The short answer
On plate and bracket RFQs, **minimum hole-to-edge distance** is not the same note as hole size, counterbore depth, or a general “no breakout” cloud. Edge distance is the remaining parent material from a hole wall (or a countersink / counterbore outside diameter) to the nearest free edge, slot, or pocket wall—often about **1.5× to 2× the finished hole diameter** as a starting point in aluminum plate, and sometimes more when the hole is tapped, countersunk, or sits next to a thin rail. Silence on that remaining wall, on whether a clamp may land in the same strip, and on whether a slight bulge or witness is allowed, is what widens many [quote-new.php](https://3dwk.com/quote-new.php) **rates.v1.1** estimate bands—not the drill minutes alone.
This guide is for buyers packaging aluminum plate RFQs where CAD shows Ø4–Ø8 holes close to edges or slots with no remaining-wall note. Illustrations use an **Example part** only—not a customer plate. Sibling notes live in [dowel-pin hole location DFM](https://3dwk.com/resources/dowel-pin-hole-location-dfm-cnc) and [flatness vs parallelism on CNC plates](https://3dwk.com/resources/flatness-vs-parallelism-callouts-cnc-plates); here we focus on **edge-distance packaging** so estimators do not have to guess whether a 2 mm leftover wall is intentional.
What hole-to-edge distance means for quoting
**Hole-to-edge distance** is the shortest material path from the finished hole (or the largest related feature—countersink outside diameter, thread minor, or counterbore) to a free edge. It is not the same as hole-to-hole pitch, and a positional tolerance does not automatically protect a thin remaining wall. A through hole that looks comfortable in a top view can still leave a knife-edge after a side pocket is cut. Process pages for electronics-thermal aluminum ([CNC 3-axis Al 6061 electronics-thermal](https://3dwk.com/en/cnc-3axis/al-6061/electronics-thermal.html), [CNC 5-axis Al 6061 electronics-thermal](https://3dwk.com/en/cnc-5axis/al-6061/electronics-thermal.html), [CNC 3-axis Al 6061](https://3dwk.com/en/cnc-3axis/al-6061.html)) assume edge and clamp notes when lots mix open clearance holes with holes parked on thin rails.
Do not bury “no breakout, use best judgment” inside a notes cloud. Put **Ø5.0 THRU, MIN 8.0 EDGE TO SLOT B, REMAINING WALL 6.5 AFTER POCKET C** on the PDF and mirror it in RFQ text. Background: [DFM checklist before an online CNC quote](https://3dwk.com/resources/dfm-checklist-before-online-cnc-quote), [what files to send for a CNC quote](https://3dwk.com/resources/what-files-to-send-for-cnc-quote).
Countersinks, taps, and leftover rails
A clearance hole and a tapped hole with the same nominal diameter do not share the same edge-distance risk. A tap near a free edge can bulge the rail; a [countersink or counterbore](https://3dwk.com/resources/countersink-vs-counterbore-callouts-cnc) grows the stressed diameter and can break a chamfered edge that still looked safe for the drill. Measure remaining wall **after** pockets and slots, not only from the blank outline. [Plate vs billet stock](https://3dwk.com/resources/plate-vs-billet-stock-cnc-aluminum) can change how close a hole may sit to a sawn edge, but it does not replace a written minimum.
Aluminum 6061 plate $/kg planning bands sit in the mid-commodity range under **rates.v1.1** material tables; material cost is rarely the edge-distance story—breakout risk and clamp placement are.
Clamps, slots, and thin walls
Name where a vise or clamp may land if the leftover strip is also the only gripping land. A hole that is legal on the model can still force a soft-jaw change when the remaining wall is too narrow to clamp. Slots and [pocket corner radii](https://3dwk.com/resources/pocket-corner-radius-dfm-cnc-buyers) next to a hole row should show the leftover web in one view. Through vs blind matters when the far-side breakout cone eats the same thin wall; see [blind vs through holes](https://3dwk.com/resources/blind-vs-through-holes-cnc-rfq-notes). Asking “just move it 3 mm” in email, without updating CAD, leaves two conflicting packs.
