Housings and cover plates
Cover seats, mounting bores and connector openings need to line up in the assembly. Mark sealing faces, locating datums and any surfaces that must remain free of coating.
Automotive CNC
Machining
CNC parts for vehicle development and production
Sensor and assembly brackets
Show how the bracket locates against the mating parts. Include hole position, slots, threads and any flatness requirement on the mounting face.
Shafts, sleeves and locating pins
Specify each mating diameter and the reference axis. Include shoulder locations, grooves, cross-holes and the final condition in which fits will be inspected.
Copper contacts and thermal interfaces
Identify the contact area, material grade and any plating or masking. State the electrical or thermal requirements separately from the dimensional drawing.
Polymer guides and spacers
Name the exact polymer grade and the mating part. Include operating conditions and the measurement condition for a fit-sensitive guide, bushing or spacer.
Assembly fixtures and test tooling
Show what the fixture holds, positions or measures. Define locating points, replaceable wear details and the check used to accept the finished tool.
Geometry examples only—not inventory, customer projects or evidence of vehicle approval. Your released drawing defines the part to be reviewed.
Prototype, validation build or production order?
Development prototypes
Use the first parts to check the design, fit or assembly. Identify features that need to match production intent and any temporary deviations that your team has accepted.
Validation and pilot builds
Name the build purpose and the tests your team will run. Set sample quantities, inspection records and the decisions needed before a production release.
Production and repeat orders
Provide the released revision, forecast, order quantities and delivery schedule. Agree the production site, approval requirements and change-notification process.
Assembly and test tooling
Define the tool’s locating, clamping or measurement function. Tool acceptance needs to be agreed separately from approval of the components made or tested with it.
Where will the part be used?
Identify whether this is a vehicle component, a development part or equipment used in manufacturing. Flag safety-related functions and customer-designated special characteristics in the drawing review.
Match the material to the part and its final condition
Aluminum housings and brackets
Grade, temper and product form
For an aluminum part, specify the alloy and supplied condition together. Note any anodizing, conversion coating, sealing face or threaded insert requirement before the machining review.
Aluminum CNC machining →Steel and stainless steel parts
Material condition and final hardness
Shafts, sleeves and wear interfaces need their final condition defined. State heat treatment, hardness and whether dimensions are accepted before or after treatment.
Steel CNC machining →Copper and brass components
Contact function and coating system
Provide the exact grade, any conductivity requirement, the contact geometry and a complete plating specification. A material name alone does not define electrical performance.
Copper CNC machining →Engineering plastic guides and insulators
Exact polymer grade and service conditions
Specify POM, nylon, PEEK or another agreed material by grade. Include fillers, working conditions, mating parts and inspection conditions where dimensions are sensitive to use.
Plastic CNC machining →Keep the material specification, drawing and purchasing requirements consistent. Substitutions need your written approval; examples on this page are not a stock list.
Mark bearing fits, sealing faces and assembly datums
Bearing seats and locating diameters
Identify the reference axis, each fit and the condition in which it is measured. Do not leave a bearing seat or press fit to an unqualified general tolerance.
Seal grooves, faces and internal passages
Mark the functional surfaces and complete groove dimensions. Define burr limits and cleaning or leak-test requirements where they form part of acceptance.
Mounting faces and hole positions
Show the assembly datums and the positional relationship between features. Include the controlling drawing standard and any customer-specific symbols or notes.
Dimensions after finishing
Identify the surfaces measured after heat treatment or coating. Agree allowances and masking before release rather than adjusting a finished fit without approval.
Threads and access
Include size, pitch, class, usable depth and the referenced thread system. Note cross-holes, wrench flats and other secondary features that affect access.
Special characteristics
Point to each designated characteristic on the drawing. Provide its inspection method, frequency and reporting requirements, or flag it for agreement.
Milling and turning for your automotive part drawing
Milled housings and brackets
Pockets, mounting faces, slots and hole patterns are reviewed together with their datums and workholding requirements.
CNC milling →Turned shafts and sleeves
Round features, shoulders and internal bores need a defined reference axis and final material condition. Flats and cross-holes are reviewed as additional operations.
CNC turning →Parts with features on several faces
Angled features and multi-face relationships may call for indexed or simultaneous machining. The process is selected after reviewing geometry, access and inspection.
5-axis CNC machining →
Protect functional surfaces through finishing and packing
Heat treatment and surface protection
Specify the required treatment, final condition and processing sequence. Name any approved processor or verification requirement that is part of your purchasing specification.
Contact areas, seal faces and masked features
Identify surfaces where plating, paint or anodizing is required, limited or prohibited. Discuss coating thickness and the final dimensions of threads and mating features.
Cleanliness, labels and transit protection
State measurable cleanliness criteria where required. Set protection for bores, threads and sealing faces, with packaging and labels that preserve the identity of each batch.
Appearance, material condition and dimensional acceptance are separate checks. A protective finish is not, by itself, proof of corrosion performance or suitability for the vehicle application.
