CNC machining, quoted from China and other countries with the metal tariffs already in the math.
Milled and turned parts to your drawing, from audited shops in China and other countries. Section 232 on steel and aluminum is modeled up front, so the origin that wins is the one that actually lands cheapest — sometimes that's a truck-freight origin, sometimes it's staying home.
What our CNC partners run.
Processes
3-, 4- and 5-axis milling; CNC turning and Swiss-type; wire and sinker EDM; grinding. Secondary tapping, pressing, heat treat.
Materials
6061/7075 aluminum, 1018/4140 steel, 303/304/316 stainless, brass, copper, titanium; Delrin, PEEK, nylon, UHMW, polycarbonate.
Finishing
Anodize Type II/III, zinc and nickel plating, passivation, powder coat, bead blast, laser marking. Finisher named on the quote.
Tolerances & inspection
±0.01 mm critical, ±0.05 mm general. CMM and surface-roughness reports; first-article on every new part; in-process sampling per run.
Volumes
Best from 2,000 to 250,000 pieces per part number per year. Kanban and blanket-order releases supported once the part is stable.
Documentation
Ballooned drawings, material certs, RoHS/REACH declarations, PPAP-style packages on request, and the UFLPA traceability file.
Why the answer for a machined bracket is different from a molded enclosure.
Steel and aluminum
Section 232 (since June 8, 2026: 50% on articles essentially all steel or aluminum, 25% on derivatives) applies from every origin, FTA partners included, and replaces the 12.5%. The duty gap shrinks; freight, lead time and MOQ flexibility decide. Truck freight in days instead of 30–45 on the water often wins.
Brass, titanium, plastics
No 232 exposure. China carries 37.5 points above MFN on List 1–3 parts (20 on List 4A); a 12.5% origin carries 12.5; an FTA-qualifying origin pays 0%. Here the gap is wide and the re-quote usually moves the part.
Complex, multi-op parts
Where a part needs machining plus plating plus assembly, the sub-supply chain matters more than the headline duty. China's depth still wins many of these; we say so when it does.
Questions we get on this
Which origin usually wins for CNC machined parts?
It depends on the metal. For aluminum and steel, Section 232 duties apply regardless of origin, so the duty gap between China and other origins is smaller than for plastics — and an origin with truck freight often wins on lead time and lot size. For brass, plastics and titanium there is no 232, so the Section 301 gap decides and the part usually moves. The re-quote runs every viable origin per HTS code.
What tolerances can offshore CNC suppliers hold?
Our qualified shops hold ±0.01 mm on critical features and ±0.05 mm general, with CMM reports on request. The first-article inspection verifies every callout on the drawing before production, and in-process checks sample the run.
Do you handle finishing — anodize, plating, powder coat?
Yes. Finishing is quoted as part of the part, with the finisher named. Cosmetic standards (Class A surfaces, allowable defects, color match to a sample) are written into the spec before the first PO so they can be inspected against.
What is the minimum quantity for CNC machining offshore?
Roughly 500 pieces a year per part number before the inspection and logistics overhead is worth it; 2,000+ is where the saving is consistent. Prototype and low-volume machining is usually better done domestically, and we’ll say so.
Send us your top five SKUs. Get every viable origin back.
No commitment. In ten business days you’ll have a landed-cost comparison you can put in front of your CFO, with named factories behind every number.