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VETCNCCNC MANUFACTURING
Machined components on a drawing

Brass CNC machining
for custom components

Compare Brass Grades

Brass fittings, bushings and machined components

6 part examples

Threaded adapters

Specify the thread standard, pitch or size, sealing arrangement and full thread length. Mark any flats, cross-holes and areas to be checked after plating.

Flanged bushings

Provide the bore, outside diameter and flange thickness together. Include the mating part and whether the fit is checked before or after the specified finish.

Locating pins and stepped shafts

Identify the locating diameters, shoulder positions and datum axis. Show the cross-holes, grooves and contact areas that affect assembly.

Flanges and mounting collars

Dimension the pilot diameter, bolt pattern and mounting face from functional datums. State whether the face seals, locates or only clamps the assembly.

Spacers and washers

Specify thickness, bore clearance, flatness and edge condition. Include handling and surface-appearance requirements for visible hardware.

Multi-port machined blocks

Show intersecting passages, threads and mounting holes. Identify internal burr restrictions, cleaning requirements and any separate leak-test specification.

Which brass grade is on your drawing?

C36000: free-cutting brass

C36000 is a leaded, free-cutting brass used for machined components. Its lead content supports machinability; it should not be specified as a lead-free alloy. [1]

Material designation
Leaded free-cutting brass
Include with your drawing
State the product standard, stock form and temper. Identify any lead-content or end-use restrictions before this grade is approved.

CW614N: CuZn39Pb3

CW614N is designated CuZn39Pb3 in Wieland’s brass range. It is a lead-containing copper-zinc alloy; use the full designation rather than assuming a match to a different national grade. [2]

Material designation
CuZn39Pb3
Include with your drawing
Provide the material standard and supplied condition. Treat C36000 or a locally available grade as a proposed alternative that needs your written approval before machining starts.

CW617N: CuZn40Pb2

CW617N is designated CuZn40Pb2. It is a separate specification from CW614N, even when the finished components look similar. [2]

Material designation
CuZn40Pb2
Include with your drawing
Confirm whether the starting material is bar or a preformed blank. Include the condition, material record and any additional operations in the order review.

C69300: silicon brass

C69300 is a silicon-containing brass marketed by Wieland Chase as a lead-free alternative, with dezincification resistance. These material characteristics do not by themselves establish approval of a finished component. [3]

Material designation
Copper-zinc-silicon brass
Include with your drawing
Supply the accepted product standard, lead requirement and intended use. Confirm stock availability, certification and machining scope before ordering.

These grades are comparison points, not a confirmed stock list. For another Chinese, EN, ASTM or customer specification, provide the exact designation and required edition. A proposed alternative needs your approval.

Brass Grades: Lead Content and Processing Route
GradeLead (wt%)
C36000 composition
Processing role
C360002.5–3.0Free-cutting machining brass
CW614N / CuZn39Pb32.5–3.5Machining; extensive cutting after hot forming
CW617N / CuZn40Pb21.6–2.5Hot forming followed by machining
C69300 silicon brass≤0.09Low-lead machining and forging route

Composition: Wieland Chase and Wieland Z33/Z41 data. C69300 contains 2.7–3.4 wt% silicon. We use the specified product standard and stock condition to select the supply route; national grade designations are not automatic equivalents.

Lead content and water-contact requirements

Lead-restricted parts

Lead-restricted parts need a defined maximum lead content, governing requirement and supporting evidence. C36000, CW614N and CW617N are leaded grades.[1][2]

Water and fluid-contact components

Identify the medium, temperature, contact conditions and target-market requirements. A request for dezincification resistance, a material chemistry limit and an approval for the finished product are different requirements; list each one that applies.

Turning and milling brass to finished size

CNC turning for threads and bores

For adapters, sleeves and pins, define the part axis, shoulder locations and full thread lengths. Include any milling, cross-drilling or deburring needed after the main turning operations.