Define the inspection records before samples are made
| Record | What to request | What to agree |
|---|---|---|
| Material and lot identity | Material specification, heat or lot reference and traceability records | Which records accompany each delivery and which are retained. |
| Dimensions and special characteristics | Drawing-linked results, measuring method and agreed sample plan | Features, datums, final condition, sampling and report format. |
| Process and measurement studies | Control plan, measurement-system and capability evidence where requested | Applicable methods, acceptance criteria and responsible parties. |
| Heat treatment and surface processing | Relevant treatment records, final-condition checks and processor information | Required specifications, approved sources and verification scope. |
| Part approval submission | The customer’s required PPAP or other part-approval package | Submission scope, level if applicable, production conditions and approval contact. |
| Material reporting | IMDS or other customer-requested material declarations | Part and revision, material inputs, reporting responsibility and recipient. |
Confirm the site and scope before placing the order
Send any required certification, customer approval or audit criteria with the inquiry. Confirm what the proposed manufacturing site and its processors can actually support before release.
No IATF 16949 certification, customer nomination or approved PPAP status is claimed on this page.
Keep revisions, approvals and delivery batches aligned
Release the build definition
Record the drawing revision, material, process requirements and intended build.
Review the initial parts
Compare samples and records with the agreed acceptance criteria; record any deviations.
Complete the required approval
Obtain the customer’s decision before moving into the next agreed supply stage.
Identify every delivery batch
Keep part number, revision, lot reference and shipment records linked.
Separate a forecast from a released order
Provide prototype, pilot and production quantities separately. An annual forecast helps planning, while purchase releases define the quantities and dates that are actually agreed for supply.
Agree how changes are handled
Define who approves changes to the drawing, material, manufacturing site, tooling or processing route. State whether new samples, inspection or approval records are required before a changed batch is shipped.
What changes the price of an automotive CNC order?
Part geometry and material condition
Deep features, several setups, special material conditions and secondary operations can change the work required. Quote the released drawing rather than a similar-looking sample.
Build quantities and repeat demand
Ask for separate prototype and production quantities. Repeat demand may justify different workholding or process planning, but cost and capacity must be confirmed for the specific order.
Inspection, approval and delivery scope
Define the records, testing, sample stages and packaging required in the quotation. This makes prices easier to compare without leaving essential work outside the scope.
Know who will manufacture and process your parts
“My father built relationships through exhibitions and returning customers. After ten years in CNC, I want new customers to be able to understand the work and the people behind it before making a long trip.”
Kevin · vetcnc
Read our family’s manufacturing story →We have multiple factories in China and a wider network of manufacturing partners. The arrangement should fit your part—not force your project into a process that is not suitable.
For an automotive inquiry, agree the proposed production site, processors, records and responsibilities before placing the order. A partner’s capability or approval should not be assumed to cover every site.
Automotive CNC machining questions
Can you quote an automotive prototype before the design is frozen?
Send the current drawing and identify what is still changing. We can review an inquiry with open points, but material, geometry, acceptance criteria and any permitted deviations need to be agreed before machining starts.
What is needed to move from samples to repeat production?
Provide the released drawing, material specification, order quantities and customer approval requirements. Agree the manufacturing site, inspection plan, packaging, traceability and change-control process for repeat supply.
Does vetcnc hold IATF 16949 certification or an approved PPAP?
This page does not claim IATF 16949 certification or approved PPAP status. Send your required certification scope and customer requirements so the proposed manufacturing site and approval route can be verified before an order.
Can I request PPAP documentation with a quotation?
Yes, identify it as a requirement for review and provide your required scope, level if applicable, forms and approval contact. Document availability, responsibilities, timing and any associated cost must be agreed; checking a box does not confirm a completed or approved submission.
Can you review parts for electric vehicles?
Use the inquiry to describe the component’s mechanical, electrical or thermal function, not only the vehicle type. Include material, contact surfaces, insulation interfaces, coating exclusions and the relevant validation or acceptance requirements.
What tolerances can you confirm for an automotive component?
Tolerances are confirmed for the actual drawing, material, geometry and final condition. Identify critical fits, datums and special characteristics. No blanket tolerance on this page overrides a drawing review.
Can several deliveries use the same approved part revision?
Discuss the release schedule and lot-identification rules at quotation. State how partial deliveries, retained samples, records and revision changes are managed, and who is authorized to release a changed batch.
What should I send for a useful quote?
Provide the 3D model and controlled drawing, material and final condition, quantities by build stage, target dates, finishing, inspection and approval requirements. Include the part’s intended use and highlight any unanswered design questions.
Can you recommend another factory if the project is not a fit?
Yes. We can discuss an introduction or a coordinated partner arrangement. You should know who will manufacture and process the parts, who is responsible for the records, and which approvals need to be verified.
Send your part drawing and build schedule
Your automotive component project brief
Your selections require supplier, process and approval-scope review. They do not confirm IATF certification, customer nomination, PPAP approval or permission to use a part in a vehicle.
This brief records requirements, not a price, capacity commitment or part approval. Entries stay in this page until a configured submission is made.
Request a drawing review
Technical references and project-scope notes
- AIAG — Quality Core Tools. Reference for PPAP, control plans, measurement-system analysis and process-control terminology.
- IATF — Customer Specific Requirements. Check the current requirements applicable to your customer and program.
- IMDS — International Material Data System. Automotive material data reporting reference.
References explain terminology; they do not certify vetcnc or approve any component. Scope, specifications, capacity, material availability, processing, records and price require written review. No certification logos, customer approvals or numerical performance guarantees are presented.