Tolerance and inspection traps
Calling “no breakout” without a remaining-wall value, mixing a 1×D edge note with a large countersink, or asking for 100% optical check of every cosmetic edge next to an open hole, all force **needs_manual**. Default non-critical holes to ISO 2768-m and put functional edge distance only on thin rails or clamp-load holes. Related: [ISO 2768 general tolerances on CNC RFQs](https://3dwk.com/resources/iso-2768-general-tolerances-cnc-rfq), [reaming vs boring for hole size](https://3dwk.com/resources/reaming-vs-boring-cnc-hole-size), [perpendicularity callouts on CNC brackets](https://3dwk.com/resources/perpendicularity-callouts-cnc-brackets).
Illustration 1 shows an **Example part** plate with labeled 1.6×D edge distance on a clearance-hole row versus a tighter tapped-hole rail on the same blank.
Example part walkthrough
**Example part:** Aluminum 6061-T6 plate ~120×80×8 mm, six Ø5.0 clearance holes with 8.0 mm minimum edge to slot B, two M4 taps with 7.0 mm minimum remaining wall after pocket C, ISO 2768-m general. With STEP + **Ø5 THRU MIN EDGE 8.0 TO SLOT B; M4 MIN REMAINING WALL 7.0 AFTER POCKET C; CLAMP OK ON FACE A RAILS**, expect a usable automatic planning band on [quote-new.php](https://3dwk.com/quote-new.php). Same geometry with silent CAD and “no breakout as needed” often lands DFM notes or **needs_manual**—without inventing any customer PO.
Illustration 2 contrasts a vague RFQ (“keep holes near the edge, no breakout”) versus a labeled edge-distance pack and the clearer estimate path.
What widens bands fastest
Unlabeled mix of clearance, tapped, and countersunk holes on the same thin rail, leftover walls that appear only after a pocket is cut, clamp lands left unspoken, and 100% cosmetic inspection of every near-edge breakout. Quantity breaks help unit minutes but do not erase edge-distance ambiguity—see [how quantity breaks change CNC unit cost](https://3dwk.com/resources/how-quantity-breaks-change-cnc-unit-cost) and [what needs_manual means](https://3dwk.com/resources/what-needs-manual-means-preliminary-quote).
What to do next
Mark each functional near-edge hole with a **minimum edge distance or remaining wall** (after slots and pockets), then upload on [quote-new.php](https://3dwk.com/quote-new.php). Service pages: [CNC machining](https://3dwk.com/cnc-machining-service.php), [materials](https://3dwk.com/materials.php). Treat **rates.v1.1** min/mid/max as estimates, not invoices. If the UI shows **needs_manual**, answer the remaining-wall questions rather than forcing a fake price.
Common questions
Is 2×D always enough edge distance in aluminum plate?
Not as a silent default under **rates.v1.1** estimates. 1.5× to 2×D is a common starting point for open clearance holes, but taps, countersinks, thin rails, and cosmetic edges may need more leftover wall or a revised hole location. Write the distance you actually need.
Can I write “no breakout” and leave the model as-is?
Only if the remaining wall is already obvious and generous in every view. A 2 mm rail next to a Ø5 hole is not rescued by a notes cloud. Update CAD or add a minimum wall so the shop and the estimate see the same intent.
When should I move the hole instead of tightening the wall note?
When the leftover wall is too thin to drill or tap without bulge, when a countersink would break the chamfer, or when the same strip is the only clamp land. Moving the hole, adding a boss, or splitting the plate is cleaner than asking the shop to “be careful.”
How should I call out edge break next to near-edge holes?
Put the edge-break or chamfer next to the hole note if a large break would eat the remaining wall. Leaving only a general [edge-break callout](https://3dwk.com/resources/edge-break-chamfer-deburr-callouts-cnc) in the title block leaves the estimator guessing whether a 0.5 mm break is still allowed on a 3 mm rail.