Knowledge from
77 years of practice.
Compact technical articles for buyers and design engineers – no marketing fluff, straight from the daily work of our production.
Understand before you order.
We believe in good buyers and good design engineers. The better you understand manufacturing technology, the better decisions you can make – for your company and for your suppliers.
This page is our way of giving something back. No promotional articles, no marketing, just honest engineering knowledge from our daily practice.
Understanding Tolerances: What Tight Tolerances Really Cost
An IT7 tolerance instead of IT11 can double the unit price – with no benefit to function. Where tight tolerances make sense and where they only cost money.
Swiss-Type vs. Short Turning: When Is Which Process Worth It?
Slender, long parts are classic Swiss-type territory. We explain the guide bushing principle and when short turning is more economical.
Material Selection for Turned Parts: The Cheapest Is Rarely the Best
1.4305 or 1.4571? Brass or aluminium? We show which materials deliver the best value for which applications.
What Does a CNC Turned Part Really Cost? The Costing Broken Down
Material, machine time, setup costs, inspection – we break the costing down step by step and show where you as a buyer have leverage.
Optimizing Series Production: 5 Levers from 77 Years of Practice
Small geometry changes can lower the unit price by 10–15 %. Five concrete levers we see again and again.
DIN and ISO for Turned Parts: Which Standards Actually Matter
Which DIN standards matter for turned parts, when ISO variants apply and how to reference them unambiguously on your drawing.
Titanium Turned Parts: Material Science, Machining, Applications
Titanium is expensive to procure and hard to machine – but for certain applications there is no alternative. What you need to know before using it.
Stainless Steel Turned Parts: 1.4305 vs. 1.4404 vs. 1.4571 – Making the Right Choice
Not all stainless steel is created equal. Which material number fits which application – and why 1.4571 is often unnecessary.
First Article Inspection to VDA 2: What Buyers Need to Know
VDA 2 is the de facto standard for first article inspections in German industry. The three levels and when to use which.
Brass Turned Parts: Applications, Material Variants, Economics
Brass remains the standard in the turned parts market for electrical contacts, hydraulic fittings and plain bearings. Which grade makes sense when – and why CuZn39Pb3 cannot simply be replaced by alternatives.
Aluminium Turned Parts: When the Lightweight Material Pays Off
Aluminium alloys are the choice when weight is decisive. Which alloy for which application – and why AlCuMgPb (2007) is often the best choice for turned parts.
Free-Cutting Steel in CNC Turning: The Underrated Material
Free-cutting steels are the workhorses of the turned parts business. When which material makes sense – and why the lead-free variant 11SMn37 is increasingly becoming the standard.
Surface Finish on Turned Parts: Ra 0.4 or Ra 1.6 – When Is Which Worth It?
Ra 0.4 instead of Ra 0.8 can raise the unit price by 20–30 %. When tight surface finishes are functionally necessary – and when they are just a drawing error.
The Swiss-Type Principle: Why Swiss-Type Turning Is the Premier Discipline
Swiss-type turning is the workpiece-guiding variant of CNC turning. The principle originates from the Swiss watch industry – today it manufactures implants and hydraulic components.
More articles are added regularly – straight from our day-to-day shop-floor practice.