CNC Machining Materials for Custom Metal & Plastic Parts
Choose a CNC material with the right balance of strength, tolerance stability, surface finish, machining cost and lead time. Send your CAD files and Baosheng engineers can review the material, geometry, finish and inspection requirements before quoting.
- Metals including aluminum, stainless steel, titanium, brass, copper, steel, Inconel, magnesium and zinc.
- Engineering plastics including ABS, POM, Delrin, PEEK, nylon, PTFE, polycarbonate, acrylic, UHMW and HDPE.
- Material recommendations based on application, tolerance, finish, quantity and operating environment.
Metal & Plastic Parts
One CNC workflow for production metals and engineering plastics.
DFM Material Review
We review geometry, tolerance risk, wall thickness and finish.
Surface Finish Support
Anodizing, passivation, plating, polishing, bead blasting and more.
Certificates Available
Material certificates and traceability can be arranged when required.
12–24h RFQ Review
For most projects with complete CAD files and drawings.
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Match Materials to Your Operating Environment
A material’s performance on a datasheet means nothing if it fails in the field. Evaluate how your custom part will interact with chemical exposure, mechanical wear, and extreme temperatures to select a survival-rated CNC material.
| Need to survive aggressive chemical or marine environments? | Review 316 stainless steel, titanium, or specialized polymers like PTFE. 316 stainless steel offers superior pitting and localized galvanic corrosion resistance over 304 when exposed to chlorides, acids, and marine conditions. |
| Need to endure continuous sliding friction or high-frequency wear? | Evaluate self-lubricating engineering plastics like POM (Delrin), Nylon, or UHMW. These materials are industrial standards to minimize friction coefficients, eliminate stick-slip, and maximize wear cycles in gears, bushings, and guide rails. |
| Need to operate under severe, continuous thermal loads? | Consider refractory nickel alloys like Inconel, pure titanium, or high-performance polymers like PEEK. These materials effectively retain their mechanical yield strength, creep resistance, and deflection limits at elevated operating temperatures. |
| Not sure what environmental limits your part will face? | Send your CAD files along with your target temperature, mechanical load, and chemical exposure data. Baosheng engineers can cross-reference material datasheets to suggest a practical, cost-effective grade before quoting. |
Material Overview
Common CNC Material Groups
Use this table to quickly compare material families before reviewing the detailed metal and plastic options below.
| Material Group | Best For | Typical CNC Parts |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminum | Lightweight, corrosion-resistant and cost-effective parts. | Housings, brackets, heat sinks, plates, fixtures. |
| Stainless Steel | Strong and corrosion-resistant machined components. | Medical parts, shafts, fittings, valves, food-grade components. |
| Titanium | Lightweight, high-strength and corrosion-resistant applications. | Aerospace parts, medical components, high-performance hardware. |
| Brass & Copper | Conductive, corrosion-resistant and decorative parts. | Connectors, contacts, fittings, electrical parts, heat-transfer components. |
| Steel & Tool Steel | Durable parts requiring strength, wear resistance or heat treatment. | Fixtures, shafts, gears, tooling, industrial components. |
| Inconel | High-temperature and corrosion-resistant environments. | Aerospace, energy and demanding industrial components. |
| Engineering Plastics | Lightweight, insulating, low-friction or chemical-resistant parts. | Bushings, gears, covers, insulators, wear pads. |
Material Families
Metals and Engineering Plastics for CNC Machining
Baosheng machines both metal and plastic CNC parts. Each material has different machining behavior, tolerance stability, finishing compatibility and cost implications.
Lightweight Metals
Aluminum, titanium and magnesium for parts where weight, strength and finish matter. 6061 · 7075 · Titanium · Magnesium
Corrosion-Resistant Metals
Stainless steel, titanium, brass and copper for durable parts in demanding environments. 304 · 316 · Brass · Copper
Engineering Plastics
PEEK, Delrin, nylon, PTFE and other plastics for wear, insulation, low friction and weight reduction. PEEK · Delrin · PTFE · Nylon
Metal Materials
Metal CNC Machining Materials
Metal selection affects machining time, tool wear, surface finish, strength, corrosion resistance and post-processing. Use these groups to choose a starting point, then send drawings for engineering review.
