Tired of waiting on external suppliers for outsourced parts? Or how about the “Oops, my bad” apologies you get when one of them ships a batch of nonconforming product?” You’re not alone. Entrepreneurs, product developers, prototype shops dealing with increased demand—all of them wonder, “What can we do to improve our supply chain?” The answer? Wean yourself off the outsourcing and do your CNC machining in-house.
CNC Machining In-House? It’s Easier Than You Think
It’s tempting to see outsourcing as the simplest option, but it comes with trade-offs. Every late shipment, every rejected part, every cost increase chips away at profitability. Investing in a CNC lathe or vertical machining center (VMC), on the other hand, gives shops flexibility and resilience. And with financing options available—including zero-down and deferred-payment programs—getting started might be easier than you think to do your CNC machining in-house.
Modern Machines for Modern Shops
That said, you should know what you’re getting into before opening that receiving door. Successful in-house machining requires much more than a high-quality machine tool, whatever the brand. For starters, find one that fits your product mix, not just for today, but what might be coming down the pipe a year from now.
For a VMC, at least, that means choosing one with the spindle speed and horsepower that’s right for your materials. A company that makes lots of aluminum parts would do well with a machine like the KVR Compact High Speed series from Kent CNC, which has an optional 15,000 RPM spindle.
Alternatively, one that mills nothing but stainless steel and superalloys might opt for a geared head, box-way machine like the KVR Heavy Duty Series. Need to cut both? That’s okay, the KVR 4020 offers a Goldilocks solution, able to handle whatever comes its way, and with a small footprint besides.
CNC lathe buyers have similar tire-kicking opportunities. Spindle speed, chuck size, turret configuration, bore size, geared or direct drive—there’s plenty to think about. Shoppers would also do well to figure out whether a barfeed is in order, or whether sawed slugs will suffice. If the latter, ask the dealer about a bandsaw. Maybe they’ll put together a package deal. Either way, do your homework, find a machine that can perform the lion’s share of the work, and get moving.
Real-World Examples of CNC Machining In-House
Plenty of manufacturers have found themselves in a similar situation. With a bit of help from Kent CNC, however, they found it easy to make the leap from outsourcing to in-house machining, and reaped the benefits as a result:
- Hot Rolling Technologies reduced its reliance on vendors and gained tighter tolerances with CNC machines from Kent, as featured in Production Machining.
- Mega Industries eliminated outsourcing delays with a VMC and fourth-axis capability. Read the article in American Machinist.
- Miyama USA improved uptime and cut outsourcing with Kent machining centers. Cutting Tool Engineering even wrote a story about it.
- Toor Knives improved accuracy and turnaround by bringing grinding in-house. Read the full story on the Kent USA website.
What to Know Before You Invest
There’s lots more. Once the machine is on its way, it’s time to tool up. Vises, fixtures, and chucks, cutting tools and toolholders—even the cutting fluid play a critical role in machining success. So does the operator. For those just getting started, that might just be you.
If so, don’t worry. CNC machine operation isn’t scary at all, but some first-time CNC users decide to start with a CNC knee mill. The beauty of these machines is that you can crank the handles just like a manual milling machine. Otherwise, the onboard MILLPWR G2 control from ACU-RITE makes programming about as hard as operating an Etch-a-Sketch.
Otherwise, there’s no shortage of high-quality CAM software available. Kent CNC doesn’t play favorites, but your salesperson might have a recommendation. They can also provide recommendations on everything just discussed so far, as well as laying out the financing options and helping you figure out what accessories and tooling you might need to get started.
So no more wondering when the parts will arrive. Forget about inconsistent quality. Avoid those hefty freight charges, and perhaps most important of all, stop the excuses. You’ll find it’s never been easier to make the move.
