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CNC Machining Services
Get Swiss machining services for parts too long, thin, or precise for conventional lathes. By reviewing your drawing for process fit before quoting, we tell you when conventional turning is the more practical route. One engineering team carries the part from prototype to production so critical dimensions stay consistent.
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Swiss turning is not the default for every small part. It earns its place when geometry, concentricity, length-to-diameter ratio, or combined turned-and-milled features make a conventional setup less stable or less efficient. Use the table below as a first-pass check; the actual recommendation comes from drawing review.
| Dimension | Swiss turning worth evaluating | Conventional CNC turning may be more suitable |
|---|---|---|
| Diameter | ≤ 32 mm | > 32 mm |
| Length-to-diameter ratio (L/D) | > 3:1 (above 6:1, Swiss is often the only stable option) | < 3:1 |
| Critical tolerance | ±0.005 mm on metal critical features | ≥ ±0.01 mm |
| Batch quantity | > 500 pcs (setup cost amortized) | < 100 pcs |
| Feature complexity | Multi-axis in one setup: cross-holes, threads, flats, back-side work | Simple turning only |
| Bar stock | May require centerless-ground bar stock | Standard bar stock sufficient |
The values above are industry-reference thresholds, not absolute machine limits. If your part sits near a boundary, we evaluate both Swiss and conventional turning before quoting.
Workholding on a conventional lathe becomes less stable for small-diameter parts. Swiss-type lathes feed bar stock through a guide bushing, supporting the material close to the cutting point.
Long shafts, pins, and stems with L/D above 3:1 tend to deflect or chatter under conventional tailstock support. The guide bushing reduces this deflection.
Cross-holes, flats, threads, slots, and back-side features may be completed in fewer setups when the part geometry suits a Swiss-type machine.
Specify which diameters, runout values, threads, or surface requirements are functional. We assess those features individually rather than applying one tolerance band across the entire part.
Swiss setup time is amortized as quantity increases. For low volumes, conventional CNC turning may be the lower-cost route.
Swiss-type lathes feed bar stock through a guide bushing that supports the material close to the cutting point. That support is what lets small, slender, or tight-tolerance parts hold form where a fixed-chuck lathe would deflect. The same setup also completes turned and milled features in one chucking, keeping critical features aligned.
| Parameter | Capability |
|---|---|
| Bar diameter | up to 32 mm |
| Max part length | up to 300 mm |
| Spindles | main spindle + sub-spindle |
| Live tooling | cross-drilling, milling, slotting in one setup |
| Max spindle speed | 20,000 RPM |
| Typical tolerance | ±0.01 mm |
| Tightest (metal critical features) | ±0.005 mm, currently achievable when geometry, material, setup, and measurement support it |
| Min feature size | 0.5 mm |
| Surface finish | Ra 0.8 μm |
| Length-to-diameter ratio | > 3:1; above 6:1 often the only stable option |
| Guide bushing | standard on Swiss-type lathes |
Small and slender parts fail in predictable ways: bending under the cutting load, vibration at high speed, heat distortion, and burrs at exits. The Swiss setup is built to address each.
The guide bushing supports the bar stock within a few millimetres of the cutting tool.
Rigid near-cut support lets the spindle run at high speed without chatter.
Coolant at the cut keeps thin sections from growing and drifting.
Sharp tooling and correct exit strategy keep burrs small.
| Verification Stage | What we do | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Incoming material | Verify CoC/MTR, visual and dimensional check | Every material batch |
| First-article release | Confirm latest drawing revision, material, critical dimensions, and report requirements | Before production start |
| In-process sampling | Inspect critical dimensions against drawing tolerance; general dimensions to ISO 2768-m | 5 parts every 4 hours |
| In-line gauging | Pin gauge on critical bores | Every part before unloading |
| Final inspection | Critical dimensions 100% inspected | All parts |
| CMM verification | CMM measurement of critical features | Per agreement (100% or sampled) |
When in-process sampling shows a critical dimension approaching the control limit, we adjust tool parameters or replace the insert, then re-confirm the first article. If a dimension is found out of tolerance, the affected batch is isolated for review and disposition.
Swiss turning runs small-diameter bar stock, so material consistency matters. We machine the following families and can specify centerless-ground bar stock where a tight diameter or slender shape calls for it.
6061, 7075; light, good chip control for high-speed small parts.
303, 304, 316; the common choice for medical and semiconductor hardware.
eg. 42CrMo4 (chromium-molybdenum); used for shafts, pins, fasteners, and bushings where strength or hardness matters more than corrosion resistance.
free-machining; a common choice for connectors, fittings, and valves where corrosion resistance and appearance matter.
eg. Ti-6Al-4V; used where strength-to-weight and biocompatibility matter.
Inconel 625, Nitronic 60; harder to cut, handled with tuned parameters.
Swiss turning is usually one step in a longer process route. For parts needing heat treatment, surface finishing, joining, or assembly, we plan the full sequence in DFM review before machining. The plan sets which dimensions to protect, where to measure before and after each operation, and what the final inspection record must capture.
One project team owns the finished part. We do not hand the risk of process interfaces back to you.
Related services: Surface finishing · Heat treatment
Swiss machining suits small, slender, or tight-tolerance parts across several industries.
Surgical and implant parts need tight tolerances and burr-free edges on small shafts, screws, and tubes.
Gas-line, vacuum, and wafer-handling parts demand high surface finish and leak-tight fittings.
Sensor bodies, valve stems, and fuel-system parts need consistent, high-volume turned output.
Pins, inserts, and contact parts benefit from stable concentricity and tight repeatability.
Shafts, bushings, and couplings are sensitive to runout and fit, which affect motion accuracy.
