Cost guide
There is no single price for CNC machining in China. There is a range, and the range is driven by the drawing, the quantity, the material and the finishing — not by the country alone.
The short answer
For a simple aluminum part, a typical 2026 range from a Dongguan shop is $25–$60/hour for machining time, $40–$150 for setup and programming, and material at the market price. A 100 × 80 × 30 mm aluminum bracket in 10 pieces often lands around $18–$35 per part before finishing and freight. A titanium part with tight tolerances and a cosmetic finish can be 3–5× that. These are planning ranges, not quotes.
What is in the price
| Cost element | What it covers | How it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Setup and programming | Fixture, program, first article | Fixed per order; spread over quantity |
| Machining time | Cycle time on the machine | Geometry, material, tolerance, finish |
| Material | Bar, plate or rod, with certificate | Grade, size, stock availability |
| Finishing | Anodising, plating, blasting, polishing | Process, colour, masking, batch size |
| Inspection | First article, in-process, final | Tolerance, GD&T, report requirements |
| Freight and duty | DHL/FedEx or sea, DDP or FOB | Weight, volume, Incoterm, destination |
A quote that shows only a part price hides these variables. Ask for the breakdown.
Why quantity changes the price so much
Setup is a fixed cost. On one part, it can be most of the price. On 100 parts, it is a small line. The cycle time does not disappear, but the per-part price drops sharply from 1 to 50 and then flattens. If a supplier quotes the same per-part price for 1 and 100, ask what assumption is hidden in the number.
| Quantity | What dominates | Typical effect |
|---|---|---|
| 1–5 | Setup, programming, first article | Highest per-part cost |
| 10–50 | Setup spread; cycle time | Per-part cost drops sharply |
| 100–500 | Cycle time, material, inspection | Stable per-part cost |
| 1,000+ | Cycle time, material, finishing | Production route; setup amortised |
The curve depends on the part. Send a drawing for the actual numbers.
Material: the part of the quote buyers underestimate
Aluminum is cheap and fast. Stainless is slower and costs more. Titanium is slower still, and the material price is volatile. PEEK can cost more per kilogram than some metals and machines slowly because heat builds up. If the drawing allows a substitute, ask for a quote in two materials; the difference is often larger than the machining difference.
Finishing and freight
Anodising, plating, bead blasting and polishing are quoted as one finished part, one invoice. Small batches may carry a minimum batch charge from the finishing plant. Freight is separate unless you ask for DDP; for a first order, DDP is usually the least surprising because it includes duty and brokerage. Compare landed cost, not the part price.
How to compare quotes from different countries
- Ask for DDP. A landed cost is the only number that compares with a local quote.
- Ask what is excluded. Finishing, inspection, tooling, packing and freight are the usual gaps.
- Ask for the lead time in writing. A low price with a vague date is not a low price.
- Ask for the first-article report. It tells you what “quality” means in practice.
- Buy one part. A sample is the cheapest due diligence you can do.
Use the cost calculator for a planning range, then send a STEP file for a firm quote in 16 hours. CNC machining in China · why quotes come back high · shipping and Incoterms.
Written by the engineering team at GY Machining, Dongguan. We machine prototypes and production parts in aluminum, stainless, titanium, brass and engineering plastics.