CNC Machining for the Automotive Industry
Brackets, adapters, cooling plates, test fixtures and aftermarket components machined in Dongguan. Prototype quantities through to runs of several thousand, with a measured first article on every setup.
Problems buyers bring us in this sector
Most automotive RFQs we see are development hardware, test equipment and aftermarket parts. These are the three things that go wrong most often, and what we do about each.
“The quote came back higher than the part is worth”
Nine times out of ten it is a tolerance or a finish nobody actually needed. Bill reads the drawing before it is priced and tells you which callout is driving the number — a ±0.01 mm on a clearance hole, a hard anodise where clear would do. You decide whether to keep it.
“We need the test hardware before the build, not after it”
Quote in 16 hours and no minimum order, so one checking fixture or a single bracket is a normal order here, not a favour. Put the build date in the RFQ and we will say yes or no up front rather than accept and slip.
“Our last supplier could not repeat the first batch”
We keep the program, the setup sheet and the first-article report per part number, so batch two is machined the same way as batch one. If a dimension drifts, we have the original measurements to compare against, not a memory.
What we machine for automotive customers
Most of our automotive work is development hardware, test equipment and aftermarket parts rather than series production for an OEM line — we are not IATF 16949 certified and we say so before you ask.
Brackets and mounts
Sensor, bracket and harness mounts in 6061, 7075 and steel, usually milled from plate or billet.
Battery and cooling plates
Milled plates with sealed channels, flatness and surface finish held on the seal face.
Test and assembly fixtures
Checking fixtures, locating nests and gauges for the production line, machined to the datum scheme on your drawing.
Adapters and housings
Turned and milled adapters, manifold blocks and housings with threaded ports.
Aftermarket components
Pulleys, spacers, shift components and trim parts in aluminium, stainless and brass.
Prototype hardware
One-off parts for a development build, quoted the same day and cut without a minimum order.
What these parts are usually made from
Aluminium for weight and lead time, steel and stainless where load or wear decides it. If your drawing calls out an EN or DIN grade we cross-reference it and confirm on the quote.
What we watch on an automotive drawing
Fits, flatness and seal faces
On automotive hardware the dimensions that matter are usually the bore fits, the flatness of a seal or mating face, and true position between bolt patterns. Tell us which of those are critical and we will hold them; everything unmarked follows ISO 2768-mK.
- Bore and shaft fitsISO 286 IT6 – IT8
- Achievable, milled±0.002 mm
- Unmarked dimensionsISO 2768-mK
- Typical quantity1 – 5,000
- Material certificatesEN 10204 3.1 on request
- CertificationNot IATF 16949 — stated up front
What buyers in this industry ask
Can you supply PPAP or IATF 16949 parts?
How fast can you turn around a prototype bracket?
Do you machine parts for electric vehicle development?
How we make them
CNC Milling
Housings, plates and brackets on 2/3/4-axis centres. CNC milling →
CNC Turning
Shafts, bushings and fittings on twelve lathes. CNC turning →
Inspection
First article on the CMM before the run continues. Quality →
Send the drawing. You will have a price and a lead time in 16 hours.
STEP, IGES, X_T, DWG, DXF or PDF. Metric or inch. No minimum order.