Manufacturing process overview

Five manufacturing routes, one clear overview.

Explore CNC machining, 3D printing, sheet metal, injection molding and rapid prototyping. Review service scope, material requirements and design considerations, then explore a process or submit drawings for a quote.

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01 / Manufacturing capabilities

Five manufacturing processes

Process guides
CNC machining
01 / Manufacturing capabilities

CNC machining

Functional metal and engineering plastic parts with defined requirements for fit, strength and critical dimensions.

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Material selection

Evaluate aluminum alloys, stainless steel, steel, copper alloys and suitable engineering plastics by grade. Specify strength, corrosion, temperature and heat-treatment condition rather than material name alone.

Check before designing

Internal corners depend on cutter radius. Deep narrow pockets, thin walls and difficult workholding can add operations or require design changes.

Process options 3

CNC milling

Creates faces, holes, slots, pockets and profiles. Cutter diameter and access constrain internal features.

CNC turning

Machines shafts, sleeves and flanges around a rotational axis. Non-rotational features may require additional milling.

Multi-axis machining

Changes tool-to-part orientation to evaluate complex surfaces or multiple faces. It is not automatically the most economical route.

Industrial 3D printing
02 / Manufacturing capabilities

Industrial 3D printing

Complex geometries, appearance models and iterative designs for shape and functional validation.

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Material selection

Match material to the printing process: FDM thermoplastics, SLA photopolymers, SLS/MJF polymer powders and metal powders. Similar names do not establish equivalent properties.

Check before designing

Layer properties, surface texture and accuracy depend on the specific technology. Enclosed cavities need support, powder or resin removal strategies; critical faces may need machining.

Process options 5

FDM extrusion

Deposits thermoplastic along toolpaths for shape and assembly concepts. Consider layer texture, orientation and thermal distortion.

SLA photopolymerization

Cures resin to reproduce details. Confirm cleaning, curing, support marks and resin suitability for the environment.

SLS laser sintering

Builds polymer parts in a supporting powder bed. Internal cavities need powder-removal and cleaning access.

MJF powder-bed fusion

Forms polymer parts using powder and fusing agents. Confirm material, surface texture and post-processing requirements.

Metal powder-bed fusion

Evaluate complex metal structures with supports, residual stress, heat treatment and secondary machining of critical surfaces included.

Sheet metal fabrication
03 / Manufacturing capabilities

Sheet metal fabrication

Enclosures, brackets and sheet structures made through cutting, bending and assembly.

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Material selection

Evaluate steel, stainless or aluminum sheet by grade, thickness, supply condition and formability. Consider bending, welding and corrosion protection together.

Check before designing

Check bend radius, springback, hole distance from bends and tooling interference. Thickness is generally constrained by the chosen sheet stock.

Process options 4

Cutting and flat patterns

Prepare flat patterns around thickness, holes and forming needs. Verify developed dimensions together with bend allowances.

CNC bending

Forms angles and profiles. Review bend sequence, springback and tooling interference.

Joining and assembly

Select welding, self-clinching hardware or fasteners for load and appearance. Confirm locations, distortion control and serviceability.

Surface finishing

Evaluate powder coating, paint or compatible metal treatments for the base material and environment, with masking areas specified.

Tooling & injection molding
04 / Manufacturing capabilities

Tooling & injection molding

Stable plastic part designs where lifecycle demand can justify tooling and scheduled production batches.

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Material selection

Evaluate specific ABS, PC, PP, PA or POM grades for shrinkage, flow, temperature and flame requirements. Rely on material data and validation for performance.

Check before designing

Draft, wall transitions, gates, parting lines and undercuts affect tool design. Revisions may require tool modification or replacement.

Process options 3

Tool development

From product DFM and parting/gate strategy to tool manufacture. Confirm critical appearance surfaces and dimensions first.

Mold trials and sample approval

Use samples, measurements and molding issues to refine the plan. Approve samples and revision before scheduling subsequent batches.

Molding and downstream operations

Produce with the approved material and process, adding trimming, printing, assembly and inspection as agreed.

Rapid prototyping
05 / Manufacturing capabilities

Rapid prototyping

Build samples for appearance, assembly and functional validation by combining CNC prototypes, 3D printing, silicone-mold casting and finishing around product-development needs.

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Material selection

Choose machined stock, printing materials or casting resins for the validation goal. Looking like a production part does not establish equal strength, temperature resistance or life.

Check before designing

Rapid prototyping is a development service combining processes, not a single forming method. Casting resins and printed materials may differ from production materials; paint, plating and bonding can affect dimensions. Define display features separately from functional and assembly requirements.

Process options 4

CNC prototypes

Validate dimensions, assembly and function in machinable materials. Check material condition and finishing effects.

3D printed prototypes

Validate appearance, spatial layout or complex structures. Match printed material and orientation to the test goal.

Silicone-mold casting

Replicates samples from a master and silicone mold. Review casting material, shrinkage, mold condition and batch consistency.

Appearance and assembly models

Combine paint, texture, printing, bonding or assembly. Set acceptance with reference samples and distinguish display from functional requirements.

02 / Compare processes

Compare engineering trade-offs, not rankings.

ProcessHow it forms a partNeeds worth evaluatingCost and scheduling factors
CNC machiningRemoves material from stock by cuttingFunctional parts, mating surfaces, specified metals or plasticsWorkholding, toolpaths, machining time and material utilization
Industrial 3D printingBuilds a part layer by layerComplex geometry, iterative validation and internal structuresBuild volume, orientation, supports, finishing and batching
Sheet metal fabricationCuts sheet, then bends or joins itEnclosures, brackets, panels and sheet structuresThickness, nesting, bend count and joining operations
Tooling & injection moldingFills a mold with molten material and cools itStable plastic designs with demand that can justify toolingTooling, trials, cavity count, cycle time and revisions
Rapid prototypingCombines machining, printing or silicone-mold casting with finishingProduct reviews, appearance and assembly checks, functional samplesValidation scope, masters and molds, finishing and assembly work

There is no universal quantity crossover or guaranteed tolerance for a process. Feasibility, pricing and lead time depend on drawing review and the confirmed quote.

Process guides
03 / Prepare a request

Align these four requirements before quoting.

01

Material and environment

Specify grade, loading, temperature, chemical exposure and appearance. Similarly named printed, molded and machined materials are not necessarily equivalent.

02

Critical features and acceptance

Mark datums, mating surfaces, tolerances and inspection requirements. Avoid applying the tightest tolerance to every dimension.

03

Quantity and revisions

Compare the current batch and expected lifetime demand. Include fixtures, finishing, inspection and design changes in total cost.

04

Delivery and downstream work

State target dates, finishes, assembly, packaging and split shipments. Production time is not the same as final delivery time.

Start a quoteResource centerSupporting engineering services

Take your shortlist into engineering review.

Upload models and necessary 2D drawings with critical requirements. If the process is uncertain, share the application so the options can be reviewed.

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Manufacturing process overview | AgileMakeAI