CNC Milling Services

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Ardel Engineering and Manufacturing specializes in precision CNC machining for plastics, metals, and engineering-grade materials. For over 40 years, we have solved challenges for customers across diverse industries, and this has built our reputation of high quality, efficiency, customer service, and on-time delivery.

We regularly add new equipment to enhance the quality and efficiency of our products. This ensures we exceed our customers’ expectations and produce products that can compete in the modern marketplace. Here you’ll learn about our CNC milling services, including materials used, specifications we can meet, and the common industries that rely on our services.

What Is CNC Milling?

Computer numerical control (CNC) milling is a machining process that uses a spindle-mounted, computer-controlled cutting tool to remove material from a workpiece, creating a finished product. Manufacturers prefer this automated machining process due to its efficiency, precision, and cost-effectiveness.

Conventional manual machining relies on human operators to direct and control machining tools such as mills, lathes, and drilling machines. The operator is responsible for controlling the intensity and movement of the cutting tool as it contacts the workpiece, using buttons, wheels, or levers as needed. The quality of a conventionally milled product depends on the skill of the operator, which naturally varies from one operator to another.

Compared to conventional manual machining, CNC milling is quicker, more precise, and repeatable. A single operator can oversee multiple CNC milling machines, rather than having an operator for each manual milling machine. The quality of a product manufactured through CNC milling is the same with every iteration, reducing the risk of human error.

Vertical and Horizontal Milling

The two main types of milling machines are vertical and horizontal. Vertical milling uses a vertically oriented spindle holding a cutting tool that rotates around a stationary workpiece. The spindle moves up and down, pressing against the workpiece to remove material and create the required part geometry. Horizontal milling uses a horizontally oriented tool to cut away material from the workpiece to achieve the desired design and dimensions.

CNC Milling Materials

CNC milling machines can process a variety of materials. Some common materials used in CNC milling are:

Delrin^®: This plastic material is designed for easy machinability. Its low friction, dimensional stability, and high stiffness are ideal for high-performance engineered parts.
UHMWPE: Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is a rigid plastic with high wear resistance and abrasion. These properties make it suitable for wear strips, machinery parts, chain guides, and more.
Aluminum: One of the most common machinable aluminum alloys is aluminum 6061, which contains iron, silicon, and magnesium. These alloying elements make the material resistant to corrosion. Aluminum also has a good strength-to-weight ratio, so it is a preferred choice for automotive and aerospace applications.
Brass: Brass is a copper-zinc alloy that usually doesn’t require lubrication before machining due to its softness. It is also easily workable at room temperature and produces moderate-strength components.
Steel: Common grades of mild steel used in milling include 4130, 4140, 1018, 1215, and carbon steel. They have varying degrees of toughness and resistance to abrasion and impact, depending on your application’s needs.
Stainless steel: Different types of stainless steel are used in CNC milling, such as 303, 316, and 416. They have different alloy compositions that make them ideal for various applications.

CNC Milling Specifications

Our vertical and horizontal CNC milling machines can hold tight tolerances, including diameters of 0.0002”, profiles down to 0.0015”, positional down to 0.0014”, and flatness down to 0.002”. We can maintain these precise tolerances for different metals, exotic metals, plastics, and other materials.

Our lead times are quick, and jobs are quoted on a job-by-job basis. We also accept emergency and rush services.

We also comply with standards set out by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program (NADCAP), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and more.

What Industries Use CNC Milling?

Our CNC milling capabilities serve a variety of industries, including:

Aerospace: The aerospace industry is one of the largest markets we serve. As an aerospace manufacturer, we use CNC machining to create critical aircraft components, such as landing gear, turbines, actuators, motion controls, fuselage parts, engine casings, and more.
Commercial: Ardel works closely with OEMs like Westinghouse and Honeywell to create CNC machined parts for commercial products.
Electronics: Our precision CNC machining services are crucial to creating modern electronics, which contain many miniature, high-performance parts.
Medical: Medical components and devices are often made of specialized materials with tighter tolerances. Ardel Engineering can meet these needs with our CNC machining and Swiss screw machines, producing parts for blood purification systems, hospital equipment, pulse meters, and more.
Telecommunications: Our CNC milling capabilities serve the telecommunications industry with reliable, high-quality components for antennas, routers, networking devices, and panel frames.
Transportation: Like the aerospace industry, the transportation and automotive industry requires reliable, precise components to ensure passenger safety. Ardel produces automotive frames, trim, fixtures, and more.
Technology and security: Ardel serves the technology and security sectors with high-quality CNC milled parts to keep people safe in person and online.

Learn More About CNC Milling

If you want to learn more about Ardel Engineering and Manufacturing’s CNC milling capabilities, please refer to the following resources: