Custom parts made to order: turning, laser cutting, 3D printing
Pick the technology for your part
The same part can be made in several ways, but the price, accuracy and material differ a lot. So first work out what suits you best.
For round parts, shafts, bushes and threads, choose turning and milling. For flat blanks cut from sheet, nameplates and engraving there is laser cutting and engraving. For prototypes, complex shapes and small plastic runs, 3D printing and 3D modelling is handy. And to protect and finish the made part, there is powder coating and sandblasting.
What to put in your request
A workshop won't take on work “by eye”. It needs a drawing, a sketch or at least a sample:
- what to make — the name, the purpose of the part, the number of pieces;
- drawing or model — a file in DXF, DWG, STEP, STL or PDF, or a sketch with dimensions (you can attach one photo to the request);
- material — steel, stainless steel, aluminium, brass, plastic, sheet thickness;
- tolerances and accuracy — whether dimensions are critical, the surface finish;
- finishing — grinding, heat treatment, galvanising, coating, colour;
- quantity — a single piece or a batch, repeat orders;
- timing and city — when you need it, pickup or delivery;
- budget, if you want to name one.
What affects the price
The cost comes from material, machine time, machine setup and finishing. For single parts, setup is a large share, so a batch is usually cheaper per piece. Tight tolerances, hard materials, deep milling or thin walls increase machining time.
In laser cutting, material thickness and cut length matter; in 3D printing, the volume of the part, the technology (FDM, resin) and the infill density. For coating, the area, colour and surface preparation.
How to compare offers
Check whether the material is in the price or whether you supply it. Ask about timing, minimum order, quality control and whether they provide a measurement report. Ask for examples of similar work, and for critical assemblies a trial part before the batch is started. If you have no drawing, find out whether the workshop can prepare one and what it will cost.
Common mistakes: sending a vague sketch without dimensions, forgetting tolerances on fitting surfaces, and not specifying the material and heat treatment. One inaccuracy often means redoing the work.
Laser cutting and engraving usually take vector files, 3D printing takes models in STL or STEP, and turning takes drawings with tolerances. If you can't make these, some workshops build a model from a sketch or sample: this is a separate service with its own price.
Say where the part will work: under load, outdoors or in water. This affects the choice of material and coating, and a good provider will ask about it.
How BlaBlaPrice works
You write one request and add a drawing or a photo of the sample. Turners, milling machinists, and laser-cutting and 3D-printing workshops reply in the chat: the price or what it depends on, the timing, the material. The platform shows the most useful offer first, with reviews beside each one. Workshops see their place among the others, so they compete for the job. Contacts stay hidden until you choose. Details on the “How it works” page.
