Contract manufacturing demands a lot from its practitioners. They are expected to produce products of various preciseness. The components may be large and heavy or small and light. In fact, contract milling might be required to produce parts for other parts of any type of material, including aluminum, plastic, or stainless steel. For these contract manufacturers, flexibility is important.
CNC Milling Machinery
Whatever the material, CNC milling machinery must produce high precision and quality parts, with great repeatability and reliably. They usually machine flat surfaces but are also capable of producing surfaces that are irregular or of complex shapes. The machinery most often used are multi-axis.
Three and five-axis machines are the most common. The former is best for long workpieces while the latter has a reputation for producing highly accurate work. These pieces of CNC milling machinery offer great flexibility. They also reduce labor and downtime costs by decreasing tooling times.
Types of Milling Cutters
The most common type of mill has a vertical spindle with a swiveling head. This ability to tilt the head to either side increases its capabilities and versatility. In the case of horizontal mills, the cutters are keyed holes. However, end mills, used for cutting keyways, pockets, and slots, can have two flutes or more or be ball end mills. Contract milling can require any of the above machines to perform the requested work. Customers for CNC contract milling services in Minnesota include the automotive, aerospace, and military/defense industries.
CNC Contract Milling
Those who work on CNC milling machines can attest to their versatility. This applies to their ability to smoothly, quickly, and efficiently produce high-quality, precise, and finished components of diverse sizes and shapes. One specific type used by those performing contract milling is the vertical spindle machine. It has a swiveling head allowing it greater flexibility. Due to is versatility, it is one of the more popular types employed in milling shops in Minnesota.
