9 Milling Operations You Need To Know

Milling might seem straightforward at first—stick a block of metal under a spinning tool and shape it—but there’s a lot more to it than that. Just like turning on a lathe, understanding the different milling operations can help you get better finishes, reduce cycle time, and even extend tool life.

This post is a follow-up to our 10 Turning Operations You Need To Know on a Lathe. If you’re new to the world of mills and cutters, this one’s for you.

What is Milling, Really?

Milling is a machining process where a rotating cutting tool moves over or through a workpiece to remove material. Unlike turning, which is usually done on cylindrical parts using a lathe, milling is more versatile—perfect for flat surfaces, irregular shapes, slots, pockets, and more.

With that out of the way, here are 9 common milling operations every machinist should know:

1. Face Milling

What it is: Face milling uses a tool with cutting edges on the face and sides to create a flat surface perpendicular to the spindle.

When to use it: Great for squaring up stock or machining a clean, flat reference surface.

Tool example: Face mill cutter, typically with multiple indexable inserts.

2. Slot Milling

What it is: A milling operation that cuts a straight groove into the material.

When to use it: When you need to machine keyways, channels, or T-slots.

Tool example: End mill or slotting cutter, depending on slot width and depth.

3. Side Milling

What it is: Cutting along the side of the tool to machine vertical surfaces.

When to use it: For creating shoulders or steps on a workpiece.

Tool example: Straight tooth side cutter or standard end mill.

4. Pocket Milling

What it is: Removing material from inside a closed boundary, like a cavity or pocket.

When to use it: For features like cavities in molds or pockets for fasteners.

Tool example: Flat end mill, sometimes combined with helical ramping.

This post is a follow-up to our 10 Turning Operations You Need To Know on a Lathe. If you’re new to the world of mills and cutters, this one’s for you.

5. Profile Milling

What it is: Contouring the outer edges of a part.

When to use it: For irregular part shapes or precision outlines.

Tool example: Ball nose or flat end mill, depending on the required surface finish.

6. Drilling with End Mills

What it is: Using an end mill to plunge into material vertically.

When to use it: For starting holes, angled surfaces, or when a drill can’t reach.

Tool example: Center-cutting end mill (important—it must be center-cutting!).

7. Helical Interpolation

What it is: A combination of linear and circular motion to mill circular features or bores.

When to use it: When you don’t have the exact drill size or need tight tolerances in a bore.

Tool example: End mill with CNC programming support.

8. Surface Finishing Passes

What it is: Light cuts taken after roughing to achieve the desired surface finish and dimensions.

When to use it: Always—unless you love sanding parts by hand.

Tool example: Same end mill as roughing or a dedicated finishing tool.

9. Chamfering & Deburring

What it is: Machining angled edges or removing sharp burrs.

When to use it: To clean up part edges, improve safety, and prep for assembly.

Tool example: Chamfer mill, spot drill, or even a countersink tool.

10. Thread Milling (Bonus!)

Okay, we said 9—but here’s a bonus.

What it is: Creating threads by milling in a helical path.

When to use it: When flexibility is key—same tool can make different thread sizes.

Tool example: Thread mill.

This post is a follow-up to our 10 Turning Operations You Need To Know on a Lathe. If you’re new to the world of mills and cutters, this one’s for you.

Wrapping It Up

Understanding these milling operations gives you a leg up whether you’re programming a CNC or running a manual mill. Picking the right operation—and the right tool—can save you time, money, and a lot of frustration on the shop floor.

We at Turntech Precision provide the top quality parts machined on the Swiss-type lathes utilizing turning, facing, grooving, threading, knurling, boring, and tapping operations. We work closely with our customers to provide them with the best solution to their engineering problems in a variety of industries. Contact us today with your inquiries.

Ensuring Quality Excellence with PPAP: How Turntech Precision Supports Your Compliance Needs

The Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) is a structured approach that validates the ability of a supplier to consistently meet customer requirements. Commonly used in the automotive, aerospace, and other precision-driven industries, PPAP ensures that manufacturers have robust quality control processes in place to maintain product reliability and performance.

At Turntech Precision, we understand the importance of PPAP compliance and provide customers with comprehensive support in meeting the necessary documentation and quality standards. Our commitment to precision manufacturing and rigorous quality control ensures that our customers receive components that consistently meet or exceed their expectations.

Understanding the PPAP Submission Levels

PPAP outlines five levels of submission, each requiring different levels of documentation and verification:

Example template for submission document. Additional information can be added according to customer requirements

  • Level 1: Part Submission Warrant (PSW) only.

  • Level 2: PSW with limited supporting data and product samples.

  • Level 3: PSW with product samples and complete supporting documentation.

