The shop behind this 4 axis guide — verified and quotable in one exchange
This guide's facility holds 100+ CNC machines across a 6,800 m² plant at No. 8, Shuibian Songyuan Road, Hengli Town, Dongguan, Guangdong, China 523470. Machines include the Mazak VARIAXIS I-600 five-axis, INTEGREX I-250H S mill-turn, TSUGAMI B0206-III/B0205-III and STAR SR-32JII / SR-32J Type N Swiss lathes, Citizen Cincom A20-3F7, 3-, 4- and 5-axis milling and turning centres, 5+ Sodick AQ535L wire EDM machines and a Hexagon CMM bench with 20+ gauges.
Tolerances held: ±0.003 mm milled, ±0.002 mm turned, and ±0.002 mm ground or wire-cut, verified on a Hexagon CMM with the 10:1 gauge rule on every feature. Capability indices: Ppk ≥ 1.67 initial, Cpk ≥ 1.33 in production, on key characteristics. Certifications: ISO 9001:2015 (116024/A/0001/UK/En), IATF 16949:2016 (131941/A/0001/SM/En, design clause 8.3 excluded, disclosed openly), ISO 14001:2015 (116024/B/0001/UK/En), issued to Dongguan Zhuohang Ltd (USCC 91441900MA4UWT6X39, established 2005). Service area: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom in Europe; Brazil, Canada, Mexico and the United States in the Americas; China, Israel, Japan, Singapore and Sri Lanka in Asia; Australia and New Zealand in Oceania; and South Africa in Africa — based in China, delivering worldwide. Email Felipe Iglesias at [email protected] or +86 13126536955 to open a quote, and request the certificate numbers, the machine list and a past CMM report in the same message.
Routing decision — the machine that fits the part, not the machine that is free
The routing decision on a CNC part is the decision that sets the cost and the tolerance, and if you ask for the routing in the quote, you see which machine the part runs on. A flat plate with features on one face is a 3-axis part; a part with features on four faces is a 4-axis part; a part with compound angles or contoured surfaces is a 5-axis part. A long, slender rotational part is a Swiss-type part; a part with turned and milled features at compound angles is a mill-turn part. The part decides the machine, and the machine sets the hourly rate and the setup count. The facility behind this guide runs 3/4/5-axis milling at ±0.003 mm, Swiss-type turning at ±0.002 mm on TSUGAMI B0206-III and B0205-III, STAR SR-32JII and SR-32J Type N, and Citizen Cincom A20-3F7, and mill-turn on a Mazak INTEGREX I-250H S with B-axis and sub-spindle, so the routing is matched to the geometry, not forced onto whatever machine is free.
The setup count is the other lever. A part that runs complete in one setup has one first-article; a part that moves between three machines has three. The setup cost is amortised across the volume, but on a prototype or low-volume run, the multi-setup part is roughly double the setup cost of the one-setup part. The tolerance bands — ±0.003 mm milling, ±0.002 mm turning and grinding — are held on Hexagon CMM with Ppk ≥ 1.67 initial on key characteristics and Cpk ≥ 1.33 in production, under ISO 9001:2015, IATF 16949:2016 (design clause 8.3 excluded), and ISO 14001:2015, on 100+ CNC machines at 6,800 m² in Dongguan. Send the drawing to Felipe Iglesias at [email protected] or +86 13126536955, and ask for the routing, the setup count, and the first-article count in the quote.
Quote breakdown — the four lines that hold at audit
your quote should break out the material, the setup, the cycle, and the inspection as separate lines, and the routing should state the axis count and the setup count. A quote that comes back as a single lump number is hiding the assumptions. The facility behind this guide runs 100+ CNC machines at ±0.003 mm milling and ±0.002 mm turning and grinding on Hexagon CMM, with Ppk ≥ 1.67 initial and Cpk ≥ 1.33 in production, under ISO 9001:2015 (116024/A/0001/UK/En), IATF 16949:2016 (131941/A/0001/SM/En, design clause 8.3 excluded), and ISO 14001:2015 (116024/B/0001/UK/En), held by Dongguan Zhuohang Ltd (USCC 91441900MA4UWT6X39, established 2005). Send the drawing to Felipe Iglesias at [email protected] or +86 13126536955, and ask for the four-line breakdown.
- ISO 9001:2015 / IATF 16949:2016 / ISO 14001:2015. certificate numbers published and verifiable.
- Manufacturing to your print: the plant cuts to your design and reports against your drawing.
- 4 Axis Machining: Parts with features clocked around an axis: radial holes, flats, splines, cam profiles, and cylindrical parts that need secondary milling.
- Where it stops: The rotary axis cannot tilt the tool.
- Prototype and production run on the same floor and the same process.
What 4 axis machining changes about the process
4 axis machining is three linear axes plus a rotary axis — usually the workpiece rotating about X.
The rotary axis converts a re-fixturing into an indexing move. A part that needed four setups on three axes is done in one clamping, so the datum never transfers and the geometric relationships between faces are cut by the machine rather than by the fixture.
