than other specifications. One aerospace component manufacturer used this principle by tightening tolerances on only critical mounting holes while relaxing them on other less critical surfaces. By implementing this method, they were able to save 25% on their total machining costs, saving 35% in machining time, adding up to an annual savings of over $100,000.
Implement Tolerance Grading
Use grading to create the tolerances for each part feature, based on how much the part feature must fit and work. A medical device manufacture split their parts into 3 tolerance grades high/medium/low That resulted in 60% of the features being machineable with medium to low tolerances and saving 40% in the production cost. This approach improved the efficiency of their inspection process and decreased their recurring need for expensive high-precision equipment.
Apply Advanced Machining Techniques
Use advanced machining practices to relax tolerances without sacrificing quality You give up a little on tolerances for part integrity with high-speed machining. Industrial Machinery Manufacturer: A user case study from a manufacturer of industrial machinery that used HSM to relax tolerances from ±0.02mm to ±0.05mm on certain components, reducing machining time by 50% and saving $200,000 annually.
Work With Design and Engineering Teams
Capture functional requirements and define the potential functionality of adherence relaxation in close cooperation with design and engineering teams. An example of the collaborative approach was implemented at a consumer electronics firm, in which engineers and machinists reviewed tolerance requirements together. This enabled them to identify areas of the handpiece in which tolerances could be opened up without impacting on performance, reducing machining costs by 30%.
Choose The Right Materials
Here is the focus on, how selecting the proper materials are one of the key elements which aids in rectifying the CNC machining cost. Your choice of materials impacts not just the cost of the raw materials, but also the time it takes to machine, wear on the tool, and the efficiency of production overall. This is how you can take informed decisions With Lived Examples and Data points.
Consider Material Cost and Availability
Choose cost effective and easily available materials For instance, aluminum 6061 is commonly employed in CNC machining because of its superb machinability and it is often more cost-effective than specialized alloys. A single part was reduced 50% in cost when a company transistioned from stainless steel to aluminum 6061, but for the series of parts, price was down 50% and machining time had decreased 60%. By switching, they saved about $100,000 each year.
Consider Machinability
Improve how they can be machined and you get less machining time and less wear on tools. Brass 360: This alloy sings with qualities like excellent machinability, giving industry professionals faster cutting speeds and optimum tool life. A manufacturer of electronics switches for the telecommunications industry entering new markets without forging capability saved almost 40% on production lead time for a various of connector parts by changing from SS to brass 360; the change also lowered the tool replacement costs about 30%, resulting in annual savings of $75,000.
important needs physical application
Make sure the material properties suit the functional needs of the part An example is that sometimes it might be cheaper to use aluminum for high-strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance parts than titanium. For example, a drone manufacturer switched from titanium for the drone frame to carbon fiber-reinforced polymer, reducing costs of manufacturing apparatuses by 35% preserving the rigidity magnitude.
Total Cost of Ownership Analysis
When you pay more attention to the cost of operating or maintaining the tool, purchasing price takes a back foot. Milling harder materials, such as Inconel, can quickly cause tools to wear out, ultimately driving up costs and maintenance requirements. A defense contractor changed from Inconel to a high-strength Aluminum alloy for non-critical components and achieved 40% reduction in tool wear and 25% faster speeds save $50,000 per year in operational costs UInt Number
Be Selective with Regards of Material Substitutions
Use material substitutes that share properties with other, more expensive, protecting materials. Plastics (polycarbonate) can substitute for aluminum in some non-structural components just as effectively as steels For instance, a consumer electronics company was able to reduce the cost of housing parts by 20% and machining time by 15% by replacing aluminum with polycarbonate. This smart sub material switch resulted in annual savings of $80,000.
Avoid Secondary Operations
This approach is a good way to minimize the CNC machining cost by avoiding secondary operations. Secondary operations such as deburring, finishing, or added additional machining will increase production time, labor, and cost. I will show, step by step, how to minimize these operations with real examples and with supporting data.
Improve The Front-End Machining Processes
Make sure that parts are as finished as possible after the only machining operation. The manufacturer of precision instruments redesigned their parts to reduce post-machining deburring. Their improved cutting parameters and tool path would result in a 50% deburring time reduction, saving $30,000 per year. Doing this allows for as little additional work to be done subsequent to parts to aid in lowering production costs.
Leverage Sophisticated Tooling and Techniques
Utilize the more advanced tooling and machining technology to get a finish and a tolerance in one set up. One company that manufactures aerospace parts switched to high-precision end mills and revised its cutting strategy, for instance. The change resulted in the ability to eliminate secondary grinding operations and reduced production time by 40 percent while saving $75,000 annually. By investing in tooling of the highest quality, the need for secondary processes can be highly minimized.
Design for Machinability
The design must be done with machinability in mind to avoid complex geometries which needs secondary operations. On the other side of the industry, an electronics manufacturer streamlined their component designs to eliminate the features that require any further milling/drilling operations post initial cut. As a result, they were able to reduce their cycle time by 35%, saving $50,000 in labor costs per year. Design aspects like the machinability can be considered before hand in order to reduce costs and efficiently produce the part.
Utilize All in One Platform
Multi-functional tools make it possible to complete various operations in a single pass. A medical device company combined turning drills and mills into their CNC machines so that they could perform drilling, milling, and chamfering all in one set up. This integration removed secondary setups and 30% of production time costing the firm $60,000 per annum. Reduced setups and added handling if fewer machines are useoutedEventArgs and added handling if fewer machines are useful with multi-functional tools.
Automate Processes
Deploy automation to decrease manual post-powder coating processes. Automotive Part ManufacturerAutomotive part finishing & handling -Robotic System This automation not only cut out 40% of manual finishing time, but also reduced costs by $80,000/year. By automating production lines, operators are able to save costs on secondary operations because of reduced handling, and sometimes little or no human interaction is required.
