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Fathom CNC Manufacturing //

Nationwide Locations

Certified and Secure High-Precision
CNC Machining Facilities Across the Country

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Or Any of Our 25+ Manufacturing Processes

Fathom CNC Manufacturing //

Rapid Prototyping

Cut through your product ideation timeline with
quotes in seconds, and parts in days.

start a quote for cnc

Or Any of Our 25+ Manufacturing Processes

Fathom CNC Manufacturing //

Bridge to Production

Free Fathom Expert Consultation and
Design for Manufacturability (DFM) Reviews

start a quote for cnc

Or Any of Our 25+ Manufacturing Processes

3 & 5-Axis CNC Machining
Fathom Delivers Precision CNC
As Fast As 5 Days

Cost-Effective, Precision
Manufacturing Of
Plastic Or Metal Parts

Part Of A Secure Facility
And Follows Processes To
Protect Your IP

Extensive Certifications Including
ISO 9001:2015,
ISO 9001:2015 Design,
ISO13485:2016, AS9100:2016,
AS9102, NIST 800-171 and ITAR

Chosen By Top Companies
Across The Us
Including 8 of
The Top 10 Fortune 500
Industrial Companies
*Excluding Service Companies

Why Customers Choose Fathom //

A Differentiated
Customer Experience

We’re not an “upload, pay and ship” manufacturer like so many online.

Our Fathom Experts recognize the value of having design and manufacturing collaboration at any stage in the product development process, and a DfM analysis is available with every quote. Our diverse group of engineers, designers and builders help you navigate the right process, materials and more for each stage of your product development – from design and prototype, to validation for mass-production.

And with easy quoting and intuitive project management tools through our SmartQuote platform, you can move rapidly and confidently through your product’s lifecycle, navigate supply chain distruptions, and to deliver to market blazingly fast.

talk to an expert

Fathom is One of the
Largest & Most Proven

Digital Manufacturing Companies in the United States

With over 530+ machines across 25+ manufacturing processes, Fathom scales with your needs, from prototype, to bridge, to production qualities.

see our full list of processes

Easy Quoting and Project
Management in SmartQuote
Platform, with Access to
Engineering Feedback

Comprehensive and Diverse
Manufacturing Processes,
with 25+ Different
Manufacturing Processes
Across the Fathom Brand

Materials Guide

MATERIAL OPTIMAL
QUANTITY
TOLERANCES
(+/-)
ADVANTAGES &
CONSIDERATIONS
FINISH &
APPEARANCE
Stainless
Steel
1 – 1,000 +/- 0.005”
  • High Strength
  • High Corrosion Resistance
  • High Weldability
  • Standard Machined Finish
  • Tumbled
  • Bead Blasted (Sand or Glass)
  • Painted
  • Powder coat
  • Post Processing Finishes
Material Details

Fathom offers a variety of stainless steels suitable for CNC machining, including:

  • Alloy 302: High carbon alloy. Known for its machinability, toughness, and corrosion resistance. Applications include cryogenic components, items for food and beverage use, and pressure vessels.
  • Alloy 303: Austenitic stainless steel alloy that includes sulfur. Easy to machine, grind, and polish. Applications include architectural components, nuts, bolts, and aerospace parts.
  • Alloy 304: Widely used across a variety of industries. Easy to form, weld, and machine. Applications include sinks, saucepans, and parts for the industrial, architectural, and transportation industries.
  • 17-4 PH Stainless Steel: Also widely used across a variety of industries. Offers hardness, corrosion resistance, and excellent tensile strength. Can be used in high-temperature environments. Applications include chemical processing components, ball bearings, fasteners, and gate valves.
  • Alloy 400 Series: Composed of chromium, carbon, and nickel. Easy to weld. Offers excellent corrosion and wear resistance. Applications include chemical processing components, marine industry, propeller shafts, electronic components, salt and freshwater tanks, and piping.
Low Carbon
Steel
1 – 1,000 +/- 0.005”
  • Common Steel
  • High Machinability and Easy to Weld
  • Can Be Hardened
  • Not Corrosion Resistant
  • Standard Machined Finish
  • Tumbled
  • Bead Blasted (Sand or Glass)
  • Painted
  • Powder coat
  • Post Processing Finishes
Material Details

