Micro CNC Machining
Ø1 mm bar · micro pins, shafts & housings · ±0.005 mm · burr-free edges
CHX Metal machines micro components from Ø1-20 mm bar on 70 Tsugami Swiss-type lathes and small-tool 5-axis mills: micro pins, shafts, ferrules and housings at ±0.005 mm. Deburring, handling and measurement are engineered into the process; monthly capacity is 5 million pieces.
Micro machining is not small machining scaled down. Below about Ø3 mm, every conventional assumption breaks: a part you can lose in a folded invoice needs dedicated handling, deburring becomes a process instead of an afterthought, and the measuring instrument needs to be more precise than the feature it checks. The shops that do this well engineer for it; the shops that quote it cheap have not met it yet.
What changes below Ø3 mm
- Handling: parts are moved in trays, vials or media-separated bulk, never loose in a bag; a scratched micro shaft is scrap, not rework.
- Deburring: a 20 µm burr is 2% of the diameter — thermal, abrasive or electrochemical deburring is planned per part family.
- Tooling: cutters below Ø1 mm snap before they dull; speeds, feeds and stickout are engineered, not guessed.
- Measurement: optical comparators and video measurement replace callipers; a ±0.005 mm call on a Ø1 mm pin needs a instrument chain an order of magnitude better.
- Cleanliness: chips smaller than the part are the real contamination risk; ultrasonic cleaning and controlled rinsing are standard.
The machines that make it repeatable
| Specification | Capability |
|---|---|
| Swiss-type lathes | 70 Tsugami units, bar Ø1–20 mm, guide-bush supported cutting |
| Sub-spindle + live tooling | Back-end features finished in-cycle; no re-chucking of micro parts |
| 5-axis milling | Small-tool micro features on prismatic parts |
| Tolerance | ±0.005 mm on critical dimensions |
| Monthly capacity | 5 million pieces plant-wide |
| Inspection | 8 instruments incl. CMM, optical projector, roughness tester |
Micro parts we run in production
Dowel and joint pins from Ø1 mm, micro shafts and spindles, RF and optical ferrules, connector contacts, sensor housings, surgical instrument tips, watch components, micro nozzles and fluid restrictors, and robot dexterous-hand fingertip hardware. Typical lot sizes run from a few hundred pieces to millions per month; the Swiss cell is the highest-volume line in the plant.
For a humanised example: the dexterous-hand finger parts in our robotics case pages run on exactly this cell — the geometry that looks like a watch part usually wants the same process discipline.
Tolerances that survive reality
±0.005 mm is held on critical dimensions at production rate, not just on the first article. Two things make that honest: in-process SPC that catches drift before scrap, and measurement at recorded temperature — a steel micro pin warms measurably in a gloved hand, and aluminium moves at 23 µm per metre per °C.
Features tighter than ±0.005 mm are quoted as their own operation with a named instrument and gauge R&R, because pretending the band is smaller than the measurement system is how micro parts fail incoming inspection.
Cost drivers specific to micro work
- Bar quality — ground or drawn stock costs more and is not optional at these sizes.
- Deburring method — thermal or electrochemical cycles have real per-batch cost but prevent 100% inspection pain later.
- Packing — tray and vial packing is slower than bulk but cheaper than sorting micro parts at your dock.
- Plating on micro parts — deposit thickness is proportionally huge; pre-plate dimensions must be engineered, and masking may be impossible below certain feature sizes.
Related guides and capabilities
Swiss screw machining · Custom CNC pins · Swiss-type CNC machining in China · Precision CNC machining · CNC machining capabilities
Request a quote
Send drawing (STEP / PDF / DXF) with material, tolerance and annual volume to mc@chxmetal.com. DFM feedback and a price within 24 hours, NDA on request.
Get a CNC quote · Contact CHX Metal · Supplier profile & certificates
Frequently asked questions
What is the smallest part you can machine?
Bar work starts at Ø1 mm on the Swiss cell. Micro-milled features run below Ø1 mm with small-tool strategies on the 5-axis mills. Send the drawing — the DFM review states the limits honestly.
Can you hold ±0.005 mm on a Ø1 mm pin?
Yes, with optical measurement at recorded temperature and in-process SPC. The gauge chain matters more than the machine at this size, and it is part of the quote.
How do you deburr micro parts?
Per part family: thermal, abrasive or electrochemical deburring, planned in the process rather than applied as an afterthought. Edge-break requirements should be on the drawing.
How are micro parts packed and shipped?
Trays, vials or media-separated bulk packing — never loose in a bag. Cosmetic surfaces are protected; packing is specified per part in the DFM note.
What volumes make sense?
From a few hundred pieces for prototype families to millions per month in production. There is no MOQ gate; unit price steps down as setup amortises.