  • Level 4: PSW with requirements as defined by the customer.

  • Level 5: PSW with product samples and all supporting documentation available for review at the supplier’s manufacturing site.

PPAP ensures repeatability, capability, and reliability, reducing the risk of defects and inconsistencies. Manufacturers dealing with high-precision or safety-critical components often require Levels 3 to 5, where extensive data validation and process control are mandatory.

How Turntech Precision Ensures PPAP Compliance

At Turntech Precision, we implement rigorous quality assurance processes to meet PPAP requirements efficiently. Our approach includes:

1. Robust Quality Control & Inspection Processes

We employ state-of-the-art metrology tools and advanced measurement techniques, including:

  • Profile Projectors (Mitutoyo PH-A14, PJ-3000) for accurate dimensional analysis.

  • Smart Scopes (Keyence IM-7000) to ensure rapid and precise inspections.

  • Surface Testers (Mitutoyo SV-400) to verify surface roughness and finish requirements.

  • Micrometers and Calipers (Mitutoyo 293-340-30, 422-341-30) for high-accuracy manual measurements.

2. Statistical Process Control (SPC) & Data-Driven Decisions

Turntech Precision integrates real-time statistical analysis into its production processes to ensure consistency and compliance. Key SPC methodologies we use include:

  • Control Charts to monitor process stability and detect variations.

  • Capability Analysis (Cp, Cpk) to verify that parts remain within customer-defined tolerances.

  • First Article Inspection (FAI) & Process Capability Studies to guarantee that production is reliable before full-scale manufacturing.

Graph: Example of a capability analysis (Cp, Cpk) showing a well-controlled process.

source: https://readandgain.com/2023/01/07/process-capability-cp-process-capability-index-cpk-with-solved-manufacturing-example/#google_vignette

3. Comprehensive Documentation & Traceability

We assist customers with full PPAP documentation preparation, including:

Example dimensional report for submission document. Additional information can be added according to customer requirements

  • Dimensional Inspection Reports detailing compliance with drawings and tolerances.

  • Material Certifications ensuring raw materials meet required specifications.

  • Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) for risk assessment and defect prevention.

  • Control Plans & Process Flow Diagrams mapping out production steps and critical control points.

Turntech Precision’s document control system ensures traceability and transparency, providing customers with confidence in the integrity of their parts.

Why Partner with Turntech Precision for PPAP Compliance?

Customers choose Turntech Precision for PPAP compliance because:

  • We have over 30 years of expertise in precision machining and quality assurance.

  • Our ISO 9001-certified quality management system ensures adherence to the highest industry standards.

  • We leverage Lean Manufacturing and Just-In-Time (JIT) fulfillment strategies to improve efficiency and minimize waste.

  • Our dedicated quality engineering team collaborates with customers to customize PPAP submissions based on their unique requirements.

By working with Turntech Precision, you can ensure:

  • Faster approval times for PPAP submissions.

  • Improved process stability and product quality.

  • Reduced risk of non-conformances and production delays.

Final Thoughts: Elevate Your Quality Standards with Turntech Precision

PPAP compliance is a critical requirement for manufacturers working in high-precision industries, ensuring that every part meets stringent quality and safety regulations. Turntech Precision is committed to helping our customers navigate the complexities of PPAP submissions, delivering high-quality parts with full documentation and compliance assurance.

If you require PPAP-compliant precision components, contact Turntech Precision today. Our team is ready to assist you in meeting your quality and regulatory requirements efficiently.

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7 Ways to Keep Part Costs Down from a Design for Manufacturing Perspective

Design for Manufacturing (DFM) is an essential approach to ensure that parts are designed in a way that optimizes production efficiency and minimizes costs. Here are seven strategies to help reduce part costs from a DFM perspective:

1. Optimizing Hole End Angles

When working with lathe components like pistons, valves, or nozzles, ensuring the hole end angles match the tip angles of standard drills can save on production costs. Specifying angles that align with available ready-made drills eliminates the need for custom solutions and additional drilling processes, streamlining production and reducing expenses.

2. Ensuring Adequate Pilot Hole Length for Threading

For parts requiring internal threading, securing a sufficient pilot hole length is crucial. Short pilot holes necessitate special cutting tools to avoid breakage, increasing costs. By ensuring the pilot hole length exceeds the threading length, standard tools can be used, leading to significant cost reductions.

3. Allowing Drill Tip Shapes in Counterbores

Certain lathe products, such as pistons or pins, require flat counterbore end surfaces, which involve extra machining processes. Allowing the drill tip shape to remain at the center of the counterbore end face can eliminate the need for additional machining, thereby reducing production costs.