Fathom offers a variety of low carbon steels suitable for CNC machining, including:

  • Mild Steel 1018: Widely available raw material. Mild steel can be welded and machined. It offers decent strength and ductility. Applications of steel 1018 include shafts, pins, and rods.
  • Mild Steel 1045: High strength, easy to weld and machine, good tensile strength. Applications of 1045 steel include gears, axles, bolts, and support plates.
  • Mild Steel A36: Also known as A36 Hot Roll Steel. Ductile, cost-effective, strong, and easy to weld or machine. Applications include structural components for buildings and bridges.
  • Steel C45: Also known as general carbon engineering steel. Considered medium-strength steel, C45 has excellent tensile properties, good strength and wear resistance, and good machinability. Applications include rods, screws, shafts, knives, and hammers.
  • Steel S355J2: Medium, low-carbon manganese steel. Easy to weld and offers excellent impact resistance. Applications include components for construction, energy, engineering, bridges, railways, and military parts.
  • Steel S235JR: Non-alloy structural steel, popular for construction and civil engineering. Excellent for welding. Applications include components for industrial facilities, offshore structures, bridges, oil and gas.
Aluminum 1 – 1,000 +/- 0.005”
  • High Strength, Low Weight
  • High Machinability
  • Low Cost
  • Standard Machined Finish
  • Tumbled
  • Bead Blasted (Sand or Glass)
  • Painted
  • Powder coat
  • Post Processing Finishes
Material Details

Aluminum is easy to machine and can be cut, chipped, and shaped much faster than other metals. Aluminum has an oxidized outer layer that offers corrosion resistance and is suitable for use in a variety of industries including aerospace, automotive, healthcare, and electronics. Aluminum has a high strength-to-weight ratio, making it perfect for aircraft and automotive pieces. Aluminum is receptive to finishing processes like anodizing and painting. Fathom offers many different types of aluminum for CNC machining, including:

  • Aluminum 6061-T6: Excellent machinability, can be heat-treated, and has a great strength-to-weight ratio. Good for computer parts, automotive parts, bicycle frames.
  • Aluminum 7075-T6: Good for projects that require high-stress and high-performance parts. Great strength-to-weight ratio and hardness but less corrosion-resistant than other aluminum. Good for military parts, missile parts, sporting goods.
  • Aluminum 6060: Has medium strength, good corrosion resistance, easy to weld and form. Common applications include architectural parts, ladders, rails, fences, electronic modules, machinery, automotive, irrigation, pipes, and furniture.
  • Aluminum 6082: Excellent strength and corrosion resistance. Commonly used in the construction industry.
  • Aluminum 5083: Good for parts exposed to extreme environments. Excellent strength, chemical, corrosion, and heat resistance. Used on ships, rail cars, pressure vessels, and vehicles.
  • Aluminum 6063: Used for architectural applications. Offers a good surface finish and excellent corrosion resistance. Easy to weld and anodize. Common applications include window frames, doors, irrigation, and extrusions.
  • Aluminum 5052: Strength can be enhanced with cold working. Easy to weld, corrosion resistant, and medium-to-high strength. Used for fuel tanks, utensils, and fan blades.
  • Aluminum 2024: Excellent choice for aerospace applications. Offers fatigue resistance, fracture toughness, and moderate-to-high strength. Used for aircraft and automotive parts.
  • Aluminum 7050: Should not be welded. Offers toughness, good mechanical strength, and good corrosion resistance. Used for aircraft parts.
  • Aluminum MIC6: Made using alloys and a casting method, resulting in a cast plate with desirable properties. Smooth, light weight, has excellent tolerance and machinability. Free from contaminants. Commonly used in electronics, machining parts, and laser technology.
  • Aluminum 2017: Provides ductility, machinability, corrosion resistance, and great strength. Rivets, fasteners, pulleys, knitting needles, and aerospace parts are all made using aluminum 2017.
  • Aluminum 2014: High-strength applications. Can be heat-treated and offers good machinability. Used for aerospace and defense parts.
Brass 1 – 1,000 +/- 0.005”
  • Corrosion and Chemical Resistant
  • High Density and Strength
  • Non-Conductive
  • Standard Machined Finish
  • Tumbled
  • Bead Blasted (Sand or Glass)
  • Painted
  • Powder coat
  • Post Processing Finishes
Material Details