Aluminum CNC Machining
Best for lightweight housings, brackets, heat sinks, plates, fixtures and anodized components.
6061 Aluminum CNC Machining
Cost-effective, easy to machine and ideal for anodized housings, brackets, fixtures and general parts.
7075 Aluminum CNC Machining
Higher-strength aluminum for lightweight load-bearing brackets, robotics and aerospace-style components.
Stainless Steel CNC Machining
Best for strong, durable and corrosion-resistant parts requiring passivation, polishing or clean edges.
304 Stainless Steel Machining
General corrosion-resistant stainless steel for industrial, food-related and mechanical components.
316 Stainless Steel Machining
Better corrosion resistance for marine, medical, chemical and chloride-exposed environments.
Specialty and Production Metals
Choose based on strength, conductivity, wear resistance, temperature, corrosion exposure and cost.
Titanium CNC Machining
High strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion resistance and performance for demanding applications.
Brass CNC Machining
Excellent machinability for fittings, connectors, bushings, threaded inserts and decorative parts.
Copper CNC Machining
Electrical and thermal conductivity for contacts, terminals, busbars and heat-transfer components.
Carbon Steel Machining
Strong, cost-effective industrial components that may require plating, coating or heat treatment.
Tool Steel Machining
Wear-resistant tooling parts, dies, punches, fixtures and hardened mechanical components.
Inconel Machining
High-temperature and corrosion-resistant nickel alloy for aerospace, energy and severe environments.
Magnesium Machining
Very lightweight metal parts requiring strict chip control, machining safety and finishing review.
Zinc Machining
Selected precision components and prototypes; zinc die casting may be reviewed for higher volumes.
Engineering Plastics
Plastic CNC Machining Materials
Engineering plastics can reduce weight, avoid corrosion, provide insulation, lower friction or improve chemical resistance. Plastic material choice should be reviewed together with wall thickness, heat, moisture absorption and tolerance expectations.
ABS CNC Machining
Cost-effective plastic for prototypes, housings, covers, fixtures and cosmetic plastic components.
POM CNC Machining
Low-friction acetal material for gears, bushings, rollers and precision mechanical plastic parts.
Delrin Machining
Commonly requested acetal material for low-friction, dimensionally stable precision plastic parts.
PEEK Machining
High-performance plastic for heat, chemical resistance, strength and demanding engineering applications.
Nylon Machining
Wear-resistant and low-friction plastic for gears, rollers, bushings and wear components.
PTFE Machining
Low-friction and chemical-resistant plastic for seals, insulators and non-stick components.
Polycarbonate Machining
Impact-resistant clear or translucent plastic for guards, covers and protective components.
Acrylic Machining
Clear plastic for display parts, panels, lenses, covers and cosmetic components.
UHMW Machining
Durable low-friction material for wear strips, guides, rollers, liners and sliding parts.
HDPE Machining
Economical chemical-resistant plastic for plates, guides, covers, fixtures and general components.
Not sure whether to use metal or plastic?
Send your CAD file and application notes. We can help compare strength, weight, friction, corrosion resistance, tolerance risk and cost before quoting.
Mechanical & Physical Properties
Align Material Properties with Blueprint Specs
Tight tolerances and complex geometries require materials with high dimensional stability and predictable machinability. Match your print’s mechanical and physical metrics directly to the correct alloy or polymer group.
Extreme Structural Strength
Consider age-hardened 7075-T6 aluminum, tool steels, or alloy carbon steels when ultimate tensile strength, structural rigidity, and deflection resistance are function-critical.
Electrical & Thermal Conductivity
Standardize on pure copper grades or specialized brass alloys for high-efficiency electrical contacts, heavy-duty busbars, terminals, and custom heat-transfer blocks.
Optical Clarity & Transparency
Specify optical-grade acrylic (PMMA) for flawless clear covers, lenses, and fluid manifolds. Choose polycarbonate (PC) when impact deflection and shatter resistance matter more than pure clarity.
Precision Dimensional Stability
Select materials with exceptionally low moisture absorption and low thermal expansion, such as POM (Acetal) or 6061 aluminum, to lock down tight mating tolerances down to ±0.01 mm.