4. Switching from Radius to Chamfer on Corners

Lathe products often have corners requiring a radius shape, which demands frequent tool maintenance. Changing the corner shape from radius to chamfer allows for the use of standard tools, even when worn, reducing the need for maintenance and lowering management costs.

5. Ensuring Clearance for Threaded Parts

For threaded lathe parts, achieving the effective thread length without a clearance groove can be challenging. Adding a clearance groove allows for the desired thread length and simplifies the threading process. The groove should be at least 150% larger than the thread pitch length to be effective.

6. Enhancing Machinability of Stainless Steel with Copper

Stainless steel grades like SUS303 are commonly used for shafts, but their machinability can be improved by adding copper, transforming it into SUS303Cu. This enhancement improves surface roughness and prevents burr formation, leading to reduced production costs.

7. Optimizing Broaching Dimensions

A major issue in broaching lathe-turned parts is having shallow pilot holes, which cause chip accumulation and obstruct the broaching tool. Increasing the depth of pilot holes prevents chip pooling, ensuring the proper broaching length is achieved without obstructions, thus streamlining the broaching process.






By implementing these design for manufacturing strategies, you can significantly reduce part costs and improve production efficiency.

Beyond the Price Tag: The Value of Quality over Low-Cost Component Manufacturing

In today's fiercely competitive market, businesses are constantly seeking ways to optimize costs and improve profit margins. One common approach is to prioritize low-cost component manufacturing. While cost reduction is undeniably important, focusing solely on the price tag may not always be the best way to move forward. In this blog post, we will delve into the complexities of component manufacturing and explore why a balanced approach that emphasizes quality over low cost can lead to more sustainable and long-term success for businesses.

The Hidden Cost of Low-Quality Components:

Sourcing components at the lowest price may seem strategic, but it often comes with hidden costs. Low-quality components can lead to issues such as increased downtime, frequent breakdowns, and costly repairs or replacements. For Contract Manufacturers, these problems could even cause Production Line Down situations, which are costly affairs manufacturers want to avoid at all costs. These factors can significantly impact overall productivity and customer satisfaction, ultimately outweighing initial cost savings.

The Role of Reliability in Building Trust:

Industries where safety and reliability are paramount, like automotive, aerospace, or medical equipment, cannot overstate the value of quality components. Customers rely on products that perform consistently without fail. Investing in high-quality components builds trust with customers, enhancing a company's reputation, fostering long-lasting relationships, and encouraging repeat business. Recent Product Recalls across various industries could be partially attributed to component-level failures—often linked to extreme cost-cutting in component parts. While these costs might not be apparent during project budgeting, they significantly affect profitability.

Long-Term Cost Savings:

As mentioned earlier, low-cost components might offer immediate financial benefits, but investing in quality components leads to substantial long-term cost savings. Durable and reliable components reduce maintenance expenses, extend product lifespans, and decrease the need for frequent replacements. Enhanced product performance often translates into greater customer satisfaction and higher demand, positively impacting a company's bottom line. The correlation between procuring components of High Quality and Reliability is observable, as they both influence the product owner's reputation.

Innovation and Competitive Advantage:

Innovation drives the manufacturing industry. Investing in quality components empowers manufacturers to unlock new possibilities for product design and functionality. Components with unique features, higher precision, or improved materials can give businesses a competitive edge, setting them apart from competitors focused solely on low-cost options. Collaborating with a Component Manufacturing Partner goes beyond producing parts from drawings.

Finding a partner that considers Design for Manufacturing principles and collaborates with your designers can provide your product with a competitive advantage.

Environmental and Ethical Considerations:

The pursuit of low-cost manufacturing can lead to decisions compromising environmental sustainability and ethical practices. Quality components often prioritize eco-friendly materials and manufacturing processes, aligning with the growing demand for responsible and sustainable products. Amid geopolitical tensions, concerns arise about the origin of certain product materials, prompting the avoidance of conflict areas. Responsible Component Manufacturers provide proper documentation of input material origins, ensuring traceability for all components in the final product.

Conclusion:

While cost reduction is an essential aspect of component manufacturing, focusing solely on low cost can be short-sighted and counterproductive. Quality components play a pivotal role in ensuring the reliability, efficiency, and reputation of a product or business. By investing in superior components, manufacturers can experience long-term cost savings, foster customer trust, drive innovation, and gain a competitive edge in the market.

As the manufacturing landscape evolves, it is crucial for businesses to strike a balance between cost optimization and quality enhancement. By adopting a more holistic approach, manufacturers can position themselves for sustained growth, profitability, and success in an increasingly competitive global marketplace.