Brass, an alloy of copper and zinc, is strong, corrosion-resistant, wear-resistant, and has lower friction. Brass offers good machinability and is thermally and electrically conductive. Brass parts are used in a wide variety of industries. Fathom offers many different types of brass for CNC machining, including:

  • Admiralty Brass – C443: Also known as arsenical brass. Alloyed with zinc and tin. Excellent corrosion resistance and heat transfer characteristics. Common applications of include distiller tubes, condenser plates, architectural applications, or any parts that may encounter salt or fresh water.
  • Architectural Bronze – C385: Often referred to as C385 brass. Alloyed with copper, lead, iron, and trace amounts of zinc. Offers long-term durability and excellent corrosion resistance. Applications include shower doors, elevator trim, funeral urns, drawer pulls, valves, and gun sights.
  • Brass Plate / Leaded Muntz Metal – C365: Made from copper, zinc, tin, and lead. Easy to machine, strong, and corrosion-resistant. Applications include parts for the shipbuilding industry, condenser plates, and architectural components.
  • Commercial Bronze – C220: Made from copper, zinc, and tin. Easy to form, corrosion resistant, high strength, and excellent color. Commonly used in lighting fixtures, kick plates, jewelry, medals, hardware, and marine hardware.
  • Free Machining Brass – C360: Alloy of copper and lead. Used to make bar and brass rod items, including machine parts, couplings, circuit boards, industrial hardware, and plumbing products.
  • German Silver / Nickel Silver – C770: Not made of silver. Alloy of copper, zinc, and alloyed nickel. Has a silver-like appearance with excellent strength, corrosion resistance, and electrical conductivity. Often used for decorative applications.
  • High Leaded Brass – Engravers’ Brass – C353: Made from copper, zinc, lead, and trace iron. Stiff, easy to machine and polish. Good for soldering. Applications include hardware, drawer handles, nuts, gears, signs, and placards.
  • Low Leaded Brass – C330: Alloy of copper, lead, iron, and zinc. Offers strength, corrosion resistance, and formability but is not recommended for welding. Used to make tubing.
  • Naval Brass – C464: Commonly used in marine applications. Offers excellent hardness, strength, and corrosion resistance. Can be soldered and brazed. Applications include fasteners, condenser tubes, cannons, and marine hardware.
  • Red Brass – C230: Made from copper and zinc. Strong and corrosion-resistant. Can be cold worked, brazed, soldered, and hot-formed. Used for decorative components, light fixtures, jewelry, sprinklers, and weather stripping.
MATERIAL OPTIMAL
QUANTITY
TOLERANCES
(+/-)
ADVANTAGES &
CONSIDERATIONS
FINISH &
APPEARANCE
HDPE 1 – 100 +/- 0.008”
  • Medium Impact Strength
  • Flexible (Shore D70)
  • FDA Compliant
  • No Water Absorption
  • Standard Machined Finish
  • Tumbled
  • Flame or Vapor Polished (Acrylic Only)
Material Details

High-density polyethylene (HDPE) or polyethylene high-density (PEHD) // Thermoplastic polymer is strong and cost-effective. HDPE has a high strength-to-density ratio allowing it to be used as a replacement for heavier materials. Chemical, mold, corrosion, and impact resistant. Applications include piping, chemical containers, cable insulators, fuel tanks, and toys. HDPE is recyclable.

