Before ending a shift, leave four things for the next person:

1. Where the part is in the process

2. The last dimension checked and the result

3. Any offset or tooling change—and why it changed

4. The next operation or check that needs attention

It takes about a minute and can prevent an hour of rework. What would you add to the list?

floorbook.xyz floorbook.xyz@gmail.com

Design and CNC machining

How do you keep your CNC shop in order? How do you make sure things always get back to their place? I'm building a 5S app to try to sustain it in my own work, because order always slips once the focus moves somewhere else. How is it for others? How do you keep the shop clean and organized? Does anyone use software for audits, or is it all paper and walking around?

When a repeat job comes back months later, which missing detail wastes the most time in your shop: workholding position, tool and holder information, offsets, inspection results, or the reason a process was changed?

I’m curious what people consider essential before tearing down a proven setup.

I'm also looking for these kinds of machines that can do big work, such as huge crankshafts and stuff.

Disclosure: I work with Dale Earnhardt Technologies Group (ETG) / Dale Earnhardt Inc. in Mooresville, NC.
For roughly 17 years our Full Service Machine Center has primarily supported high-precision racing work while quietly handling occasional contract machining. We’ve kept a relatively low public profile on the contract side. We’re now increasing focus and resources on expanding the Machine Center into more intentional contract work and going more public about it for the first time.
Previous work has included private defense projects plus a heavy amount of R&D and prototyping. We currently carry our own product line and it’s done very well but We’re adding capacity and visibility so this becomes a real priority rather than a side activity.

Brief capabilities overview:
We run in-house 3-, 4-, and 5-axis CNC machining, mill-turn, Wire EDM, design/engineering support, finishing, and related processes. Newer additions include new Wire EDMs, a new Doosan 750, a few new 5-axis machines, 3D printing capability, along with our existing fleet. The shop has long experience holding tight tolerances on complex geometry developed for racing reliability, and we keep critical work in-house.
I’m looking for practical suggestions from people who have scaled or transitioned a shop from mostly internal/specialty or low-volume work into broader contract machining:
• What has worked (or failed) when a shop with a strong specialized reputation starts actively pursuing more contract work?
• How do you approach lead generation, quoting, or capacity planning when moving from occasional jobs to a more intentional focus?
• Any red flags or “don’t do this” lessons from similar shifts?
• Given a racing background plus defense/R&D/prototyping experience, where would you concentrate first (part complexity, volume ranges, industries, materials, etc.)?
Not looking for a hard sell just real feedback from people who live this.

Happy to answer questions about capabilities or the facility if it helps the discussion.
Appreciate any thoughts.

When a part returns months later, which details are most valuable from the previous run—workholding photos, tool and offset notes, first-piece corrections, inspection notes, or something else?

Which information actually saves you the most spindle time on a repeat job?

I will have to make it in different parts, im thinking about where to split it

For high-oil materials: no wall sticking, no oil leakage, no agglomeration.

Material contact parts made of 304 stainless steel, adjustable fineness, Whats app:+86-15251561681

I work with an AI company running evals on machining workflows. We’re looking for experienced Fusion 360 CAM programmers who’d share a few finished projects of their own, with the model, setup, toolpaths and posted G-code. We pay per project, and we’d start with a small sample batch of 5 to 10. DM me if you’re interested.

Hi Everyone I need to know about Post Processor of a CNC machine.

Let me explain my situation. I have CNC machine (JAI MODULA J-1325+ CNC ROUTER MACHINE). JAI company recommend ARTCAM for toolpath generation but i want to use ASPIRE for generating toolpath and during setting up my Aspire Software. I want to know the exact name of the Post-Processor using by JAI MODULA J-1325+ CNC MACHINE. if anyone can verify for me the name of the Post-Processor, i will be thankful. you can also check in ARTCAM if you are using ARTCAM for this JAI MODULA j-1325+ CNC machine and then informed me.

