Swiss Turning
Precision OD/ID turning for pins, shafts, spacers, sleeves, bushings, fittings, and other cylindrical parts.
Long slender partsBar-fed
Swiss Machining Services
Small, complex, tight-tolerance parts made with Swiss-type CNC turning.
Built for precision pins, shafts, connectors, fittings, and miniature components.
±0.01mm
Reviewed tolerance
Live Tooling
Milled features
ISO 9001
Quality system
What is Swiss Machining?
A precision turning process for small, slender, complex parts.
Swiss machining, also called Swiss-type CNC turning or sliding-headstock turning, feeds bar stock through a guide bushing close to the cutting tool. This support helps reduce vibration and deflection when machining long, small-diameter parts.
Fengnuo uses Swiss machining for parts that need repeatable dimensions, clean turned surfaces, milled features, cross holes, threads, and controlled burrs in one efficient production route. It is especially useful for pins, shafts, sleeves, connector parts, fittings, valve components, and miniature precision hardware.
Swiss Machining Capabilities
Bar-fed turning with live tooling for complex small parts.
Swiss-type machining can combine turning, drilling, tapping, milling, and back-side work to reduce secondary setups and improve feature relationships.
Cross Drilling & Tapping
Radial holes, small holes, threaded features, counterbores, and fluid passages produced while the part is supported.
Cross holesThreads
Live Tool Milling
Flats, slots, wrench features, grooves, hex details, and simple milled geometry on turned components.
Slots & flatsLive tooling
Threading & Knurling
External threads, internal threads, rolled or cut thread review, knurled grip features, and edge control.
Threaded partsGrip features
Back-Side Machining
Sub-spindle and secondary-side operations for end features, chamfers, holes, and finished part-off faces.
Sub-spindleFinished ends
Production Support
Prototype review, first article checks, repeat batches, deburring, cleaning, inspection, and packaging support.
FAI on requestRepeat orders
Swiss Machining Materials
Metals and engineering plastics selected for precision, strength, and machinability.
Material selection depends on strength, corrosion resistance, conductivity, temperature, wear, finish, and the quality of available bar stock.
Common Metals
Stainless Steel
Carbon Steel
Alloy Steel
Aluminum
Brass
Copper
Advanced Alloys
Titanium
Nickel Alloys
Tool Steel
Free-Cutting Steel
Medical-Grade Options
Custom Stock Review
Engineering Plastics
POM / Acetal
PEEK
Nylon
PTFE
PC
Other Machinable Plastics
Surface Finishes
Finish options for burr control, appearance, corrosion resistance, and assembly fit.
As Machined
Controlled tool marks and efficient production for functional turned components.
Deburring
Edge break, burr removal, thread cleanup, and handling-safe part edges.
Polishing
Improves cosmetic surfaces, sealing areas, and selected low-roughness requirements.
Passivation
Improves corrosion resistance for stainless steel precision parts.
Anodizing
Common for aluminum parts needing color, durability, or corrosion resistance.
Black Oxide
Dark protective finish for selected steel components and hardware.
Plating
Nickel, zinc, tin, or other coatings for protection, conductivity, or appearance.
Laser Marking
Part numbers, traceability marks, orientation marks, and simple branding.
Sizes & Tolerances
Clear expectations for Swiss-turned precision parts.
Swiss machining accuracy depends on material, bar diameter consistency, geometry, feature size, tool access, thermal stability, and inspection method. Critical dimensions should be marked on 2D drawings.
| Item | Practical Guideline |
|---|---|
| General tolerances | Reviewed by drawing, material, geometry, feature size, datum scheme, and inspection method. |
| Typical turned features | ±0.01 mm can be reviewed when part design, material, and inspection plan allow. |
| Critical dimensions | Tighter requirements, runout, concentricity, positional tolerance, and thread class should be specified on 2D drawings. |
| Part size | Best suited for small-diameter bar-fed parts, long slender parts, and miniature precision components. |
| Surface roughness | As-machined, fine turning, polishing, and finish-specific Ra targets can be reviewed by material and feature. |
| Inspection | Dimensional reports, first article inspection, material certificates, and production inspection plans are available on request. |
Design Guidelines
Design around bar stock, guide bushing support, tool access, and inspection.