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CNC milling for blocks and mounting features

Dimension pockets, flat faces and hole patterns from the datums that locate the part. Show the features that need a common setup and the corners that may be modified after review.

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Combined machining for complete components

A turned body with flats, angled holes or an offset port may need more than one process. The quote should cover the finished component rather than leave secondary work implicit.

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Threads, seals and fitted surfaces

Threaded connections

Name the complete thread specification, class and full thread depth. Identify where the joint seals and whether assembly checks take place after plating.

Bushings, spacers and locating fits

Provide mating dimensions, the intended fit and the surface condition at assembly. Identify surfaces that must be protected from polishing, plating or handling marks.

Sealing faces and internal passages

Mark the sealing land, port intersections and acceptable internal edge condition. Include any cleaning, leak-test method or acceptance limit that must be quoted.

Electrical and visible surfaces

Specify the contact or appearance requirement — mating face, electrical contact area or visible surface — with the acceptance method for each. Include the coating system, masked areas, reference sample and inspection criteria where they apply.

Brass tolerances before and after plating

Brass dimensions and inspection
FeatureSpecificationAcceptance conditionVerification
ThreadsStandard/class; pitch/size; full thread lengthFinal surface condition; specified acceptance stageGauge or specified inspection method
Bores and outside diametersSize limits; fit; datums; masked surfacesAfter drawing-specified operationsFinished-size measurements
Sealing faces and groovesRoughness parameter/units; groove geometry; edge breaksSpecified functional test requirementsSeparate dimensions, surface checks and leak testing
Plated surfacesCoating; thickness limits; significant surfaces; masking; coverageFinished mating dimensionsCoating-thickness records; fit and appearance checks
Flatness and feature positionDatums; controlled faces/holesDefined support and sampling planSpecified dimensions reported

Specify tolerances for the delivered part, including coating thickness and the dimensions that must pass after plating. We will confirm achievable limits for the geometry and finishing process.

Finishing options for machined brass

As-machined brass

Define allowable tool marks, edge breaks and cleanliness. Protect the surfaces that locate or seal the assembly; appearance and dimensional requirements should be stated separately.

Include packing requirements for bare parts.

Polished or brushed surfaces

Identify visible faces, the direction of brushing and an approved appearance reference. Keep edges, lettering, sealing faces and fitted diameters within their agreed limits.

Approve appearance with a sample where necessary.

Nickel-plated brass

Nickel plating needs a specified process, thickness, masking and inspection scope, including the surfaces to be measured.

Confirm final fits and thread checks after the finish.

Tin or other specified plating

For an electrical-contact or other functional coating, provide the approved process and acceptance criteria. Include underlayers, masked areas and required records in the technical review.

Availability and process responsibility are confirmed with the quote.

Brass can discolor in air. Plating is one possible way to protect appearance, but finish selection also needs to account for the part’s function, dimensions and permitted materials. [4]

Details to check on your brass part drawing

Thread length and hole depth

Show full thread length separately from drill depth. For blind holes, identify the usable depth, end clearance and any permitted relief. Mark whether the specification applies before or after finishing.

Small passages and intersecting bores

Identify the smallest openings and internal intersections. Include the edges that cannot retain burrs, how cleanliness will be assessed and any feature that needs a dedicated checking method.

Thin walls and clamping faces

Mark the walls and surfaces that are sensitive to deformation or marking. State where the part can be held and whether any dimensions apply in a free or assembled condition.

Inserts and joining operations

For an insert, define the receiving material, installation method and retention requirements. For soldered, brazed or other joined components, identify the approved process and who performs it.

Which drawing details need a closer review?

Material records and finished-part inspection

Dimensional inspection scene

Match the material to the approved designation

Request the certificate or material record required by your order. Link it to the supplied stock and grade; a general alloy datasheet is not evidence of the material used in your batch.

Inspect finished threads and fits

Identify the characteristics to be reported, gauges or other methods, and whether the checks follow plating. Material records, dimension reports and coating records serve different purposes.

