Case Study: High-Volume Type-C Connector Pin Machining

Case study · CHX Metal · Published 2026-10-08

How CHX Metal machines 3 million Type-C connector pins per month in C3604 brass on Swiss-type lathes: ±0.005 mm, selective 2 µm gold plating, 0.03% defect rate. Engineering teams review drawings and return manufacturability feedback within 24 hours.

A consumer-electronics customer needed 3 million Type-C connector pins per month in C3604 brass, machined to ±0.005 mm with selective 2 µm gold plating and an incoming defect rate below 0.05%. Here is how our Swiss-type line delivered it — and exceeded the target.

Customer requirement

The customer, a consumer-electronics manufacturer, required high-volume machining of Type-C connector pins: 3,000,000 pcs per month, tolerance ±0.005 mm, selective gold plating 2 µm thick, and an incoming defect rate below 0.05%. The part is made from C3604 free-cutting brass, 1.2 mm in diameter and 8 mm long.

Our solution

The part runs continuously, 24 hours a day, on our Swiss-type lathe line. Tool life and cutting parameters were optimized until the cycle time per part settled below 15 seconds. Gold plating is applied selectively, so contact areas meet the 2 µm specification with uniform coverage. Automated inspection equipment checks key dimensions inline and automatically rejects nonconforming parts.

Results

Monthly output reached 5,000,000 pcs — exceeding the customer requirement. The defect rate stabilized at 0.03%, better than the 0.05% requirement. Gold-layer thickness uniformity holds within ±0.2 µm. The customer has signed an annual framework agreement with an annual volume above 60 million pcs.

Quality assurance

Every part is inspected on a CMM. Our quality management system is certified to ISO 9001:2015, with ISO 14001 environmental certification. Measurement reports, PPAP documentation and first-article samples are available on request. Production capacity reaches 5,000,000 parts per month, supporting long-term contracts at fixed pricing.

Lead times & delivery

Prototypes: 3-7 working days. Series production: 7-15 days, up to 20 days including surface treatments. Worldwide shipping via DHL/FedEx with anti-corrosion packaging and dedicated trays for precision components. Full lot traceability from raw material to shipment.

Why CHX Metal

CHX Metal operates a 220-machine production facility in Baoan, Shenzhen: 100 five-axis machining centers, 50 CNC lathes and 70 Swiss-type automatic lathes. We work directly without intermediaries — from DFM review to scheduled Kanban deliveries. RFQ responses within 24 hours, including manufacturability feedback and cost optimization.

Frequently asked questions

What is your MOQ?

We accept orders from 1 part for prototypes; for series production, lots from 100 pieces are most economical, with annual fixed pricing for high volumes.

Can you quote from our drawings?

Yes — we accept STEP, IGES, DWG and PDF. Our engineers review manufacturability and respond to your RFQ within 24 hours.

Can you hold ±0.005 mm in high volume?

Yes, for small turned parts on Swiss-type lathes. This case runs at ±0.005 mm on a 1.2 mm diameter pin with inline inspection; every new part starts with a first-article CMM report before production is released.

Shenzhen Changhexin Precision Hardware Co., Ltd. (CHX Metal) · Shajing Street, Bao'an District, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China · ISO 9001:2015 (NOA198428) · ISO 14001:2015 (NOA2100184)