SWISS INDUSTRIAL SOURCING · 04

CNC & micro-machining

Milling, turn-mill and finishing selected against geometry, workholding, material, metrology and cadence.

TECHNICAL DOSSIER & SWISS SOURCING

Swiss CNC machining: selecting a process, not merely a machine list

A list of five-axis machining centres does not predict whether a part will succeed. Outcome depends on workholding, number of setups, material stability, tools, automation, inspection and experience with comparable geometry.

OVEL qualifies Swiss workshops against the part and its lifecycle: critical prototype, pre-series, recurring low volume or automated production. Dimensions, complexity, material, tolerances, finish, cadence and secondary operations are considered together.

PROJECT SCOPE

Three- to five-axis milling

Prismatic and complex parts, 3D surfaces and angled holes. Tool access, workholding and distortion are reviewed at the RFQ stage.

Turn-mill machining

Cylindrical parts with milled features, bar or billet machining and fewer setups where concentricity and cycle time matter.

Finishing and related processes

Grinding, lapping, EDM, deburring, heat treatment, surface treatment, marking, cleaning and assembly integrated into the delivered route.

Materials and machining behaviour

Exact grade, condition and source influence cutting, distortion, finish and stability. Substitutions should be approved rather than assumed.

aluminium, steels and stainless steels
titanium, cobalt chrome and nickel alloys
copper, brass, bronze and non-magnetic materials
PEEK, POM, PTFE and engineering polymers

From prototype to production

The best prototype shop is not always the best production shop. Programming, tooling, automation, inspection and capacity must align.

rapid prototype with explicit assumptions
pre-series to stabilise routing and cycle time
series with capability and cadence monitoring
second source or documented transfer where required

QUALIFICATION CRITERIA

Functional dimensioning drives both cost and robustness

Blanket tight tolerances increase setups, inspection and scrap. A manufacturability review separates functional characteristics from inherited model requirements and checks datums, surfaces, internal radii and deburring access.

Metrology is selected with the route: CMM, optical measurement, profilometry, roughness testing or functional gauges. We seek the ability to produce the required first-article evidence and monitor drift in production.

QUALIFICATION CRITERIA

What we check before making an introduction

Envelope

dimensions, mass, machine travel and access

Workholding

distortion, datums, setups and fixtures

Tooling

diameter, overhang, life and availability

Tolerances

datums, stacks, surfaces and inspection

Industrialisation

program, tooling, automation and cycle time

Downstream

treatment, deburring, cleaning, marking and assembly

PREPARE AN ACTIONABLE RFQ

The information needed for a technically useful response

A clear dossier prevents incomparable quotations and hidden assumptions. Send what is available for the current project stage; missing points are converted into technical questions before the RFQ is circulated.

consistent 2D/3D files and revision
material, condition, required stock and certification
tolerances and surfaces ranked by criticality
immediate quantity, batch size and annual forecast
secondary operations and protected zones
FAI, reports, capability and packaging requirements

Expected qualification output

shortlist of partners whose capability profile matches the need
explicit feasibility questions and assumptions
clear boundary between in-house and outsourced operations
comparable basis for lead time, cost, quality and capacity

OVEL’s exact role

OVEL is not the workshop manufacturing the part and does not claim its partners’ certifications. We structure the requirement, search for suitable capacity in Switzerland, review the available evidence of fit and coordinate the technical exchange. The selected manufacturer remains responsible for final feasibility, its quotation, processes, inspections and contractual commitments.

FREQUENT TECHNICAL QUESTIONS

Decide faster without understating industrial risk

Is five-axis always preferable?

No. It may reduce setups for complex geometry, while three-axis, turn-mill or a dedicated fixture can be more robust and economical.

Can OVEL source a single prototype?

Yes when lead-time, evidence and later transferability are explicit. A prototype may validate geometry without representing the series route.

How should CNC quotations be compared?

Compare material, routing, setups, included operations, inspection, documents, treatment, packaging, lead time and assumptions—not unit price alone.

Can treatments be included?

Yes when specified. The quotation should identify who manages them, approved sources and protected surfaces.

Does OVEL guarantee the tolerance?

The selected manufacturer is responsible for conformity. OVEL qualifies process fit and clarifies the evidence required.

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OVEL — Swiss Industrial Sourcing