Design for Manufacturing: Unveiling the Key to Component Manufacturing Success

In the dynamic world of component manufacturing, success hinges on more than just producing parts that meet specifications. The key to achieving excellence lies in embracing the concept of Design for Manufacturing (DFM). In this blog post, we will explore the significance of DFM for component manufacturers and how it plays a crucial role in ensuring the success of their customers.

Even the smallest parts in a mechanical watch can make or break the whole assembly. Attention to detail is of utmost importance during the design stage.

1. Understanding Design for Manufacturing (DFM):

Design for Manufacturing is an approach that involves considering manufacturability and production processes during the early stages of product design. By proactively addressing potential manufacturing challenges and optimizing designs for efficient production, DFM streamlines the manufacturing process, reduces costs, and enhances overall product quality.

2. The Role of DFM in Component Manufacturing:

a. Enhanced Collaboration:

DFM fosters closer collaboration between component manufacturers and their customers. Engaging in discussions about design intent, material selection, and production feasibility enables a deeper understanding of customer requirements, leading to better outcomes.

By roping in component manufacturers in during the design stage can prevent costly major redesign or design change down the line. These major costs could make or break the launch of your product!

b. Reduced Time-to-Market:

By integrating DFM principles from the outset, component manufacturers can minimize design iterations and identify potential production bottlenecks early on. This accelerated product development process ultimately shortens the time-to-market, giving customers a competitive edge.

c. Cost Optimization:

DFM focuses on optimizing material usage, reducing waste, and improving manufacturing efficiency. By identifying cost-saving opportunities during the design phase, component manufacturers can offer competitive pricing to their customers.

By advising product owners, component manufacturers can advise on quality issues during the mass production of your products. Product owners usually get caught off-guard after pushing their products through the prototyping stage in order to rush their products to market.

3. Benefits for Customers:

a. Higher Quality Products:

Implementing DFM ensures that components are designed with manufacturing limitations in mind, leading to better fit, form, and function. This results in higher quality products that meet or exceed customer expectations.

b. Reduced Manufacturing Costs:

DFM-driven designs simplify production processes, leading to reduced material waste and labor costs. Customers can enjoy cost savings without compromising on product quality.

c. Faster Time-to-Market:

With a streamlined manufacturing process, component manufacturers can produce and deliver parts faster. Customers can introduce their products to the market more swiftly, capitalizing on opportunities and staying ahead of competitors.

d. Greater Innovation Potential:

DFM encourages innovation by allowing component manufacturers to propose design modifications that optimize manufacturability. Customers benefit from the expertise of their manufacturing partners, leading to more innovative and efficient product designs.

Conclusion:

In the ever-evolving landscape of component manufacturing, embracing Design for Manufacturing is not merely a strategy; it is a necessity. By integrating DFM principles into the product development process, component manufacturers can offer their customers a competitive advantage – from shorter time-to-market and cost savings to superior product quality and increased innovation potential.

As a customer-focused component manufacturer, understanding and implementing DFM is at the core of our success. We are committed to collaborating closely with our customers, ensuring that their designs are optimized for seamless production. Together, we navigate the path to success, delivering top-notch components that lead to mutual growth and prosperity in the dynamic world of manufacturing.

Are you in the market for precision turned parts? Do you have intricate drawings and designs that demand the utmost accuracy and attention to detail? We invite you to partner with us as we specialize in delivering top-quality small parts through our subtractive manufacturing processes.
At Turntech Precision, we understand the unique challenges that arise in small parts manufacturing and the importance of precision in every step of the process. Our state-of-the-art CNC machining capabilities ensure that your designs are transformed into reality with the highest level of accuracy and surface finish.
Send us your drawings, specifications, or 3D models, and let our team of experts analyze your requirements. Whether you need prototypes or large production runs, we are committed to delivering exceptional results that meet your expectations and industry standards.
Here's how you can get started:
Email us your design files at geesuan@turntechprecision.com
Our engineering team will thoroughly review your drawings and provide a comprehensive quote tailored to your needs.
We'll work closely with you to ensure that every detail is taken into account, making any necessary adjustments to optimize the manufacturability of your small parts.
Once you approve the quote and design, our experienced machinists will commence production using our advanced subtractive processes to bring your vision to life.
At Turntech Precision, we take pride in our commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction. Whether you're a seasoned professional in the industry or a startup looking to materialize your innovative ideas, we're here to support your small parts manufacturing needs.
Don't miss the opportunity to partner with a dedicated team that values precision and craftsmanship. Reach out to us today, and let's embark on a journey of transforming your designs into high-quality, precision turned parts that exceed your expectations. Your success is our success, and we look forward to collaborating with you on your next project!