  • HDPE Matte Sheet // Durable and long-lasting material. Lightweight and can withstand exposure to moisture and the sun. HDPE matte sheet is used to make cutting boards and other products.
  • HDPE Smooth Sheet // Excellent impact strength. Durable material that is chemical, corrosion, and weather resistant. Applications of HDPE smooth sheet include piping systems, fuel tanks, mechanical parts, folding chairs, frozen food molds.
  • HDPE Pipe Grade // Offers chemical and UV resistance. Excellent performance qualities with stress crack resistance. HDPE pipe grade is suitable for outdoor and industrial applications.
  • HDPE Antiskid // Durable material that does not become slippery when wet. Lightweight, resistant to rotting and mold with excellent weathering and impact resistance. HDPE antiskid is suitable for outdoor and marine applications.
  • HDPE ColorCore® // Excellent chemical and impact resistance. Resistant to warp, rot, and abrasion. Suitable for outdoor applications. HDPE ColorCore® is used for marine, recreation, and sign applications.
PC 1 – 100 +/- 0.008”
  • Medium Tensile and High Impact Strength
  • Maintains Properties Over Range of Temperatures
  • High Optical Clarity (Clear)
  • Standard Machined Finish
  • Tumbled
  • Flame or Vapor Polished (Acrylic Only)
Material Details

Polycarbonate (PC) // Transparent thermoplastic polymer. Strong, recyclable, heat and weather resistant. Can be used to make parts that touch food. High impact resistance makes it an excellent glass replacement. Good heat resistance and can be easily shaped without cracking. Applications include safety helmets, face shields, insulators, lenses, packaging, aerospace parts, and automotive parts.

ABS 1 – 100 +/- 0.008”
  • Medium Tensile and High Impact Strength
  • Electrical Insulator
  • High Machinability
  • Low Cost
  • Standard Machined Finish
  • Tumbled
  • Flame or Vapor Polished (Acrylic Only)
Material Details

Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) // Strong and tough. Offers good chemical and thermal stability along with high heat deflection and dimensional stability. ABS has excellent electrical insulation and is suitable for many different environments. Used for pipes, keyboards, and refrigeration parts.

Acrylic 1 – 100 +/- 0.008”
  • High Tensile Strength
  • Can Be Polished for High Optical Clarity
  • Standard Machined Finish
  • Tumbled
  • Flame or Vapor Polished (Acrylic Only)
Material Details

Acrylic // Also known as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). Clear polymer often used as an alternative to glass. Durable and able to withstand extreme weathering. Chemical, shatter, scratch, and UV resistant. Lightweight and tough material that can be used in applications where it must be scratch resistant and stand up to harsh elements. Acrylic has a higher light transmittance than glass. Parts made using acrylic do not lose their brilliance and transparency. Acrylic has a refractive index of 1.49. Applications include contact lenses and glasses, light fixtures, greenhouse panels, screens, syringes, and surgical trays.

Nylon 6/6 1 – 100 +/- 0.008”
  • High Tensile and Medium Impact Strength
  • Maintains Properties Over Range of Temperatures
  • Standard Machined Finish
  • Tumbled
  • Flame or Vapor Polished (Acrylic Only)
Material Details

Nylon 6/6 // Also known as nylon 6-6, nylon 6,6, polyamide 66 or PA 66. Milky white, grey, or black in appearance. Excellent strength and stiffness, lower moisture absorption. Offers chemical, heat, corrosion, and abrasion resistance. Used for medical components, electronics, aerospace, gears, electronic casings, wheels, and other structural components.

Acetal (Delrin®) 1 – 100 +/- 0.008”
  • Medium Tensile and Medium Impact Strength
  • Holds Machining Tolerances Well
  • Good Wear and Fatigue Resistance
  • Standard Machined Finish
  • Tumbled
  • Flame or Vapor Polished (Acrylic Only)
Material Details

Acetal // Also known as Delrin® or polyoxymethylene (POM). Wear and impact resistant. Stiff with excellent dimensional stability and high-tensile strength. Both Acetal and Delrin® are thermoplastics. Acetal is a non-amorphous semi-crystalline. Delrin® is a homopolymer. Acetal has a centerline porosity. Delrin includes PTFE fluorocarbon fibers that confer the same properties as acetal but with the added characteristics of being solid and slippery, eliminating the need for lubrication. Applications include medical device components, conveyor systems, safety restraints, and gears.