Good Swiss machining design reduces cycle time, improves repeatability, and prevents avoidable burrs or secondary operations.
Use standard bar diameters
Choose practical stock sizes and confirm raw material diameter control when guide bushing support is important.
Mark only critical tolerances
Avoid applying tight tolerance to every dimension; identify mating diameters, runout, threads, and sealing features.
Plan tool access
Provide space for drills, taps, cutoff tools, live tools, chamfers, and deburring near shoulders and grooves.
Control deep small holes
Very deep micro holes, thin pins, and high aspect-ratio features should be reviewed early.
Define edge requirements
Call out deburring, sharp-edge limits, thread cleanliness, and cosmetic edge breaks on the drawing.
Confirm first articles
For production batches, use sample or first article review before scaling repeat orders.
Applications
Swiss-machined parts for demanding product and equipment teams.
Medical Components
Pins, sleeves, miniature housings, instrument parts, and selected medical device hardware after material review.
Electronics & Connectors
Connector pins, sockets, sensor housings, terminals, standoffs, and small conductive components.
Aerospace & Defense
Precision fasteners, bushings, fluid control parts, spacers, and miniature hardware for demanding assemblies.
Automotive & Fluid Systems
Valve parts, fittings, nozzles, shafts, fuel-system components, and hydraulic or pneumatic details.
Industrial Equipment
Metering parts, instrument components, automation pins, guide shafts, and wear-related small hardware.
Robotics & Automation
Miniature shafts, end-effector hardware, threaded spacers, alignment pins, and custom mechanism parts.
Swiss Machining FAQ
Answers before you send drawings.
What is Swiss machining?
Swiss machining is a precision turning process where bar stock slides through a guide bushing close to the cutting tool. This support helps control vibration and deflection on small, long, or slender parts.
When should I choose Swiss machining instead of conventional CNC turning?
Choose Swiss machining when the part is small, slender, high-volume, tolerance-sensitive, or requires turned geometry plus cross holes, slots, threads, flats, or back-side features in one efficient setup.
What tolerances can Swiss machining achieve?
Tolerances depend on material, geometry, bar stock, tooling, feature size, and inspection. Typical turned features around ±0.01 mm can be reviewed, while tighter critical features require drawing review.
What materials can be Swiss machined?
Common options include stainless steel, carbon steel, alloy steel, aluminum, brass, copper, titanium, nickel alloys, POM, PEEK, nylon, PTFE, and other machinable plastics.
Can Swiss machines make cross holes, slots, flats, and threads?
Yes. Swiss-type machines with live tooling can support cross drilling, tapping, slotting, milling flats, threading, knurling, and sub-spindle back-side operations depending on geometry.
Is Swiss machining suitable for prototypes?
Yes, especially when the prototype must match the production process. For very simple one-off parts, conventional CNC turning may be more economical, so we review the best route before quoting.
What information is needed for quotation?
Send STEP or IGES files, 2D drawings, material, quantity, surface finish, critical tolerances, thread requirements, inspection needs, and target lead time.
How does bar quality affect Swiss machining?
Guide bushing support depends on consistent bar diameter and straightness. Material diameter variation can affect stability, surface quality, and achievable tolerance on precision Swiss parts.
Get a Swiss Machining Quote
Get Swiss machining pricing and engineering feedback within 24 hours.
Send CAD files, drawings, material, finish, quantity, tolerance requirements, and lead time. Fengnuo will review manufacturability, bar-fed production route, tooling access, inspection points, and cost drivers.
Secure File Upload
Send STEP, IGES, X_T, and 2D drawings.
Engineering Review
We review material, geometry, tolerances, burr control, and inspection needs.
24-Hour Quote
Receive practical pricing and manufacturing guidance fast.
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