Machine Panels
Guards, covers, backers, doors, and access panels.
Sheet, Plate, and Panel Cutting
CNC Routing Service
Profile, pocket, drill, and engrave flat components in plastics, composites, wood-based sheet, foam, and selected aluminum plate.
Recommended inputs: DXF or STEP, thickness, material grade, quantity, and edge requirements
Panel WorkflowProfiles, pockets, holes, and edge details
- Part Types
- Panels, guards, signs, covers, fixtures
- Secondary Work
- Drilling, countersinking, tapping, engraving
- Order Range
- One-offs through nested production
Overview
A flexible cutting process for flat stock
Routing uses rotating tools to cut profiles and machined details. It is especially useful when the material is poorly suited to laser cutting or when pockets, counterbores, and edge features are required in the same setup.
Profile Cutting
Inside and outside contours, cutouts, tabs, slots, and openings.
Pockets and Recesses
Machined depths for hardware, labels, covers, and mating parts.
Hole Operations
Drilling, countersinking, counterboring, and selected tapping.
Nested Production
Efficient sheet layouts for repeat parts and panel families.
Capabilities
Routing and secondary operations
| Capability | Best Fit | Important Details |
|---|---|---|
| 2D Profiling | Flat outlines, cutouts, and panel shapes | Inside corner radius, edge tabs, and cut quality |
| 2.5D Machining | Pockets, steps, recesses, and local thickness changes | Pocket depth, floor finish, and tool access |
| Hole Finishing | Fastener holes, countersinks, counterbores, and inserts | Fastener standard and hardware specification |
| Marking and Engraving | Part IDs, scales, labels, and shallow graphics | Artwork format, depth, and legibility requirement |
Materials
Common sheet and plate options
Material behavior, thickness, and protective film affect workholding, feeds, edge quality, and tool selection.
ABSAcetal / POMPolycarbonateAcrylicHDPEUHMWPVCG10 / FR4Carbon Fiber SheetFoamPlywoodMDFAluminum SheetAluminum Plate
Applications
Typical routed components
Fixtures and Tooling
Assembly nests, drill templates, test fixtures, and workholding boards.
Electrical and Display Parts
Equipment faces, bezels, labels, sign panels, and mounting plates.
Composite Components
Flat profiles and openings where heat-free cutting is preferred.
Design Notes
Plan for tools, hold-down, and edge quality
Allow Inside Radii
Inside corners retain a radius related to the cutting tool diameter.
Support Small Parts
Tabs, onion-skin passes, or alternate workholding may be needed for small profiles.
Define Cosmetic Faces
Identify protective film, visible surfaces, and acceptable tool marks.
Call Out Hardware
Specify countersinks, inserts, threads, and fastener standards in the drawing.
FAQ
CNC routing questions
Should I send DXF or 3D CAD?
DXF works well for simple flat profiles. Use STEP plus a drawing when the part includes pockets, multiple depths, countersinks, or critical dimensions.
Can you route aluminum?
Selected aluminum sheet and plate can be routed. Geometry, thickness, workholding, edge finish, and quantity determine whether routing or another machining process is the better choice.
Can hardware and finishing be included?
Yes. Add required inserts, threads, deburring, engraving, coating, or assembly details to the RFQ.
Start RFQ
Upload your routed panel or plate design.
Include material, thickness, quantity, visible face, and all secondary operations.