Rapid & Budget Prototyping
Utilize cost-effective, highly machinable commodity plastics like ABS or HDPE to validate early-stage spatial forms, fit checks, and assembly sequences before investing in premium materials.
Post-Machining Surface Finishing
Confirm cosmetic requirements early. Materials behave differently under post-processing; ensure your selected grade is fully compatible with hard anodizing, passivation, or electroplating.
Finishing Fit
Material and Surface Finish Compatibility
Surface finish can affect appearance, corrosion resistance, wear resistance, thickness and final dimensions. If finish is critical, include finish requirements on the drawing or RFQ notes.
| Material | Common Finishes |
|---|---|
| Aluminum | Anodizing, black anodizing, hard anodizing, bead blasting, powder coating. |
| Stainless Steel | Passivation, polishing, brushing, bead blasting. |
| Carbon Steel | Black oxide, zinc plating, nickel plating, powder coating, heat treatment. |
| Brass | Polishing, nickel plating, clear coating. |
| Copper | Polishing, nickel plating, tin plating. |
| Engineering Plastics | As-machined, polishing or special finishing depending on material and appearance requirements. |
Documentation & Quality
Material Certificates, Inspection and Traceability
Material documentation and inspection requirements should be confirmed before quotation. Baosheng can arrange material certificates, dimensional reports and inspection records based on project requirements.
Material Certificates
Available for selected metals and plastics when required.
Dimensional Reports
CMM and manual inspection reports based on drawing requirements.
First Article Inspection
Useful for pilot builds, controlled batches and repeat production.
Gauge Checks
Thread gauges, pin gauges and other functional checks available.
Finish Review
Confirm appearance, coating thickness and post-finish dimensional concerns.
DFM Feedback
Review thin walls, deep pockets, tight radii and tolerance risk before machining.
RFQ Workflow
How We Review CNC Material Fit
1.Upload CAD
Send STEP, STP, IGS, X_T, SLDPRT or drawings.
2.Review Use Case
Tell us strength, weight, heat, wear, chemical or cosmetic needs.
3.Check Geometry
We review wall thickness, pockets, holes, tolerance risk and setup needs.
4.Confirm Material
Material grade, finish and certificate needs are confirmed.
5.Quote
Receive price, lead time and production notes.
6.Machine & Inspect
Parts are machined, finished and inspected according to requirements.
Your questions answered
CNC Machining Materials FAQs
What is the most common material for CNC machining?
Aluminum 6061 is one of the most common CNC machining materials because it is cost-effective, easy to machine, lightweight and compatible with anodizing. Stainless steel, brass, copper, POM, Delrin, nylon and PEEK are also commonly used depending on the application.
Which material is best for strong CNC machined parts?
For high-strength parts, common choices include 7075 aluminum, stainless steel, titanium, tool steel and Inconel. The best option depends on weight, corrosion resistance, temperature, cost and required tolerance.
Which CNC material is best for corrosion resistance?
316 stainless steel, titanium, brass, PEEK and PTFE are often used for corrosion-resistant applications. The correct choice depends on the chemical environment, temperature, mechanical load and whether the part needs to be metal or plastic.
Can Baosheng help choose a material if I only have a CAD file?
Yes. You can send a CAD file with application notes, quantity, finish requirement and operating environment. Our engineers can review the part and recommend suitable CNC machining materials.
Should I choose metal or plastic for my CNC machined part?
Choose metal when strength, stiffness, heat resistance or conductivity is important. Choose engineering plastic when the part needs to be lightweight, insulating, low-friction, chemical-resistant or corrosion-free.
Can all CNC materials hold tight tolerances?
No. Tolerance capability depends on material, geometry, feature size, wall thickness, machining method and inspection method. Some plastics may move or deform more easily than metals, so tight tolerance requirements should be reviewed before production.
Get CNC Material Advice Before Production
Upload CAD files and drawings with quantity, application, tolerance and finish requirements. We will review material fit, machining feasibility and inspection needs before quoting.
- Material recommendation before quotation
- DFM review for geometry and tolerance risks
- Surface finish and certificate review
- CMM and dimensional reports available
- NDA available before file review
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