CNC machined heat sinks
Thin fins, deep slots and a large flat base — the combination that makes heat sinks the most deformation-prone part in milling.
Process · CNC machined parts
CNC machining services
Milling is where most of our work starts: a block or plate is reduced to a part by removing material. We run 4 four-axis vertical machining centres and 10 drilling-tapping centres, which covers everything from a prototype bracket to a small production run of housings.
What the job really is
Sixty per cent of milling problems are set-up problems, not machine problems. If the datum is not established before the first cut, the second face will not line up with the first, and no amount of precision afterwards will fix it. So the first operation on every part is the one that defines the reference face and, where possible, the dowel holes.
Tolerance we quote
| Feature | Normal | Achievable on review |
|---|---|---|
| Milled profile | ±0.02 mm | ±0.01 mm after review |
| Hole position | ±0.02 mm | ±0.01 mm with a reamed or bored hole |
| Flatness | 0.02 mm on a 100 mm face | 0.01 mm with a finishing pass and a stable set-up |
| Surface roughness | Ra 1.6 | Ra 0.8, or better by hand polishing |
Part families in this process
Each family has its own page with the machining notes and the checks we run before shipping.
CNC machined brackets
Simple shape, difficult job: hole positions on several faces and one consistent datum for every set-up.
Flashlight housings
A cylindrical shell where the coaxial relationship between knurled body, thread section and assembly shoulder matters most.
CNC machined enclosures
A visible part: besides dimensions, surface texture, edge condition and the gap at the joint line decide whether it passes.
Camera base plates
A thin-walled turned part where the concentricity of the inner shoulder and the mounting face sets the optical alignment.
What to send for a quote
- A 3D model or drawing with tolerances, plus quantity
- Material and finishing, or tell us what the part has to resist
- Which faces are cosmetic, so the machining sequence protects them
- Any assembly it fits into — most fit calls are about the mating part
Questions we get
Can you machine a single prototype?
Yes. One piece is the normal starting point, and it costs more per piece than a batch because the set-up and programme are spread over one part. The same programme then runs the batch, so the first article becomes the reference for production.
What tolerance can you hold on a milled part?
±0.01 mm on features we have reviewed, which in practice means a stable set-up and a drawing that does not stack tolerances across two operations. On a thin-walled part the limit is usually deflection, not the machine, so we quote what the geometry allows and say so at quote stage.
Send a drawing, get a price within 24 hours
STEP, IGES, DWG, PDF or a dimensioned sketch — plus material, quantity and finishing. We reply with a price and any questions in one message.