Sheet Metal vs CNC Machining: Which Cuts Your Budget Faster for Low-Volume Parts?

 1. Minimal material waste

    Sheared blank → bend → weld. Yield > 90 %.

    Machining starts from solid plate or block; 60–80 % ends up as chips you pay for but never use.

2. Faster set-up

    Laser cutting: 5 min nest, 30 sec pierce.

    CNC mill: 30 min fixturing + tool touch-off per side.

3. No (or low) MOQ for tooling

    A $29 press-brake insert replaces a $1,200 custom fixture.

4. Thinner stock = lower $/kg

     1 mm aluminum sheet costs 30 % less per kilo than 12 mm plate.

      ●  Tolerances ≤ ±0.02 mm

      ●  Deep internal pockets or sculpted surfaces

      ●  Plastic or exotic alloys (Ti-6Al-4V, PEEK)

      ●  Part thickness > 25 mm (sheet-metal presses max out ~20 mm mild steel)

      ●  ☐ Welding distortion → secondary straightening ($)

      ●  ☐ PEM inserts or rivet nuts add $0.25–$1.20 each

      ●  ☐ Powder-coat batch minimum $150–$200

      ●  ☐ 5-axis surcharge on complex angles

      ●  ☐ Long reach end-mills ($80 each) wear fast on stainless

      ●  ☐ Deburring undercuts is manual labor

      ●  Replace three separate brackets with one “tab-in-slot” assembly → −$2.10 per unit

      ●  Use standard bend radii (0.8×T) to avoid custom tools

      ●  Specify common laser kerf width (0.2 mm) so supplier can nest 15 % more parts on one sheet

      ●  Add 0.5 mm corner radius → eliminate tiny end-mill → −35 % cycle time

      ●  Machine only functional surfaces; leave rest in “as-milled” finish

      ●  Combine multiple parts into one “monolithic” shape → zero hardware cost

Break-even qty = (CNC set-up cost – Sheet-metal set-up cost) ÷ (Sheet-metal unit cost – CNC unit cost)

Example

CNC set-up = $450, sheet-metal set-up = $120

CNC unit = $18, sheet-metal unit = $9

Break-even = (450 – 120)/(18 – 9) = 37 pieces

Below 37 pcs, sheet metal is cheaper; above 37 pcs, re-quote both.

Low-volume buyers in the U.S. often assume Asia = cheaper.

For <200 pcs, U.S. sheet-metal shops beat China by 8–12 % once you add air freight + import paperwork.

CNC machined parts under 2 kg remain 15–20 % cheaper from Chinese-American suppliers because machine time is the dominant cost, not freight.

Sheet-metal fabrication uses 46 % less energy per kilo of finished aluminum than machining from solid (DOE MFG 2024 data).

If your RFQ asks for CO₂ footprint, fabricators can provide EPDs for recycled sheet stock.

      ●  Below ~50–100 pieces, sheet-metal fabrication almost always cuts your budget faster.

      ●  Switch to CNC only when tolerances, material, or geometry force you.

      ●  Use the break-even formula above before you quote; send both 3-D files to suppliers for dual quotes—competition drives price another 10 % down.

      ●  Design for the process: add bend reliefs or inside radii early, not after the PO is placed.

Q1: Is sheet-metal fabrication good for 10 pieces?

       A1: Yes. With laser cutting and press-brake bending, set-up cost is low, so 1–10 pieces are economical.

Q2: What is the minimum thickness I can machine instead of fabricate?

       A2: Below 0.5 mm, machining causes warping; switch to sheet-metal or photo-etching.

Q3: Can I mix processes—machine some features and bend the rest?

       A3: Absolutely. Many suppliers offer “sheet-machining” services: laser profile, then CNC mill critical holes, keeping total cost 15 % lower than full machining.

Q4: Does anodizing cost the same for both processes?

       A4: No. Anodizing sheet-metal parts is usually cheaper ($0.15/in²) because racking density is higher than machined blocks.

Q5: How do I get an instant quote for low-volume sheet-metal parts?

       A5: Upload your STEP file and DXF flat pattern to any cloud fabrication platform; quotes arrive in under 12 h for 1–500 pcs.

Need 10–500 custom sheet-metal parts in days?

Upload your drawing, get a free DFM review + quote in 12 h.

Request Sheet-Metal Quote Now →