ULTEM® 1 – 100 +/- 0.008”
  • High Tensile Strength
  • High Working Temperature Range (335°F)
  • Electrical Insulator
  • High Optical Clarity (Clear)
  • Standard Machined Finish
  • Tumbled
  • Flame or Vapor Polished (Acrylic Only)
Material Details

Ultem // Ultem® is a thermoplastic used to make seals, valves, medical instruments, missile components, electrical hardware, aircraft components and more. Ultem® CNC is perfect for applications that require thermal properties and excellent strength. During CNC machining of Ultem®, a computer directs the machines to subtract material, shaping the part. CNC technology can control lathes, mills, routers, grinders and other machines. Using a single set of prompts, CNC machinery can perform three-dimensional cutting tasks.

  • Ultem® Polyetherimide (PEI) // High strength, long-term heat resistance, and excellent rigidity. Ultem® PEI has great dimensional stability, chemical resistance and flame resistance. Used for parts that require sterilization.
  • Ultem® 1000 // Good electrical properties and dimensional stability, even in high heat environments. Chemical resistance and flame retardance. Used to make components for the aerospace, automotive and HVAC industries.
  • Ultem® 2300 // PEI that is 30% glass. Added glass results in higher dimensional stability. Glass also adds increased rigidity and tensile strength. Used for aircraft, electrical, automotive, and medical applications.
  • Ultem® 2100/2200 // Glass-filled grades of Ultem®. Addition of glass gives tensile strength, stiffness, and dimensional stability. Ultem® 2100 is perfect for applications that require strength and rigidity at high temperatures. Ultem® 2300 is ideal for applications that call for dimensional stability and chemical resistance.
  • Ultem® 2400 // PEI that is 40% glass. High-performance plastic. Particularly useful in medical applications where the component must be repeatedly sterilized.
Tooling Board / Precision Foam 1 – 100 +/- 0.008”
  • High wear
  • High temperature
  • High quallity machined surface
  • Tooling applications
  • Standard Machined Finish
  • Tumbled
  • Flame or Vapor Polished (Acrylic Only)
Material Details

Renshape // Foam tooling and high temp boards. Renshape is a high wear high temperature application board that represents great tooling aspects at light weight with strong durablilty.

Fathom provide leading CNC machining services with a national footprint offering both metal CNC machining and plastic CNC machining. Need a material not listed? Talk to a Fathom Expert!

Fathom Invests in
Sought-After Technologies

Depending on your project needs, let’s talk about which CNC is best suited for your project. Fathom’s machine list ranges from 3-5 axis mills and lathes, to swiss screw machines for fast turn precision and medical-grade projects, using the latest software programming, and operated by highly skilled CNC technicians.

REQUEST OUR MACHINE LIST

TOLERANCES
BY MACHINE
3-AXIS 5-AXIS EDM TURNING WATER JET PLASMA
PART SIZE
MAXIMUM
X 4191mm (165in)
Y 1600mm (63in)
Z 762mm (30in)
X 762mm (30in)
Y 508mm (20in)
Z 508mm (20in)
X 698.5mm (27.5in)
Y 393.7mm (15.5in)
Z 393.7mm (15.5in)
DIA 609.6mm (24in)
X 381mm (15in)
Y 381mm (15in)
Z 355.6mm (14in)
X 3048mm (120in)
Y 1524mm (60in)
X 3048mm (120in)
Y 1524mm (60in)
MATERIAL
CHOICE
Metal or Plastic Metal or Plastic Metal Metal or Plastic Metal or Plastic Metal
STANDARD
TOLERANCE
Metal //
0.13 mm
0.005 in
Plastic //
0.2 mm
0.008 in
Metal //
0.13 mm
0.005 in
Plastic //
0.2 mm
0.008 in
Metal //
0.13 mm
0.005 in
Metal //
0.13 mm
0.005 in
Plastic //
0.2 mm
0.008 in
Metal //
0.13 mm
0.005 in
Plastic //
0.2 mm
0.008 in
Metal //
0.13 mm
0.005 in
LEAD
TIME
As Soon As
5 Days
As Soon As
5 Days
As Soon As
5 Days
As Soon As
5 Days
As Soon As
5 Days
As Soon As
5 Days

Post Processing
& Finishing

Post processing is an easy way to ensure a uniform appearance from part to part.

