Ask a California Machine Shop: Our Most Common Customer Questions

When you’re vetting a new manufacturing partner, it’s normal to have a variety of questions. At our California machine shop, we work with a wide range of industries and project types, so we get a wide variety of different questions from our customers. 

Below are some of the common questions we get, along with some simple answers to help you better understand what we can do at KT Tech. We’re always ready to help answer any other questions, too, to ensure you can start your next project with confidence.

FAQ 1: “What Capabilities Do You Offer?”

Our core capabilities include CNC milling (including advanced 5-axis machining services), Swiss turning, laser marking, CMM inspection, and assembly services. Two areas that often stand out to new customers are our ability to support low-volume Swiss turning and our experience with small, high-precision features, including micropart machining when your application demands it.

This FAQ focuses on our machining capabilities, but we also design and build custom machines to help overcome your unique production bottlenecks. We’ve covered common questions about custom machine design before, and we’re always happy to discuss them with you directly. 

FAQ 2: “What Part Sizes and Materials Can You Handle?”

Every project has its own constraints, so we prefer to discuss on a project-by-project basis. But we can share general guidelines to help you understand potential feasibility.

For part size, we typically handle milling work up to roughly 20 inches maximum, and turning work up to roughly 6 inches in diameter. These are not hard limits, though, and if your part exceeds those ranges, we can evaluate whether we can still manufacture it.

For materials, we routinely machine metals like stainless steel, titanium, and aluminum, and we’re also comfortable with superalloys like Inconel when the application calls for them. We also work with a range of materials that constitute plastic machining services, including PEEK, polypropylene, Delrin, and more. 

FAQ 3: “Do You Machine 3D-Printed Parts?”

Yes, when the application calls for it, we can perform machining for 3D-printed parts (including metal 3D-printed parts). Many machine shops avoid this work because printed parts may behave differently than stock materials, but our team has refined our techniques and understands how to maintain precision. If you need post-processing machining for printed parts, let’s talk!

FAQ 4: “What Is Your Minimum Required Quantity for Swiss Turning?”

For Swiss turning, we are open to low-volume Swiss machining and prototyping, including a quantity of 1 in certain cases. Many Swiss shops prefer high-volume production, but we know that your prototypes may require you to optimize for Swiss machining from the start. Our Swiss prototyping allows you to validate geometry and evaluate function early in your project.

FAQ 5: “Do You Support Expedites?”

Yes! Expedites are common in our California machine shop, and we’re set up to help you get parts quickly. Between streamlined quoting and advanced equipment, we help you compress your timeline without ever sacrificing quality. Even when you don’t require expedites, our standard timelines and rapid prototype services offer both speed and reliability, backed by our 98% on-time delivery track record.

Have a Different Question? Ask Us!

These are just some of the questions we hear most frequently from new customers, but they’re hardly the only ones that matter. If you have questions about anything from application to tolerance challenge to timeline, we can dig in and discuss. Just contact us today or request a quote from our California machine shop!