At our Colorado CNC machine shop, we primarily machine Inconel for rocket jet engine components. We’re adept at machining the many different grades of Inconel, though we mostly work with Inconel 625 and Inconel 718. 

Our Colorado CNC machine shop is in the process of pursuing CMMC 2.0 compliance, which will prove to the US Department of Defense that we meet rigorous cybersecurity standards. Now that we’re several months into the process, we’re here to provide an update on our status—because transparency and accountability matter to us. 

A recent trend in aerospace machining is that parts are becoming so complex that traditional equipment and approaches are no longer sufficient. Aerospace buyers often need parts with exceptionally tight tolerance features on opposite or multiple sides, which can be difficult to achieve with a standard CNC mill. At Focused on Machining, we’ve found great success leveraging multi-axis machining with zero-point fixturing to take on the most challenging aerospace machining jobs. 

If you find yourself placing repeat orders for the same parts multiple times in a year, consider establishing a long-term contract with your manufacturing partner. Not all shops provide contract manufacturing services, but those that do are almost always open to discussing this option with customers. That’s because long-term contracts benefit buyers and precision machine shops alike. 

One of the most important truths in manufacturing is that you get what you pay for—from production machining services to secondary processes like plating. Just as machine shops' costs and lead times vary depending on capabilities, certifications, and quality, so is the case for plating vendors.

Many shops view source inspections as a necessary evil. Source inspections can indeed be cumbersome for shops whose processes are still mostly manual—there’s no denying that. Fortunately, at Focused on Machining, our robust ERP system allows us to facilitate source inspections easily. In fact, we’ve even come to really appreciate source inspections and the customers who require them.