Agree separate tests before production

A chemistry limit, coating requirement or leak test needs a defined method and acceptance criteria. Include the required documents and approvals in the quote rather than add them after the parts are finished.

Keep finished surfaces protected in transit

Specify separation of parts, thread protection, packing cleanliness and marking restrictions. Retain the batch reference so any delivery discrepancy can be checked against the approved order.

Pricing prototypes and repeat brass batches

Stock, grade and blank size

Quote the exact brass and stock condition alongside the geometry. Ask whether another blank size or approved grade could change the cost, but keep alternatives separate from the specified offer.

Secondary work and acceptance checks

Small passages, special threads, cosmetic polishing, plating and additional inspection can change the scope. A comparable quote should identify which of these operations and records are included.

Prototype and repeat quantities

List quantities separately for samples, a pilot run and regular orders. Confirm setup, tooling, finishing and inspection charges, along with the conditions for repeat batches.

Brass order approval and delivery

  1. Complete-part requirements

    Keep the grade, threads, finish and required records with the drawing.

  2. Manufacturing responsibilities

    Agree material sourcing, secondary processes and acceptance checks.

  3. Quote and sample approval

    Confirm revision, sample plan, price and delivery terms.

  4. Parts and records

    Check the batch against the agreement and retain approved changes for repeat orders.

Questions about brass CNC machining

Which brass grades can I request?

Send the grade on your drawing. This page compares C36000, CW614N, CW617N and C69300; we then confirm availability, material condition and the proposed manufacturing route for the order.

Can you machine to a different national brass specification?

Include the exact specification and required edition. We can discuss a proposed alternative, but similar descriptions or appearance are not enough to approve a substitution. Any change needs your documented agreement.

Is C36000 lead-free brass?

No. C36000 is a leaded free-cutting brass. For a lead-restricted component, provide the material and evidence requirements so a suitable specification can be reviewed. [1]

Does choosing C69300 make the finished part approved for drinking water?

Drinking-water approval for a finished part follows the target market, service conditions and required qualification documents. Specify the target market, service conditions and required qualification documents for review.

Can you make threaded brass fittings and adapters?

Submit the full thread callout, drawing and sealing arrangement for review. Include any cross-holes, flats, internal edge requirements and checks after plating. Pressure or leak acceptance must be specified separately.

Will plating affect a close fit or thread?

Plating and the finished dimensions must be reviewed together. State the coating thickness, masked areas and whether the tolerance applies after finishing. The machining allowance and final checking method should be agreed before production.

Can I order a sample before a production batch?

Include prototype, pilot and production quantities in the inquiry. Ask for a quote that identifies sample approval, inspection and any remaining requirements before the full batch is released.

Which records can I request with the parts?

List the material evidence, batch identification, dimensional or thread report, coating record and additional tests you need. Scope, method and availability are confirmed in the quotation rather than assumed for every order.

Can I request custom brass inserts?

Send the insert drawing with the receiving material, installation method and retention requirements. Include any knurl, groove, thread and plating details. The geometry, manufacture and acceptance checks are reviewed for the actual application.

What files do you need for a brass machining quote?

Provide a 3D model and a dimensioned drawing where available, plus the grade, quantities, finish and acceptance requirements. The inquiry form accepts STEP, IGES, PDF, DWG, DXF, SLDPRT or a ZIP up to 20 MB. Agree confidentiality and the transfer method before sharing sensitive files.

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Discuss your brass part

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Technical references and material notes
  1. Wieland Chase — C36000 free-cutting brass — Material identification, leaded composition and machining context.
  2. Wieland — Brass rod designations — CW614N / CuZn39Pb3 and CW617N / CuZn40Pb2 designations; not a substitution approval.
  3. Wieland Chase — C69300 silicon brass — Silicon brass composition, lead content and dezincification resistance.
  4. Protolabs — Metal fabrication and surface treatment — General brass discoloration and protective-finishing context. Tell us the finish your part needs and we confirm the process with the quotation.

Material and process references. The governing specification and agreed order define the delivered parts.

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