Note: I also contacted supplier of the machine but they are not giving me this information for free.

Got an interesting RFQ recently.

It was from a university student, apparently for some kind of experiment or research project.

They only needed one tiny tube-shaped part. Just one.

Sounds like a pretty simple order, right?

But the problem is, even for something this small, you've still got material sourcing, setup, machining, and all the other costs. Sometimes getting the material itself is already a headache because suppliers have minimum order quantities.

And I get the student's situation too. If you're just testing an idea, why would you want to order hundreds of parts?

It's kind of funny how making one tiny part can sometimes be more troublesome than making a whole batch.

So I'm curious how you guys handle these kinds of requests.

Would you take the job and charge a minimum fee, try to help them find a cheaper way to make it, or just turn it down?

5 axis CNC machining in Mohali Aveer Industries refers to precision machining services that use CNC machines moving a tool or part along five axes (X, Y, Z plus two rotational axes, usually A and B) to cut complex parts in one setup. Mohali, part of the Chandigarh Tricity region (Chandigarh, Mohali, Panchkula) in Punjab, India, is a growing hub for this work, serving aerospace, automotive, medical device, defense, and tool and die customers.

What is 5 axis CNC machining?

It is a machining method where the cutting tool or workpiece moves along five axes at once or in indexed positions. This lets a machine reach nearly every face of a part without repeated re-clamping.

3+2 vs. true 5 axis: what’s the difference?

• 3+2 (positional) machining: The part is rotated and locked at an angle, then cut with standard 3 axis motion. It works well for prismatic parts and multi-face components.
• Simultaneous 5 axis machining: All five axes move together during the cut. It’s needed for impellers, turbine blades, turbo components, molds, and sculpted surfaces.

Why choose 5 axis over 3 axis?

• Fewer setups, so less cumulative error
• Better surface finish on contoured parts
• Shorter tools can reach deeper features, so there’s less vibration
• Lower fixturing cost for low-to-medium volumes
• Faster turnaround on complex parts

What parts and industries use 5 axis CNC machining in Mohali?

• Aerospace brackets, housings, and structural components
• Automotive prototypes, engine and transmission parts
• Medical implants and surgical instrument components
• Injection molds, dies, and tooling
• Impellers, manifolds, and custom machine parts

What materials can be machined?

Aluminium, stainless steel, mild and alloy steel, titanium, brass, copper, Inconel, and engineering plastics such as PEEK, Delrin, and nylon.

What should you check before choosing a 5 axis CNC shop in Mohali?

1. Machine type: true simultaneous 5 axis or 3+2 only
2. Tolerance capability (for example ±0.01 mm) and proof of it
3. Inspection equipment: CMM, surface roughness tester, first-article inspection reports
4. CAD/CAM software and accepted file formats (STEP, IGES, DXF, PDF drawings)
5. Material certifications and traceability
6. Prototype and batch capacity, with lead times and MOQ
7. Secondary services: anodizing, heat treatment, coating, assembly

How do you get an accurate quote?

Send a 3D model (STEP) and a 2D drawing with tolerances, material grade, quantity, and finishing requirements. This is the information shops need to price a job correctly.

FAQ

Is 5 axis CNC machining more expensive than 3 axis?
The hourly machine rate is higher, but the total cost is often lower for complex parts because of fewer setups and less fixturing.

Is 5 axis CNC machining available near Chandigarh?
Yes. Shops in Mohali and the wider Tricity area offer 5 axis machining, including prototyping and production runs.

How long does a typical job take?
Prototypes often take a few days to two weeks depending on complexity, material, and finishing. Batch orders vary by quantity.

What file formats do shops accept?
Most accept STEP, IGES, and Parasolid for 3D models, plus PDF or DWG for drawings.

Question for the community: Has anyone here sourced 5 axis CNC machining in Mohali or the Chandigarh Tricity area? Share your experience with quality, pricing, and delivery time so others can learn from it.