CNC Milling
Work with a shop that can handle your project from cradle to grave.
From prototype to production all under one roof, Mountain Machine Works is your one-stop shop. All our CNC milled parts are handled in-house working in tandem with your team and delivered on time with quality you can rely on.
How We Can Help YouMountain Machine Works is dedicated to helping our customers thrive in their market.
From working on new product lines with your team to helping you modernize your processes, we can help you flush out a new prototype and bring your product to production all under one roof.
We start our partnership with your company by discussing project details and determining the overall scope of your project to ensure we are the right company to help you. Whether you are an established brand looking to create a new product line or looking to modernize an old line, we can help you work out the details.
Once we know more about your project, we begin collaborating with your team to discuss cost-saving methods in prototyping and production, as well as work out any potential problems that may arise with the engineering design.
We help you determine what is best for your project. By ensuring your print is designed for maximum efficiency and production value. We do our best to form a partnership with your company by conducting a manufacturing review and developing designs for production machining. From milled parts to turning and raw materials machining, we can help your team bring a new product line to life.
Our process engineers work with your team directly to help guide you in the right direction for your project, providing insight and advice for what can make your part less expensive and easier to manufacture without sacrificing quality and durability. In this process, we’ll work together to discuss the overall manufacturability of the part and talk about option design changes to improve competitive pricing models and give your production line an advantage in the market.
Lower Your Production Run Costs
Prototyping a new design can be costly, especially when you work with a manufacturer with a large minimum order count. At Mountain Machine Works, we know that the prototyping and first-run production is just the beginning of a new product line that your company is bringing to life. With small batch production runs and prototyping all under one roof, we can reduce your costs and lower the risk associated with new product lines.
Lowering your production run costs comes from our ability to provide efficient, expert services. This saves your team time and minimizes the administrative burden on your company. The next step in maximizing your cost efficiency is the risk factor. We have customer care policies in place to ensure that we are always providing the best service possible and delivering extraordinary products.
Finally, the most significant and tangible way we reduce costs for customers like you is in the machinability report and prototyping phase of development. We’ll help you identify areas where the design can be modified for cost savings to maximize your company’s return on the product once it’s in production.
Work with Mountain Machine Works
At Mountain Machine Works, we don’t just provide you with prototyping and production machining. We work with your team directly to become your partner in establishing a new or redesign of a product line.
Our process engineers will inspect the prototype and work with you to overcome any issues with the design or manufacturability.
Once your product has moved into the production phase we can assist you in low-volume runs to ensure your product meets your design. This allows us to share an in-depth knowledge of your product at every stage, standing by you and your new product to ensure the quality and durability of each new product line you design.
Because of our in-depth partnership with the companies we work with, we work exclusively with production runs of lower volume, as this allows us to maintain a short lead time. Production lead time can be as short as 3-5 weeks based on your project details, making us a competitive leader in fast production turnaround.
Get in touch with our team today to learn more about our process or set up an appointment to talk about your project. No matter how complex the project is, we are always innovating, optimizing, and challenging standards to push the industry forward.
Providing a Tight Tolerance on Large Parts
Tolerancing is a critical part of designing a product that needs to be top of its line in quality and durability. While each material has its ability to withstand certain machining and milling techniques, it’s important to keep the manufacturing tolerances tight where needed so you have a reliable product.
Not only does this extra step of quality assurance go above and beyond to keep your end users happy, but it ensures a higher level of reliability in the product. Tight tolerances ensure that your part performs optimally so that no retooling or overhauling is necessary. Our knowledgeable process engineers will advise you on what this means for your project, working with you to optimize your product with properly tightened tolerances and product durability.
Typically, Mountain Machine Works can hold a machining tolerance on large parts of + .0005” + .01mm. It is recommended that part features are thicker than 0.020” (0.51mm) in all regions to support the high dimensional tolerances possible with milled parts.
How Does CNC Milling Work?
CNC milling is a special manufacturing process that utilizes subtractive methods. First, a block of metal or plastic is inserted into the mill, and the operator creates a G-code program to rapidly mill out parts from the raw materials.
Different types of milling can create different effects on the products, such as vertical or horizontal milling, as well as 3-axis, 4-axis, 5-axis, and 9-axis milling which can handle different angles and balances based on the product specifications.
CNC Hard Milling
Hard milling is an innovative process for creating parts that are resistant to penetration, deformation and other impacts.
It requires special tools, understanding of material hardness, and can be used in a variety of applications from making modifications after heat treatment to producing hardened components independent of any prior processes.
Originally, hard milling was used to apply changes or additional machining to parts that had been reinforced through heat treating. It eventually became an individual process for the following reasons:
- The need for mold and die components that can be made quickly (faster time to market).
- The cost and time commitment required for EDMing, surface grinding, and jig grinding.
- Newer pre-hardened materials such as P20, H13, and 4140 are available.
- CAD/CAM and 3D machining are getting more sophisticated.
- There have been big improvements in machines, machine tools (cutters), and tool holding devices.
- The need to make new or replacement tooling components, reduce lead times, and improve surface finishes is increasing.
Mountain Machine Works has the capability to machine up to 50-55 Rc (Rockwell C) – providing an avenue for manufacturers striving towards high performance parts.
CNC Materials
At Mountain Machine Works, we have extensive knowledge of the most common raw materials to help streamline your move from prototype to production.
Below is a sampling of these materials and how they react differently in milled parts applications.
Titanium
Known for its tough properties like a high melting point and corrosion resistance, titanium is a high-quality material that can be efficiently milled for developing small parts.
Aluminum
As one of the most widely used and available metals for bulk manufacturing, aluminum is always on our CNC machines. This metal is flexible with different machining and milling techniques which means it can be milled, finished, machined, and tooled for just about any product part.
Plastics
We can provide a range of plastic materials based on your needs from POM to ABS and Nylon. Whether you are looking for a durable plastic part or one with flexibility for temporary usage in the product design, we can supply the most cost-effective and reliable plastics for milling.
Stainless Steel
Using stainless steel for your parts is the perfect choice for a range of industries due to its versatility and strength. It is also highly resistant to corrosion and oxidation, making it well suited for parts that will be exposed to harsh environments or chemicals.
Other Materials
At Mountain Machine Works, we aren’t limited in the materials we can supply for your production needs. Other materials we offer include carbon steel, cast iron, ductile iron, and molybdenum. To learn more about alloys and other materials we can offer, talk to our team and discuss your project requirements.
Surface Treatments for CNC Milled Parts
We can provide a variety of finishes based on the material type and product need.
As-Machined
As one of the most cost-efficient finishing methods for inner functional components, this does not add any additional corrosion or wear resistance to the part but leaves it as-machined. Typically, as-machined finishing is good for inner functional components that won’t be customer-facing but may function with other products.
Black Nitride
This type of finish, named for its smooth matte-black coloration, is common in applications that require corrosion- and wear resistance but may not be suitable for powder coating. This is a common finish to improve the appearance of the milled part where functionality under extreme conditions is a must.
Heat Treat
This method heats the milled parts to an extreme temperature and brings them back down under controlled conditions. Depending on the time and temperature of heat treatment, it can provide the part with better harness, strength, and machinability as the chemical composition of the material is altered to benefit the product design. Typically, this method is dependent on the metal used and may not be optimal in all cases.
Type II Anodized
This finish comes in a range of colors and thicknesses. The paint creates a corrosion-resistant finish. Common colors available for anodization are clear, black, red, and blue, though other colors may be available upon request. Type III anodization is also typically available; this adds a layer of wear resistance to the milled parts in addition to the standard benefits of anodization.
Powder Coating
One of the most popular methods of finishing CNC milled parts, closely tied with anodization, is powder coating. This method of painting a milled part uses powdered pigment which is then sprayed onto a part and baked in an oven. This oven-baked setting process makes the paint much more durable than standard painting methods, and it can be done relatively inexpensively. This also creates a corrosion- and wear-resistant layer and comes in a wide variety of colors that can be customized to match your company’s branding or customer preferences as needed.
Bead Blast
Bead blasting allows for a measure of control in the texture and roughness of the milled parts surface. The bead range runs from 120 to 320 beads, ultimately leaving the product with a matte appearance.
Electrolysis Nickel
Nickel electroplating is an effective way of creating a smooth, shiny surface that won't rust or stain. It applies a thin layer of nickel to the part's exterior, providing impressive corrosion resistance and extra protection against any adverse environmental conditions.
Cutting Edge CNC Milling Services for Your Custom Milled Parts
At Mountain Machine Works, we always deliver your CNC-milled parts on time and with great quality assurance. With specialized technology for each of our milling services, we provide you with premium products for a maximized ROI on your product design.
Precision Tolerances and High-Speed Milling with Mountain Machine Works
At Mountain Machine Works, we provide you with the advantage of high-speed milling without sacrificing precision tolerances. Skilled in a high metal-removal rate, we can reduce the cycle time and increase productivity for faster turnaround time.
Another advantage to this method, when done properly, is precision engineering for thin walls or harder metals that are at risk for greater tool deflection. High speed milling works under a decreased cutting force which creates a more efficient milling process under these conditions.
How Milling Differs from Turning and Boring
While milling is a mechanical process where the material is removed from the immobile stock material, turning and boring follow a different process that requires a lathe. For both turning and boring processes, the lathe’s cutting tool will work against the rotating workpiece, while a milled part stays stationary the whole time.
In short, boring is most used in removing materials from a piece internally, while turning removes materials from the outside; both require a rotating workpiece, while milling is best done with a stationary workpiece and rotating cutting tool.
Every Job Is Unique
At Mountain Machine Works, we don’t force your product design into a template. All milling projects are custom coded by our process engineers and brought to life on the CNC milling machine for optimal durability and accuracy.
Every job we do for you is unique so we can work with your project from cradle to grave. This also allows our team to develop a stronger partnership and understanding of your processes in developing or re-engineering new product lines.
Certified Milled Parts Service
As your one-stop shop for machined parts prototyping and production, we believe that expertise, quality, and reliability are essential to the success of any company. We carry all the necessary certifications and materials to ensure that your parts meet OEM requirements based on your project needs.
Our engineering team has over 33 years of experience working with established companies to re-design and develop new product lines. This has given us the attention to detail you deserve, helping you design cost-effective and reliable parts. Talk to us today to discuss your project and get a free quote.
Are CNC Milled Parts Suitable for Small Batches?
Yes, milled parts are a great choice for small batch runs, as products can be made with precision and tight tolerances.
Mountain Machine Works deals almost exclusively in small batches and low-volume production runs so you can count on superior customer service and turnaround times.
Let’s Talk About Your Project
When you work with Mountain Machine Works, you have a single point of contact for all your projects, ensuring that you are always kept in the loop.
Known for quality products and low-volume OEM production, we are here to provide you with cost savings and customer service that you won’t get anywhere else.
We are one of the only companies that can work with your project from cradle to grave, providing premium services for a reduced cost.
Let’s talk about your project today and discuss what you need for small run work and first-year run of parts. Our process engineers will work directly with your team to develop, and prototype milled parts.