The final step in any CNC machining project will be finishing. Some CNC machines, like the CNC mill, may leave visible tool makrs on the piece after production. Tool marks may vary from slight to obvious, depending on the material and CNC process. Post processing is available for plastic and metal parts. This can include bead blasting to remove tool marks, or painting to achieve a desired color.

Finishes for Metal

  • Standard Machined Finish
  • Tumbled
  • Bead Blasted (Sand or Glass)
  • Polished
  • Anodized
  • Chemical Film
  • Passivation
  • Powder Coating
  • Electro Polishing
  • Electroless Nickel Plating
  • Silver Plating
  • Gold Plating
  • Painting

Finishes for Plastic

  • Standard Machined Finish
  • Flame or Vapor Polished (Acrylic Only)
  • Powder Coating
  • Tumbled
  • Painting

CNC Machining FAQ

CNC Machining with Fathom Manufacturing

Fathom’s manufacturing network has several locations across the United States with CNC capabilities. Our CNC locations are:

ARIZONA
Fathom Tempe // 444 W. 21st St. Ste. 101, Tempe, AZ 85282
FLORIDA
Fathom Miami // 14000 N.W. 58th Court, Miami Lakes, FL 33014
ILLINOIS
Fathom McHenry // 1207 Adams Drive, McHenry, IL 60051
Fathom Elk Grove // 1401 Brummel Ave, Elk Grove, IL 60007
MINNESOTA
Fathom Ham Lake // 13758 Johnson Street NE, Ham Lake, MN 55304
TEXAS
Fathom Round Rock // 1513 Sam Bass Rd, Round Rock, TX 78681
WISCONSIN
Fathom Headquarters // 1050 Walnut Ridge Drive, Hartland, WI 53029

Yes, our CNC machining team is part of a secure facility and follows processes to protect your IP. Fathom’s extensive certifications include ISO 9001:2015, ISO 9001:2015 Design, ISO 13485:2016, AS9100:2016, NIST 800-171, and ITAR.

Our SmartQuote online platform allows companies to quickly upload a CAD file into our system to receive a quote, tracks quotes, view order progress, and consult directly with Fathom experts.

Depending on complexity, CNC quotes can be returned as quickly as 1 hour, and CNC parts delivered as soon as 5-days.

Fathom has numerous CNC machines, including 3-, 4- and 5-axis vertical and high precision mills, Swiss screw machines and more. Request our full machine list.

Yes, we offer manufacturing across 25+ manufacturing processes including additive manufacturing, metal cutting & forming, injection molding and urethane casting, in addition to CNC machining. View our complete capabilities here.

General CNC Machining

Work Holding // The geometry of the part will dictate how it will be positioned on the CNC machine and the amount of setup required. Manually repositioning a part can increase the chance of error. Repositioning will impact not only accuracy but may increase the cost of the project.

Tool Stiffness // The tool used to cut the part may vibrate during operation. Tool stiffness may result in loose tolerances.

Work Piece Stiffness // Temperatures and cutting forces that arise during machining may cause the work piece to vibrate, resulting in deformities. Prevent work piece stiffness by ensuring the design specifications call for the minimum wall thickness and a maximum aspect ratio of tall features.

Tool Geometry // CNC machine cutting tools have a cylindrical shape and a flat or rounded end. This can restrict the possible geometry of CNC machined parts. The inside vertical corners of the part will have a radius, even if a small cutting tool is used. Sharp inside corners may be difficult to achieve.

Tool Access // The work piece cannot be machined if the cutting tool is unable to reach a surface. This places a limitation on parts that require hidden, internal geometries and sets a limit on the maximum depth of an undercut. Consider metal 3D printing using Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) for parts with complex geometries, internal cavities, and deep undercuts. DMLS is capable of producing high-density metal parts in a variety of materials.

The cost of a custom CNC turning project depends on the complexity of the design, chosen materials, order quantity, turnaround time, and other factors. For an accurate quote, submit your file to our SmartQuote platform.

