CNC machining cuts your part from a solid block of metal or engineering plastic, so it has the strength of the real material. We hold ±0.10 mm on most work and turn most parts around in 3 days, with a 24-hour rush when you need it.
We machine prototypes and short runs in our workshop in Whittlesford, Cambridge. These are the figures we work to; we confirm them for your part when we quote.
| What you need to know | Our CNC service |
|---|---|
| Standard turnaround | 3 days for most parts |
| Rush option | 24 hours, when you need it sooner |
| Tolerance | ±0.10 mm on most work; tighter on request |
| Machines | Haas VF-2SS 4-axis mills (762 × 406 × 508 mm travel) and a Haas SC10 lathe |
| Materials in stock | Aluminium, steels, stainless steel (303, 304, 316, 440), brass, PEEK, ABS, nylon, POM (acetal), polycarbonate and acrylic |
| Quantities | One-off prototypes to bridge production runs of 1 to 500+ |
| Finishing and assembly | In-house painting and colour matching, polishing, bead blasting and assembly, so parts arrive ready to test or show |
| Files | STEP, IGES or DWG preferred; most CAD formats accepted |
| Quality | ISO 9001 certified (certificate 7774); Certificates of Conformity on request |
We machine metal and plastic to exact specifications, from aerospace components to consumer product prototypes, with the precision and repeatability the job demands.
Haas VF-2SS 4-axis mills, 762 x 406 x 508 mm travel
Haas SC10 lathe
Milling, pillar drills, lathes, grinding, band saws and finishing, all in-house
Hayter lawn mowers: a petrol and an electric prototype built from multiple CNC-machined components in production materials and painted in the production colours. Both ran with a blade and cut grass.
Heart valve exhibition figures: three full-size male bodies CNC machined in clear acrylic for a maker of replacement heart valves, with a chest cavity cover held by near-invisible magnets and clear SLA hearts inside.
Acrylic ice sculpture: a large block of acrylic machined over multiple set-ups, then hand finished to a flawless, glass-like replica of ice.
Chrome whisky bottle case: a looks-like prototype machined in acrylic, with every facet polished and vacuum plated to a mirror finish. It led to the tooling order and a run of 1,000 plated injection mouldings, assembled onto the bottles in our workshop.
Parts machined from solid, to drawing
For prototypes and production parts in aerospace, medical and consumer products, where the part has to behave like the real thing
We machine to tight tolerances and hold them consistently.
Aluminium, steels, stainless steel (303, 304, 316 and 440), brass, ABS, nylon, POM (acetal), polycarbonate, acrylic and PEEK, all held in stock.
Most parts are turned around in 3 days. If you need it sooner, a 24-hour rush service is available.
Custom and bespoke machining for complex parts
CNC milling and turning in Cambridge. We specialise in one-off and complex parts in a specific material: concept models, prototype components and parts that other shops turn down. We machine production materials such as PEEK and stainless steel, and finish parts to production standard in our own workshop.
Making the Right Choice with Material Selection
3D printing is quick, but a printed resin is never quite the production material. When a part has to be tested for strength, heat, chemical resistance or wear, CNC machining lets you test the real thing: aluminium, stainless steel, PEEK or the engineering plastic you will mould in.
We machine complex geometries on 4-axis mills and our lathe, so you can trial parts and assemblies in the intended materials, for testing or for short production runs, and then have them finished in-house to look like the final product.
We machine to tight tolerances and verify every part. The numbers below show the standards we work to every day.
Send us your drawings or specifications and we will quote the job within two working days.
Send us the difficult parts
Functional prototypes, full-scale display models and detailed one-off components are our everyday work. If a part needs machining, hand finishing and assembly, we can do all three under one roof.
How we work
The person who runs your job talks to you directly, from quote to delivery. If a feature is hard to machine or a tolerance is tighter than the part needs, we will tell you before we cut metal, and suggest a cheaper way to get the same result.
Find answers about our CNC capabilities, materials, and what we need from you.
CNC stands for computer numerical control. A CNC machine cuts a part from a solid block of metal or plastic, with the cutting tool moved by a program made from your CAD. We mill and turn on Haas machines, including 4-axis mills, and hold ±0.10 mm on most work.
Yes. We CNC machine, 3D print and vacuum cast in our Whittlesford workshop, then paint, polish, fit inserts, apply logos and assemble in-house. One supplier can take your part from first prototype to a finished assembly, including parts that combine machined and printed components.
Aluminium, steels, stainless steel (303, 304, 316 and 440), brass, ABS, nylon, POM (acetal), polycarbonate, acrylic and PEEK, all held in stock. Tell us what the part has to do and we will recommend a material.
In milling, a rotating cutter moves across a fixed block to cut faces, pockets and holes. In turning, the workpiece spins on a lathe while the tool cuts round features such as shafts and bores. We mill on Haas VF-2SS 4-axis mills and turn on a Haas SC10 lathe.
A 4-axis mill adds a rotary axis to the usual three, so the part can turn while it is being cut. That lets us machine several sides and features around a part in fewer set-ups. Our Haas VF-2SS mills are 4-axis.
Our Haas VF-2SS mills have 762 × 406 × 508 mm of travel. Some larger parts can be machined over several set-ups, as with the large acrylic ice sculpture we made. Send the drawing and we will confirm what is possible.
It depends on the test. CNC machining gives you the real material, so it suits parts that must be tested for strength, heat, chemical resistance or wear. 3D printing is usually faster and cheaper for complex shapes and early form checks. We do both, so we recommend the process for each part.
It depends on the material, the size and complexity of the part, the tolerances, the quantity and the finish. We quote each job from your drawing or CAD. A very tight deadline that needs overtime or overnight work may carry an extra charge, which we confirm in the quote. See what affects the price.
Yes. We machine in our workshop in Whittlesford, near Cambridge, a short walk from Whittlesford Parkway station. We deliver overnight across the UK, offer same-day delivery locally, or you can collect.
Yes. One-off and complex parts in a specific material are our everyday work: concept models, prototype components and parts that other shops turn down. There is no minimum order.
Yes. We machine trial parts and short production runs in the intended material, and finish them in-house to look like the final product. For larger numbers of plastic parts, we compare machining with vacuum casting and recommend the cheaper route.
Yes. We machine acrylic and polish it to a clear, glass-like finish. Examples include full-size clear acrylic figures for a heart valve maker, a large acrylic ice sculpture and a faceted whisky bottle case that was polished and vacuum plated to a mirror finish.
Yes. We CNC machine components from solid PEEK for demanding thermal environments, including medical device prototypes. We recommend checking the grade's data sheet with us before we start. See medical device prototyping.
We paint, polish and hand finish machined parts in our own workshop, including paint matched to Pantone or RAL references and polished clear acrylic. Tell us which faces are seen and handled so we can plan the finish. See painting and finishing.
Prototype components in production materials, working assemblies such as the two petrol and electric mowers we built for Hayter, clear display models, and short runs of production parts. Machined parts can be combined with 3D printed and vacuum cast parts in one assembly.
Reach out and we'll answer what you need to know.
