02 · Capabilities
What we can make, and where the limits are.
We publish our limits so you can rule a part in or out before sending a drawing. If a feature is outside them, say so in the request and we will tell you what is possible.
Machine limits
| Process | Limit | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 5-axis milling | Travels 600 × 500 × 450 mm | Housings, manifolds and brackets that need several faces cut in one clamping |
| 3-axis milling | Travels 800 × 500 × 500 mm | Plates, fixtures and prismatic parts |
| CNC turning | Bar capacity Ø65 mm, turning length up to 300 mm | Shafts, spindles, bushings and fittings, with cross holes and flats in the same set-up |
| Inspection | CMM measuring volume 700 × 600 × 500 mm | First-article and batch checks against the drawing |
Tolerances, threads and surfaces
- General tolerance
- ISO 2768-m unless the drawing names another class. Mark tighter tolerances on the features that need them and leave the rest general; it keeps the price down.
- Tight features
- Down to ±0.01 mm on bores and faces when the drawing calls it out, with fits such as H7 on bores. We confirm in the quote if a feature needs a ground or honed finish.
- Surface roughness
- Ra 1.6 µm as milled; Ra 0.8 µm or finer on request. Specify Ra to ISO 1302 on the faces that seal or slide.
- Threads
- Metric ISO threads from M2 to M24, plus G (BSPP) and inch threads on request; thread inserts available.
Materials
Other grades on request: name the standard in your RFQ.
| Grade | Family | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| EN AW-6082 (T6) | Aluminium | Structural parts, fixtures, housings |
| EN AW-7075 (T651) | Aluminium | High-strength brackets and plates |
| 1.4404 (316L) | Stainless steel | Corrosion-resistant fittings and instrument parts |
| 1.0503 (C45) | Steel | Shafts, pins and wear parts, hardened elsewhere if needed |
| POM-C | Plastic | Insulators, guides, low-friction parts |
| PEEK | Plastic | High-temperature and chemically resistant parts |
Finishing
Deburring is done here. Surface treatments that need a plant of their own go to partner shops; we arrange them, inspect the parts when they come back, and add the days to the quote.
- Deburring and edge breakBy hand at the bench, edge break per drawing
- Anodising (clear or black)Through a partner anodiser
- Passivation and electropolishingThrough a partner
- Zinc-nickel and nickel platingThrough a partner
Inspection documents
Ask for any of these when you request the quote, so the measuring time is priced in. Reports cover the characteristics and tolerances written on your drawing.
- First-article reportMeasured values for the characteristics marked on the drawing, on request with a prototype or first batch.
- CMM reportCoordinate-measurement protocol for complex geometry, on request.
- Material certificate EN 10204 3.1Passed on from the material mill where the supplier issues one, on request when quoting.
What a request should include
What most machining enquiries need to be quoted without a second round of questions.
- Drawing and revision letterThe quoted revision is the one that gets made; a STEP model usually travels with it.
- Material gradeNamed to a standard, for example EN AW-6082-T6 aluminium or 1.4404 stainless.
- TolerancesA general class such as ISO 2768-m, plus GD&T to ISO 1101 or ASME Y14.5 on the faces that matter.
- Surface finish and treatmentRoughness as Ra to ISO 1302, then anodising, passivation or plating if required.
- Quantity breaks and datePrototype, batch and repeat quantities price differently; the date sets the route.
- Inspection documentsFor example an EN 10204 3.1 material certificate or a first-article report.