CNC machining is a manufacturing process capable of producing precision parts with tighter tolerances in metal and plastic. CNC machining is used across a wide variety of industries for prototyping and production runs. The advantages of CNC machining include:

Precise Parts // CNC machining is capable of precision manufacturing. CNC machines are computer controlled. This eliminates the possibility of human error. CNC machining has a standard tolerance of 0.005 in. (0.13 mm) for metal parts and 0.008 in. (0.2 mm) for plastic parts. Tighter tolerances can be achieved depending on the material and manufacturing process.

Large, Scalable Volumes // CNC machining can take a part from prototype to production very quickly. The manufacturing process is highly repeatable and can produce the exact same part over and over again.

Variety of Shapes, Sizes, and Textures // Parts of differing shapes, sizes, and textures can be made with CNC machining. All options will be material dependent.

Easy Reorders // Reorder is easy. Fathom will already have the CAD file from the previous order. Simply contact the experts at Fathom to get the process started. Production can begin almost immediately if the desired material is in stock and the required machine is available.

Quick Turnaround Times // CNC machining is a fast and efficient manufacturing process. CNC machining does not require expensive and time-consuming setup like some other manufacturing processes. Manufacturing can begin once the CAD file has been received and approved.

Lower Costs with Greater Efficiencies // CNC machining is extremely cost efficient and can be used to great advantage for prototyping or small production runs. There is no expensive tooling, no need for molds, and pieces can be put into use almost immediately after production.

The applications of CNC machining are nearly limitless. CNC machining can be used to produce a wide range of parts from a variety of materials. Fast turnaround times, efficient manufacturing and ease of use make CNC machining the ideal choice for prototyping and low volume production runs. CNC machining is commonly used in aerospace, automotive, consumer, industrial, medical, and technology sectors.

Aerospace // CNC machining is widely used in the aerospace industry. Aerospace applications require extremely precise and lightweight parts. CNC machining is capable of producing these parts in a variety of materials.

Automotive // Like the aerospace industry, the automotive sector also values parts that are precise and lightweight. CNC machining is used for automotive prototyping and production. Metal can be machined for various components including gear boxes, cylinders, and axels. Plastic can be machined for interior components for the dashboard, gauges, and trim.

Consumer // CNC machining is widely used for prototyping and production of consumer products. Both metal and plastic are produced for consumer products. CNC prototyping is an excellent way to provide physical examples for investors and advance marketing. Examples of CNC machining in consumer products includes housing, fixtures, and components. A popular example would be the bodies of some cell phones and laptop computers. These are typically machined out of aluminum.

Industrial // CNC machining is widely used for industrial purposes, both as a manufacturing method in itself and as a way to create components to aide industrial manufacturing. CNC machining is a mainstay in industrial manufacturing due to its ease of use, repeatability, and precision.

Medical // CNC machining is used in the medical sector to create components for medical devices and medical implants. CNC machining in plastic is used to create components for medical devices. CNC machines can work with a variety of materials that have been approved for close contact with the human body. CNC machining is an easy way to prototype medical devices before moving to full production. CNC machines can work with the same materials that are used in injection molding. CNC machining in metal is an ideal manufacturing method for creating medical implants. CNC machines offer the precision and repeatability necessary to manufacture medical implants. Examples include replacement hips and kneecaps, screws, pins, and rods. Fathom Digital Manufacturing is ISO 13485:2016 certified. This certification is required to machine medical implants.

Technology // CNC machining is widely used in emerging technology sectors for prototyping and small production runs. Fast turn around and low cost set up make CNC machining an ideal manufacturing technique for the fast-paced technology sector. CNC machining can be used to create prototypes to show potential investors and help raise venture capital. Design reiterations are easy to implement with simple changes to the CAD file.

What Can You
Fathom?

Companies all over the world trust Fathom with CNC machining projects that are time-sensitive, production run related, need strict security and certifications, and involve high-complexity and/or require high-precision. We’re driven to provide a DIFFERENTIATED customer experience with speed, urgency & agility.

Start a quote today or talk with one of our experts!

fathom yellow color logo
fathom yellow color logo