How to Determine the Cost of CNC Machining
There are a lot of factors that come into play when it comes to determining the CNC machining cost. These factors make the final cost assessment of CNC machining slightly difficult. Especially when you compare it to other fabrication techniques. For instance, some programs can calculate laser cutting prices in seconds. They achieve this by considering material usage, geometry, and cutting time. Achieving the same for CNC turning and milling services is considerably more complicated. The following article will provide further insight into what makes up CNC machining costs.
To enable you to comprehend the factors we are about to discuss, here is a quick recap of CNC machining. It is essentially a subtractive technique of manufacturing prototypes and parts. This means that its operations result in the removal of material. We can use the process on an array of materials such as metals and plastics. CNC turning and milling are different from other production techniques that utilize computer numerical control. In both, we start with a bigger block of material. We then carve away at it until we achieve the desired product.
Factors Determining the Cost of Machining
There are a few different aspects that contribute to the pricing if CNC machining. They mainly comprise of labor, machine costs, tooling, material, setup, and tool wear. Getting a precise evaluation of each category is difficult to obtain. However, you should have a rough idea of how we compile them when coming up with the final price.
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Time
Almost all these factors have a direct correlation with time. The only exception is the material in use. A careful assessment of time spent is key in evaluating the final price. It is, however, the most complex part of the entire evaluation process. Competent manufacturers have some form of the computer-aided production program. The most basic type is the CAD-CAM software. It has the capability for both design and CAM. CAM programs require input in the form of 3D models. They use this to generate the entire production process.
CAM software produces a G-code that controls the spinning speeds and cutting heads. Essentially covering everything that relates to the production component of the process. The M Code determines the use of coolant and tooling changes. Each operation has time estimations to it.
We, therefore, get to see the time the entire process takes. This also includes how many tool changes that occur and how much work a single tool does. Most importantly, the machine operator gets to adjust the program to meet any specifications. This allows for efficient usage of the machinery. The most important component is the one that assesses the time it takes to produce a part.
It all bases on 3D models. If it is absent or faulty, we can still carry out the time assessment. We can determine the price quote through a combination of common sense and excel sheets. Bringing intuition into play does not make it inaccurate. It is what makes automating the entire pricing process even possible using AI. We sometimes use the part parameters and compare them to previous works, costs, and production times. This allows us to arrive at an optimum price-point.
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Machine Costs
Customers must pay back the buying price of the machinery to the factory. Most manufacturers take 5000 hours as the basis of recouping the initial investment. We can use the example of a machining time of a part to be 0.5 hours. The first step that contributes to the final price adds 1/10000th of machine price to the manufacturing cost. $ 35 is the standard hourly price for 3-axis machining. Multi-axis costs up to 3 times more. Depending on the part’s geometry, the time savings are considerable with advanced CNC centers.
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Labor and Setup
The first point is the designer’s time. The manufacturing engineer follows. He oversees reviewing the design’s producibility. If the designed component has flaws, the engineer offers suggestions on essential changes. Such expertise comes with a price tag. Next follows the machine operator. He oversees setting up the machine for a custom CNC task. This makes sure everything efficiently takes place. Each component requires a new setup. Therefore, bulk production considerably decreases the cost per component.
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Material Costs
CAD programs carry out accurate mass computations for parts. They achieve this using the volume of the part and density of the raw material. You just must choose the appropriate material in the drop-down menu. Regardless, CNC machining costs include more material than the final part displays. With subtractive manufacturing, there is always some leftover scrap. In CNC milling the machine starts to work on a block of material. The basic dimension and a little extra is the key to produce the final part.
Above are the major elements we consider when computing CNC machining costs. If you have any inquiries, kindly contact us for assistance.
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