The various factors that affect the overall cost of CNC milling are outlined below:
Machine Size
CNC machines come in different sizes to manufacture small and large parts. More sophisticated CNC machines are needed to produce larger parts/components, and a suitable machine costs more than one for CNC machining small components.
Cutting Tolerances
A tighter tolerance results in greater accuracy in the final product. However, a top-quality machine that can cut with precision to tighter tolerances as part of the manufacturing process will cost more. Therefore, requiring tight tolerances increases the CNC machining cost for a project.
Number of Axes
The number of axes dictates the complexity of the parts that CNC machining can create. Although using multi-axis machining offers more manufacturing freedom and capabilities, using 5-axis and 6-axis machines significantly increases the price of a project.
Milling Time
Machines that manufacture parts faster require special robotics in the CNC mechanism. Therefore, start-up costs are higher. But modern CNC machining uses high-speed robots that can produce a high volume of products in a short time. So the overall CNC machining cost is lower due to better utilization of time.
Type of CNC Machine/Mill
There are many types of CNC mills, such as bed, box, C-shape, and gantry mills. Different types of mills can affect the overall cost of CNC machining operations. A simple design and geometry will reduce costs.
Part geometry
This refers to the dimensions of a part. The larger a part is, the more material it will require to be manufactured hence the more expensive it will be. Complex and very detailed parts also increase costs significantly. This is because of the multiple processes that will be needed to be employed as compared to simpler parts.
Designing unnecessarily expensive parts in the design phase of a machine is very easy and thus is advised to consult a knowledgeable manufacturer at the time to enable you to come up with a functional yet efficient part to manufacture.
Quantity of parts
The number of parts ordered for a machine influences the overall cost. This is because large orders are expensive, however the higher the number of parts the lower the cost of each additional unit.
This means large orders increase the final cost of the part but reduce the cost per unit. The turnaround time for the parts is also important in determining cost as a part to be shipped in a number of weeks will be more affordable than that to be shipped in two to three days.
Production Cycles
Higher production volumes lead to a lower cost per part manufactured by a CNC machine because the cost of equipment and tooling are divided among a large number of parts.
Labor CostsLabor Costs
The purpose of CNC machining is to eliminate the labor cost in manual processes like turning, moving, or operating the cutters. However, there are still some labor costs in changing tools, setting up the workpiece, and, most importantly, the operator’s salary.
If a part is difficult, more complex and requires the expertise of more highly and trained machinists the cost of production goes up.
These extra skills and experience come at a cost because they are mainly obtained from on-the-job experiences and not formal education. The more labor intensive the production of a part is the higher its pricing will be.
Tooling
The price of tooling can be a significant portion of CNC machining projects. Whenever the dimensions or shape of the CNC machined parts need to be changed, it will require changing the tools used for production.
While some tools, such as dies and clamps, can be reused repeatedly, there are also consumables, such as cutting tools.
Lead Time
A manufacturer with all the tools and raw materials available for production will be faster and offer shorter lead times. However, when parts require ordering or special tooling is needed, lead times may be much longer.
Longer lead times lead to wastage of resources and a higher overall cost because the manufacturer still has to pay labor costs for longer or shorter lead times.
Raw Material Cost
The cost of raw materials is a major factor in any CNC machining project. While these costs cannot be eliminated, optimization is possible.
For example, a better CAD file design can lead to better utilization of materials, reducing material costs. Also, using tighter tolerances leads to lower rejections, eliminates considerable waste, and reduces material costs.
Besides the amount, the type of raw material is also an important factor that affects raw material costs. For example, plastics are cheaper than metals.
For CNC machining, the material cost is compared based on standard sheet sizes of 6″ x 6″ x 1″. Here is a comparison of some common materials per standard size:
Stainless Steel 304: $90
Aluminum 7075: $80
Aluminum 6061: $25
Nylon 6: $30
Delrin: $27
ABS: $17
Power
CNC milling machines run on electricity, and the power consumed is significant due to large capacity servo motors operating in the machines. Therefore, the cost of electricity also affects CNC machining costs.
Custom CNC Machining
In many cases, CNC machining custom parts can require non-standard tools, custom materials or sizes, or specialist CNC milling machines. For these projects, the pricing can be significantly more.
How Much Does It Cost to Get Something CNC Milled?
CNC machining & milling costs vary significantly due to the factors already mentioned. Therefore, when quoting for a CNC machining project, every company will ask about your requirements, specifications, materials, etc.
Let’s start by answering a common question: how much does CNC machining cost per hour? The average cost per hour for 3-axis CNC machining is around $40. The operator salary of CNC milling machines can range from $30 to $50 per hour. Therefore, the total cost of CNC services, in this case, would be around $80 per hour.
Higher quality and more sophisticated CNC machines cost more. For example, an hourly rate of $200 is standard for 5-axis CNC machining.
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