| Aluminum parts | Aluminum 6061-T6, 6082-T6, or 7075-T6 | ASTM B221 for extruded aluminum products; EN 573 for aluminum alloy designation | Good machinability; low density; suitable for housings, brackets, shafts, and prototypes | Specify the exact alloy and temper. Aluminum parts may need anodizing, chemical conversion coating, or other surface treatment for wear and corrosion resistance. | Material certificate, alloy and temper identification, dimensional inspection report, and coating certificate where applicable |
| Stainless steel parts | 304/304L or 316/316L stainless steel | ASTM A276 for stainless steel bars and shapes; EN 10088 for stainless steel grades | High corrosion resistance; slower cutting conditions than aluminum; 316/316L offers improved resistance in chloride environments | Confirm whether corrosion resistance, weldability, magnetic response, or food and chemical exposure is critical. Work hardening makes tool condition and cutting parameters important. | Mill test certificate, PMI material verification when required, surface-finish report, and passivation record if specified |
| Carbon and alloy steel parts | 1045 carbon steel, 4140 alloy steel, or equivalent grades | ASTM A108 for carbon and alloy steel bars; EN 10083 for quenched and tempered steels | Good strength and machinability; heat treatment can increase hardness and wear resistance | Define hardness before and after heat treatment. Distortion, scale removal, and post-treatment grinding may affect final dimensions. | Material certificate, hardness test results, heat-treatment certificate, and final dimensional report |
| Brass and copper-alloy parts | C360 free-machining brass or C932 bearing bronze | ASTM B16 for free-cutting brass rod; ASTM B139 for phosphor bronze and related copper-alloy products | Excellent machinability and electrical or bearing applications; brass is generally easier to turn than bronze | Check lead content restrictions, electrical conductivity requirements, galling risk, and compatibility with the mating component. | Material certificate, composition report, dimensional inspection, and plating or coating documentation if applicable |
| Engineering plastics | POM/acetal, PA, PEEK, or PTFE | ISO 1874 for polyamide materials; ISO 1043 for plastics identification and abbreviations | Low density and corrosion resistance; thermal expansion and moisture absorption can be significant | Account for material swelling, shrinkage, creep, moisture conditioning, and temperature during inspection and service. | Resin or material certificate, batch traceability, dimensional inspection at controlled conditions, and application-temperature confirmation |
| General dimensional tolerance | Unspecified linear and angular dimensions | ISO 2768-1 for general tolerances where no individual tolerance is indicated | Tolerance class must be selected according to part size and functional need; general tolerance is not a substitute for critical dimensions | Place individual tolerances on all fit, sealing, bearing, thread, and safety-critical features. Avoid applying a tight tolerance to the entire drawing unnecessarily. | Controlled engineering drawing, first-article inspection report, and calibrated measurement records |
| Limits and fits | Shafts, bores, bearings, bushings, and sliding interfaces | ISO 286-1 and ISO 286-2 for tolerance classes and limit deviations | Examples include clearance, transition, and interference fits selected from the hole-basis or shaft-basis system | Define the fit class, operating temperature, lubrication, assembly method, and material pairing rather than specifying only a nominal diameter. | Bore gauge, micrometer, air gauge, or certified CMM report matched to the stated datum system |
| Geometric tolerancing | Position, concentricity-related control, runout, flatness, and perpendicularity | ISO 1101 or ASME Y14.5, using one system consistently on the drawing | Geometric tolerances control form, orientation, location, or runout independently from size tolerances | Use datum references and a functional tolerance scheme. Do not assume that a small size tolerance automatically controls coaxiality or runout. | CMM report, roundness or runout measurement, datum setup documentation, and inspection plan |
| Surface roughness | Machined surfaces specified by Ra or another agreed parameter | ISO 21920-1 for surface-texture indication; ISO 21920-2 for surface-texture terms and parameters | A typical CNC-turned finish may be around Ra 0.8–3.2 µm, but tooling, feed rate, material, and finishing operation determine the result | Specify the measurement parameter, cutoff, lay direction when relevant, and whether the requirement applies before or after coating. | Calibrated surface-roughness tester report, defined measurement location, and representative sample inspection |
| Threaded features | Metric, unified, pipe, or special threads | ISO 965 for metric screw-thread tolerances; ASME B1.1 for unified inch screw threads | Thread class, pitch, major diameter, minor diameter, and engagement length affect assembly performance | State thread standard, nominal size, pitch, tolerance class, hand, chamfer, thread depth, and whether a functional gauge is required. | Calibrated GO/NO-GO gauges, thread plug or ring gauges, optical measurement, and thread inspection records |
| Turning capability | Round bars, tubes, and turned profiles | Capability must be confirmed against the machine, tooling, workholding, and drawing requirements | Common supplier capabilities may include diameters from a few millimeters to several hundred millimeters; actual limits vary by machine | Ask about maximum turning diameter, maximum length, bar capacity, spindle speed, live tooling, Y-axis capability, and chuck or collet options. | Machine capability sheet, sample parts, process-flow document, and approved first-article results |
| Inspection capability | Dimensional, geometric, material, and surface verification | ISO 9001 quality-management framework; ISO/IEC 17025 for competence of testing and calibration laboratories | Inspection scope should match the critical-to-quality features and specified tolerances | Confirm calibration control, measurement uncertainty, inspection frequency, sampling plan, and whether inspection is performed in a controlled environment. | Calibration certificates, inspection equipment list, capability studies where relevant, and complete inspection reports |
| Surface treatment | Anodizing, passivation, plating, black oxide, or heat treatment | Treatment-specific specification should be stated; coating thickness and appearance requirements must be defined on the drawing or purchase order | Treatment can change dimensions, hardness, corrosion resistance, color, friction, and fatigue performance | Identify treated and masked areas, coating thickness, post-treatment dimensional limits, color tolerance, and required corrosion or adhesion tests. | Treatment certificate, thickness measurement, appearance sample, salt-spray or other test report when required |
| Supplier selection | Process control, traceability, communication, and delivery consistency | Purchase specification should define drawings, revision control, quality documents, packaging, and acceptance criteria | Supplier suitability depends on part complexity, annual volume, tolerance level, material, and required documentation | Compare technical capability and total cost rather than unit price alone. Review prototype quality, repeatability, lead time, packaging, and corrective-action responsiveness. | Sample approval, process audit, quality agreement, production records, and documented corrective-action procedure |