How We Price CNC Machining Jobs

When a client asks me for a CNC machining cost quotation, I need four things before I can give a number that holds. Material, complexity, finish requirements, and volume. Without those, any number is a guess — and I don't operate on guesses.

Material cost is straightforward. Aluminum 6061 runs about $3-5 per kg. 7075 aerospace-grade is 20-35% more. Stainless 304 is roughly 2x the cost of 6061. Titanium is where prices jump — 4x to 6x. Each material also demands different tooling and cycle times, which affects the total quote. I make sure every quotation lists the material cost separately so clients know exactly what they're paying for.

Geometry drives machining time. A flat plate with drilled holes takes 15 minutes of CNC time. A complex housing with tight internal features, threads, and contoured surfaces can take 60-90 minutes. Parts that need 4-axis or 5-axis work add programming time too. If your design has deep cavities or undercuts, expect the quote to reflect the additional passes and special tooling required.

Surface finish. Standard Ra 3.2μm is included in our base pricing. If you need Ra 0.8μm or better, we add a finish pass with a smaller stepover. Mirror finishes requiring polishing or lapping add 15-25% to the machining cost. I've had clients pay for Ra 0.4μm on surfaces that never contact anything — a quick DFM check from our team can save that expense.

Our Shop, Your Advantage

AOOM runs 30+ advanced CNC centers from Mazak and DMG Mori. We have automated tool changers on every machine, which reduces non-cutting time. That efficiency goes straight into our quotes. Compared to shops running older machines with manual tool changes, we quote 10-15% lower on machining time alone.

We use Mastercam for programming and real-time simulation. By the time the tool touches metal, we've already verified the toolpaths offline. That eliminates trial cuts and rework. Every job is right the first time, and that keeps costs down for our clients.

What to Send for an Accurate Quote

Here's exactly what I need from you:

3D CAD files. STEP or IGES. I can work with STL or 2D PDFs, but the quote accuracy improves with a proper 3D model.

Material and cert requirements. Tell me the grade. If certificates of conformance are required, note it. We can supply material certs from our mill sources.

Annual volume. This matters more than the first order quantity. A client projecting 5000 parts per year gets a different rate than one ordering 50 pieces once.

Special tolerances. Our standard is ±0.1mm. If you need ±0.01mm or tighter, I'll tell you the impact on cost before you commit.

We return quotes within 4 hours on most inquiries. Complex multi-material assemblies take longer, but we communicate schedule upfront.

Send your CAD files to chen@aoomtech.com for a quote within 24 hours.