CNC machining is a common material reduction manufacturing technology. Unlike 3D printing, CNC usually starts with a solid piece of material and then uses various sharp rotating tools or knives to remove the material to obtain the desired final shape.
CNC is one of the most popular manufacturing methods. It has excellent repeatability, high precision and a wide range of materials and surface finish. It can be used from proofing to mass production.
CNC processing diagram
Additive manufacturing 3D printing is to build parts by adding layers of materials without special tools or fixtures, so the initial cost can be kept at the lowest level.
Schematic Diagram of 3D Printing Process
When choosing between CNC and 3D proofing, there are some simple guidelines that can be applied to the decision-making process. In this article, we will introduce the key considerations of these two technologies to help you choose the right technology.
According to experience, all parts that can be made by reducing materials should normally be processed by CNC. It is usually meaningful to use 3D printing only in the following cases:
L When parts cannot be produced by material reduction manufacturing, such as highly complex topology optimization geometry.
L When the delivery date is very short, 3D printing parts can be delivered within 24 hours.
L When low cost is required, 3D printing is usually cheaper than CNC for small batches.
L When a small number of identical parts are required (less than 10).
L When the material is not easy to process, such as metal superalloy or flexible TPU.
CNC machining provides parts with higher dimensional accuracy and better mechanical properties, but it usually brings higher costs, especially when the number of parts is small.
If more parts are needed (hundreds or more), CNC machining and 3D printing are not cost competitive options. Due to economies of scale, traditional molding technologies, such as investment casting or injection molding, are usually the most economical choice.
