CNC milling is our cornerstone service, but did you know that some custom parts can be machined almost entirely with a router?

Accurate CNC Services has perfected the art of routing workpiece peripheries and features before cranking up the CNC mill. Using our CNC routing services, we complete as much upfront work as possible, helping you cut costs and reduce lead times while still getting the high-quality results you’ve come to expect from our precision machine shop.

CNC Routing Services, Milling Services, or Both?

Manufacturers commonly use CNC routers to machine broad, flat parts such as signs, cabinet fronts, carved features, and large-scale components.

CNC mills, on the other hand, are primarily used for finely detailed parts that will wind up in larger machines or assemblies.

By leveraging the power of both capabilities, Accurate CNC Services gives your project the comprehensive benefits of our full-service shop. For example, we may perform your part’s large-format work with the router, then tackle smaller features with the mill. Or we might machine your workpiece’s periphery with the router, then transfer the part to the mill for interior features.

With our routers and mills under one roof, Accurate CNC Services is also uniquely equipped to make any necessary fixtures, templates, and machining blanks on the router before progressing to the mill.

All of these factors work together to ensure impeccable quality at reduced costs and lead times for our customers.

Choosing the Right Materials for Routing

Routers are built to handle large sheet or plate stock—no complex setups required; we simply machine the blanks! Less rigid than CNC mills, routers cannot cut bar stock, but they work beautifully with aluminum and plastics, and their spindles perform at high speeds of 10,000-24,000 RPM or higher.

When providing CNC routing services for high-volume jobs, we run multiple sheets at once, meaning we won’t lose time to repeated cleanups or setups. At 5’ x 20’, our largest router offers multiple vacuum zones, allowing us to simultaneously utilize both ends of the machine with no spindle downtime between shifts.

Not only is routing a more affordable option than milling, laser cutting, or waterjet cutting, but it also produces a machined finish, giving your part a polished profile.

Is Your Part Suitable for Routing?

We frequently rely on our CNC routing services for applications such as plates, housings, and end-of-arm robotic tooling such as brackets and covers.

To machine your workpiece on a CNC router, it should meet these qualifications:

• Crafted from sheet stock (thinner than ¼”) or plate stock (¼” thick or greater)—no bar stock

• A tolerance thickness callout commensurate with the stock tolerance thickness of your selected sheet or plate material

• Small enough for the mill should it require secondary milling operations

We almost always recommend the router over the mill, as long as the routing requirements don’t compromise your part’s quality or purpose. But even if your part must be 100% milled, we can help you spend wisely by making applicable fixtures with a router.

Your Satisfaction Is Our Priority

We’re always looking for ways to make your Accurate CNC Services experience truly exceptional. 

From the outset, we leverage our vendor relationships to secure the best available material prices. Next, we offer valuable Design for Manufacturing input that can help you save time and money without interfering with your part’s non-negotiable specifications, such as adjusting a feature slightly to avoid the expense of non-standard tooling. And, of course, we recommend the most effective machining processes for your job. 

If you’re ever unsure about which process, material, tolerancing, or tooling is best, simply drop us a line, and we’ll help you identify the ideal solution.

So let’s get started! Request an easy, online quote today.