Swiss Machining 101
The term Swiss has multiple meanings. It could represent a type of machine or a very small, highly precise product. Swiss screw machining was originally developed for the production of intricate watch parts in Europe and has been used for creating cylindrical and round (turned) parts for decades. The addition of CNC to Swiss screw machining offers many production advantages, making it an ideal process for component applications across a variety of industries.
At Pioneer Service Inc., we offer high quality CNC Swiss machining services for the production of small, complex turned parts with tight tolerances, including prototype, small, medium and high volume orders.
CNC Swiss Screw Machining
CNC Swiss screw machining is a superb method for creating precision parts. CNC Swiss turning machines have a sliding headstock that operates with a guide bushing, which provides excellent stability for the bar stock while complex slots, holes, threads and multiple diameters are machined into the workpiece. CNC (computer numerical controls) allow our Swiss turning equipment to be highly automated, providing consistent, precise parts at tight tolerances from the first component off the machine to the final production unit.
Producing high quality and extremely precise parts is critical for industries such as aerospace, electronics, firearms, automotive, hydraulics, and medical. CNC Swiss machining offers many benefits and is ideal for applications where the following requirements exist:
- When high quality finishes are needed. High quality finishes are achieved with CNC Swiss machining (up to 32Ra is easily possible depending on the part geometry and material), reducing the need for secondary finishing operations.
- When conserving costs for large quantities. CNC Swiss machining is highly cost-efficient for quantities over 1,000 units, with costs dropping further at higher volumes.
- When parts need milled and turned features. CNC Swiss machining allows for many milled features (flats, hex edges, slots, etc) to be produced during the turning process without the need for multiple setups on additional equipment, providing greater production efficiencies with one process.
- When high volume and high precision is critical. The skill of CNC Swiss machine operators combined with the speed and accuracy of the turning process provides exceptional lead times for complex turned parts.
- When smaller, more complex parts are needed. In CNC Swiss machining, complex geometry is possible on even the smallest diameter components.
- When you need your components turned quickly. With the addition of CNC to Swiss equipment, turned parts can be produced with significantly shorter lead times.
Swiss Turned Components
Swiss CNC screw machining enables high volume production of extremely precise turned parts. Final machine parts are extremely accurate and conform to the strictest of tolerances. The most common run volume ranges from 10-250,00 pieces. Many aerospace orders are much smaller in size, and many automotive orders are much higher volume. CNC Swiss machining can quickly be applied to a wide range of volumes.
Swiss machined parts can be created using a variety of materials, including aluminum, brass, stainless steel, bronze, carbon steel, copper, nickel, thermoplastic, and titanium. CNC Swiss turned components offer the following features:
- Complex geometries
- Fine surface finishes
- Tight tolerances maintained without secondary processing
- Works well across a broad spectrum of materials
- Often able to go directly to plating operations without additional surface finishing required in between (coatings such as nickel plated, chrome plated, silver plated, tin plated, gold plated, or any specialized coating specified by the customer)
- Unparalleled precision with extremely tight tolerances
- High repeatability
Applications of Swiss Components
Whether you need a prototype run of 100 pcs or a large production volume order, our CNC Swiss machines can produce components as small as 1.1 mm with consistent, exceptional quality. Pioneer Service Inc. combines advanced precision turning capabilities with our expert team of experienced engineers, operators, and quality technicians to ensure that you get unmatched accuracy and value for all your CNC Swiss machined components. We provide CNC Swiss contract machining services to customers across many industries.
Aerospace
Our aerospace customers count on our Swiss precision turning experience, as well as our proficiency in machining stainless and 17-4 material and secondary processing requirements of the aerospace industry. We supply thousands of complex parts to precise specifications in our AS9100 and ISO certified precision machine shop.
Automotive
Pioneer Service Inc. is proud to be a Tier 2 and 3 supplier to several global leaders for hybrid, electric, and traditional high performance vehicles, as well as components for the automotive aftermarket.
Electronics
Our CNC Swiss turning capabilities allow us to provide thousands of tiny complex electronic components to high demand fields like defense, communications, and electronic equipment technology that require the highest quality standards.
Medical and Dental
The reliability and high precision performance of CNC Swiss machining allows our customers in the medical and dental fields to feel confident in the parts we manufacture for them. Our AS9100D and ISO 9001:2015 registered quality management system and FAI and PPAP capabilities assure them that their components are produced to their exact specifications.
Military
Our Swiss turning capabilities and expertise in working with a wide range of high performing materials allow us to provide components for a wide range of air, water, and land military vehicles and systems.
Oilfield and Energy
The oilfield and energy sector OEMs depend on our capabilities for precision Swiss turned components for equipment that is used to power oil fields, monitor pipelines, and track production in offshore rigs.
The Pioneer Difference
We have 30 years of contract manufacturing experience and an uncompromising commitment to providing exceptional quality CNC Swiss turned parts. Our quality certifications and standards include over 15 years of being ISO registered, with the most current being ISO 9001:2015, as well as being AS9100 registered.
Our automated quality assurance equipment can measure both internal and external features produced on our turning equipment. Using leading-edge non-contact inspection systems and sophisticated quality software systems, we provide ongoing data for all production orders.
Precision Machining with Pioneer Service Inc.
Pioneer Service Inc. is a contract manufacturer of precision machining services for tight tolerance and complex geometry custom components.
Whether you need a prototype order of 100 pcs or a 250,000-unit production run, Pioneer Service Inc. will partner with your team from an initial design for manufacturability (DFM) review to the final production run to provide high quality parts with the strictest tolerances, exceptional service, and on time deliveries.
For more information on our Swiss machining capabilities, contact us today.