Rapid CNC Prototypes

3-day aluminum.
5-day complex.
Real metal.

CNC machined prototypes in production materials — not 3D printed approximations. Aluminum 6061 in 3 days. Stainless 316L in 5 days. Complex 5-axis work in 7 days. For engineers who need functional metal parts for testing, not show-and-tell models.

Rapid CNC Quote Functional prototypes

3-day simple Al 5-day typical Production materials Rush available

01 · Lead times

Actual turnaround times.

Lead times from PO confirmation to ship date, excluding shipping transit. Rush option cuts lead time to ~60% at 1.5× cost. These are real shop floor numbers.

Simple aluminum

3-5 days

Single-setup 3-axis aluminum 6061/7075 parts. Common materials in stock. Most cost-effective path to prototype

Standard steel/stainless

5-7 days

Mild steel, 304/316 stainless. Material often in stock. 3-axis machining typical

Complex 5-axis

7-10 days

Multi-setup or 5-axis simultaneous. Complex geometry, tight tolerances, specialty features

Specialty materials

10-14 days

Inconel, titanium, PEEK — often additional material lead time and slower machining

With finishing

+3-5 days

Anodize, powder coat, plating add time — plan into overall timeline

Rush service

60% of standard

1.5× cost. Simple aluminum in 2 days, standard parts in 3-4 days

02 · Why rapid CNC wins

When rapid machining beats 3D printing.

Real production materials

6061/7075 aluminum, 316L stainless, Ti Gr.5 — behaves like production, not like SLA resin

Tight tolerances

±0.025 mm standard on CNC. 3D printing typical is ±0.1 mm at best on dimensional accuracy

Surface finish

Ra 0.8–1.6 µm single-pass; no layer lines; polishable to Ra 0.1 µm

Threaded features

Real machined threads — not 3D-printed threads that strip on first tightening

Bearing fits

Tight sliding or press fits are achievable on CNC; typically impossible on 3D printing

Weldable

Machined parts weld normally. 3D-printed porosity complicates welding

Fatigue strength

Full wrought-metal fatigue behavior. 3D-printed parts have reduced fatigue due to porosity

Heat treatment

Can heat-treat to T6 after machining. 3D-printed parts lose anisotropic properties after heat treatment

Cost at qty

Above 5-10 pieces, CNC often cheaper than 3D printing per part for metal work

FAQ

Rapid CNC questions.

Yes for simple aluminum parts with material in stock. "Simple" means: 3-axis machining possible, common aluminum grade (6061 or 7075), standard tolerances (±0.05 mm), no complex finishing, single-setup design. About 40% of RFQs fall in this category. Requires PO confirmation and CAD approval by 10 AM Wuxi time to start same-day; ship 3 business days later.

Rush: 1.5× standard cost, ~60% of standard lead time. Simple aluminum: 2 days (vs 3). Standard parts: 3-4 days (vs 5-7). Used when deadlines matter more than cost. Reserved capacity gets scheduled for rush orders — we can't infinitely absorb rush requests, so booking early matters.

We review CAD for manufacturability before starting. If we find issues (tolerance impossible, feature inaccessible, wall thickness problem), we flag immediately with specific recommendations. Typical turnaround: 4 hours from RFQ receipt. If DFM changes needed, we pause the clock until revised CAD arrives — your deadline shifts accordingly.

3D printing wins for: extremely complex internal channels impossible to machine, very low quantity of very complex parts (1-2 unique geometries), geometry with no draft angle accessible for machining. For most engineering prototypes in metal, CNC is faster and better. For plastic prototypes, MJF/SLS nylon is often the right choice.

Yes with rush service. Order Monday morning Wuxi time (Sunday evening US), manufacture Mon-Wed, ship Wednesday via DHL Priority 3-day. Parts arrive Friday or Monday in US. Total 5-8 calendar days from PO to US doorstep. For UK/EU customers: similar 5-7 day total. For Japan/Korea: 4-6 day total.

Simple aluminum bracket (25 mm × 50 mm × 10 mm): $25-50 per part at qty 5. Mid-complexity 6061 housing (100 × 80 × 40 mm): $80-200 per part. Complex 5-axis aerospace bracket: $300-1000+ per part. Rush service adds 50%. Shipping $50-150 depending on weight and destination. Compare to US domestic: typically 2-3× our pricing.