5 Cost-Saving CNC Machining Design Tips

CNC machining is widely recognized for its precision and versatility, but without careful planning, costs can quickly rise. By optimizing design for manufacturability, companies can reduce expenses without compromising quality. Here are five essential design tips summarized by UTECH to help you save money on CNC machine machining.

1. Simplify the design to reduce CNC machine machining time

2. Choose Cost-Effective Materials

3. Reduce CNC machine part setups through efficient design

4. Limit post-machining operations

5. Optimize design for batch production

1. Simplify the design to reduce CNC machine machining time

The complexity of the part directly affects the machining time, which in turn affects the cost. By simplifying the design, you can minimize the number of machining operations required:

Reduce complex features: Avoid overly complex geometries or features that require additional tool changes or complex machining strategies. For example, sharp internal corners are difficult for CNC tools to achieve and may require additional operations, which increases costs.

Standardize dimensions: Stick to standard sizes and dimensions for holes, threads, and other features to reduce custom tooling costs. This helps minimize tool wear and setup time because standard tools are more readily available and more cost-effective.

Avoid unnecessarily tight tolerances: Tighter tolerances make machining more difficult and require more machining times and precision. Apply tight tolerances only in key areas that are critical to functionality.

2. Choose Cost-Effective Materials

Material selection plays a critical role in determining the overall cost of CNC machine machining. By choosing the right materials, you can achieve the desired performance while minimizing expenses:

Choose machinable materials: Materials such as aluminum and mild steel are easier and generally more cost-effective to machine than harder metals such as titanium or stainless steel. Softer materials reduce tool wear and machining time, which reduces costs.

Use raw material sizes wisely: Design your parts to efficiently utilize available stock sizes. This reduces material waste and saves money. Whenever possible, align your design dimensions with standard material dimensions to minimize unnecessary cuts and excessive waste.

Consider material availability: Material costs fluctuate based on availability. Choose materials that are readily available to avoid higher costs or long lead times due to material scarcity.

3. Reduce CNC machine part setups through efficient design

Every time a part needs to be repositioned (setup) in a CNC machine, it adds time and cost. Reducing the number of setups simplifies the process:

Design for multi-axis machining: Whenever possible, design parts that can be machined in one or two setups using a multi-axis machine, such as a 3-, 4-, or 5-axis CNC machine. This reduces the need to reposition the part and shortens machining time.

Avoid deep cavities: Deep cavities require long-reach tools that are susceptible to vibration and deflection, resulting in slower machining and more setups. Instead, choose shallower cuts or split the design into multiple components that can be assembled later.

Design for symmetry: Symmetrical parts can often be machined with fewer setups. By maintaining consistency, you can streamline the entire process, resulting in more cost-effective production runs.

4. Limit post-machining operations

Additional operations such as deburring, polishing, or heat treating can add time and cost to CNC machining. You can reduce these operations by adjusting your design:

Avoid unnecessary surface treatments: While polished or highly finished surfaces may look attractive, they are not always necessary. By choosing machined surfaces where appropriate, you can save time and costs associated with secondary finishing processes.

Minimize undercuts and threads: Special features such as undercuts and internal threads often require custom tooling or manual processes. Limiting these features can significantly reduce post-machining work.

Combine parts when possible: Rather than machining several separate parts that need to be assembled later, consider designing a single, merged part. This reduces the need for joining operations such as welding or gluing, which can add cost.

5. Optimize design for batch production

If you are producing parts in large batches, consider optimizing your design for batch production. This can reduce the overall cost per part:

Design parts that are easily repeatable: Make sure your design is consistent and easily repeatable. Reducing the differences between parts can reduce setup time for each batch, which can speed up production.

Use modular designs: Where applicable, design parts that can be used for multiple products or applications. Modular designs allow manufacturers to produce more quantities at a time, achieving economies of scale.

Plan for assembly efficiency: When parts need to be assembled after machining, consider ease of assembly during the design phase. Features such as self-locating tabs or fastener-free assembly methods can streamline the process and reduce labor costs.

By applying these cost-saving design tips, you can significantly reduce your CNC machine tooling expenses while maintaining product quality. Simplifying design, choosing the right materials, minimizing setup, reducing post-processing operations, and optimizing batch production are all strategies to help you make the most of CNC machine processing and ensure a cost-effective manufacturing process. If you are interested in CNC machines or want to learn more, welcome to consult UTECH. UTECH has a professional R&D team and good customer service, which can answer your professional knowledge and provide suitable machine recommendations.