What CNC machining costs, and what drives your quote

How CNC machining is priced, the cost drivers that actually move the number (cycle time, material, tolerance, setup), and how to design a part that quotes cheaper.

Quick answer: CNC machining is priced by machine time, not by part count. A simple aluminum part can be a few dollars each in production but $80 to $150 as a one-off, because the setup is not spread over a run. The drivers are cycle time (metal removed, number of setups), material (aluminum cheap, stainless and titanium slow), tolerance and finishing. Loosen the tolerances you can afford to and order quantities that fill a setup, and the number drops.

What you are actually paying for

Not the metal. The machine time and the setup. A block of 6061 aluminum is cheap; the hour of spindle time and the fixturing to hold your part while it is cut are not. That is why quantity matters so much: the setup cost is the same for one part or fifty, so it dominates a one-off and disappears in a production run.

The cheapest change you can make

Delete tolerance you do not need. A drawing that calls plus/minus 0.001 in on every dimension because that is what the title block defaulted to prices like a part that needs it, and yours probably does not. Tag the three or four features that actually mate or seal, leave the rest at plus/minus 0.005 in, and the quote drops without changing the part's function. For a live ballpark by complexity and quantity, use the CNC machining cost estimator.

Where the hours hide

Deep pockets, thin walls, tight internal corners (which force small tools and slow passes), and any feature that needs a second or third setup. Round parts are cheaper turned than milled. Stainless and titanium cut slower than aluminum, so material choice is a time choice. A simple redesign, a looser corner radius, a shallower pocket, one fewer setup, often saves more than negotiating the rate.

Why the instant quote is not the real quote

The four-minute number is a real price for a simple part and a guess for a real one. The moment your drawing carries a GD&T frame, a datum scheme or a surface-finish callout, someone has to open the model and read it, and that someone is not the algorithm. Send the drawing and let a shop quote the part you actually designed. Request quotes from Canadian machine shops and we route it to shops tooled for your material and tolerance.

FAQ

How much does CNC machining cost per hour?

Shop rates in Canada commonly run roughly $75 to $150 per machine hour depending on the machine, the region and the work, but you rarely buy hours directly. You buy a part price that bakes in cycle time, setup, material and finishing.

Why is my one-off prototype so expensive?

Because setup (programming, fixturing, first-article checks) is a fixed cost spread over a single part. The same part at 100 pieces is far cheaper each. For a functional prototype, the one-off price is usually still the right buy.

How do I make a machined part cheaper?

Loosen non-critical tolerances, reduce the number of setups, avoid deep pockets and sharp internal corners, pick aluminum where you can, and order in round quantities. See design for manufacturing.

Is machining or injection molding cheaper?

For low volume, machining. For high volume of a plastic part, molding wins once you clear the tooling cost. The crossover is usually the low thousands, covered in injection molding cost.

Does material choice really change the price that much?

Yes. Titanium and stainless cut slower and wear tooling faster than aluminum, so the same geometry can cost noticeably more. Spec the grade you need, not the strongest one on the shelf.

Last reviewed: July 2026. Related reading: what is CNC machining and injection molding cost.