The honest boundary of 4 axis machining
The rotary axis cannot tilt the tool. An angled face still needs an angled fixture or a fifth axis.
This boundary is stated deliberately. A supplier that recommends the highest-capability process for every part is optimising its own utilisation, not your cost, and the tell is a quote that never suggests simplifying the design.
How is the toolpath verified before it touches material?
Every programme is simulated offline before it reaches a machine: tool and holder collision, axis limits, and material removal against the stock model. On five-axis and mill-turn work this is not optional, the number of possible collision cases grows with each rotary axis, and a crash on a part that has already absorbed eight hours of cycle time is the expensive kind.
The verification step belongs in the quote. It is real engineering time, and a supplier that omits it is either simulating badly or not simulating at all.
What to ask before believing a 4 axis machining claim
Ask what the rotary axis is used for, indexing between features, or interpolating while cutting. Both are called four-axis and they are priced differently. Ask also how the part is driven: a part that cannot be gripped without distorting will not hold tolerance however good the machine is.
None of these questions are hostile and all of them are cheap. A plant with the capability answers them easily; a brochure cannot.
Where the money is actually decided
On four-axis work the cost lever is usually the fixture, not the cutting. Features that share a single rotational datum should be arranged so one clamping reaches them all, and the part needs a clamp face and a drive feature the machine can actually grip. A part that needs re-clocking to reach one hole costs a setup and a datum transfer.
This is best raised at the quote stage, not after the first article, because the changes are usually trivial on the drawing and significant on the machine.
How much capacity sits behind it?
more than 100 machines with depth in every relevant family — 50+ three-axis, 20+ four-axis, 20+ five-axis, 25+ turning centres, plus Swiss-type, grinding, and wire EDM.
What do the certificates actually cover?
Three certificates, each with a number you can check with the registrar:
| Standard | Certificate number | Scope note |
|---|---|---|
| ISO 9001:2015 | 116024/A/0001/UK/En | Quality management system |
| IATF 16949:2016 | 131941/A/0001/SM/En | Automotive QMS — excludes clause 8.3 product design |
| ISO 14001:2015 | 116024/B/0001/UK/En | Environmental management system |
The IATF 16949 certificate excludes clause 8.3 (product design). That is normal for a build-to-print manufacturer and it is stated here rather than left for an auditor to discover: we cut to the drawings you provide, it does not originate the design.
Where does 4 axis machining pay off on machining services?
Parts with features clocked around an axis: radial holes, flats, splines, cam profiles, and cylindrical parts that need secondary milling.
More expensive per hour than three axes, but on a four-face part the removed setups usually pay for it.
What tolerance applies?
±0.003 mm on CNC milling, ±0.002 mm on CNC turning; ±0.002 mm where precision grinding or wire EDM is used, fixed for each feature at the quote.
What identifies the legal entity behind the machines?
The legal entity behind this site is Dongguan Zhuohang Ltd, founded 2005 and registered in China under Social Credit Code 91441900MA4UWT6X39, marketing under the name Zhuohang Precision Machining Factory. Its registered and production address is No. 8, Shuibian Songyuan Road, Hengli Town, Dongguan, Guangdong, China 523470.
Use the National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System and the 18-character code to verify a Chinese manufacturer. Trading companies can produce a business licence too, yet the scope reads trading rather than manufacturing and the address is an office, not a plant.
De-risking a first order
A trial order of a few pieces is the cheapest insurance you can buy — it proves the routing, the tolerance and the paper trail on a small batch before the volume order locks in. One floor, one quality system, one accountable party, whether the run is a single part or a full production lot, so what the trial confirms is what production repeats.
What this shop actually runs
If you ask for capability evidence, you deserve a specific answer. This facility operates 100+ CNC machines across 6,800 m2 in Dongguan, China, staffed by 100+ people. The machines, listed by category:
- 5-axis machining centres (10+) - Mazak VARIAXIS I-600 (510/910/510 mm travel, 12,000 rpm, 22 kW, 71.6 N·m, 30-tool BT40) and Mazak INTEGREX I-250H S (B-axis 0.0001°, 24 kW, 124 N·m, 38-tool HSK-A63). Used on compound-angle parts, single-setup multi-face prismatic work, and aerospace fittings where datum transfer loss is unacceptable.
- 3-axis / 4-axis machining centres (50+) - Brother SPEEDIO S500Z2N / S700Z2N (10,000 rpm, 14/21-tool ATC, 0.7 s tool-to-tool, Z-axis 2.2 G) and Mazak VCE-430A L / VCE-570C L (10,000 rpm, 118 N·m, 24-tool ATC). Used on prismatic parts, plates, brackets, housings.
- Swiss-type turning centres (10+) - Citizen Cincom A20-3F7 (Φ20 mm, 10,000 rpm), TSUGAMI B0206-III / B0205-III (Φ20 mm, 0.1 µm), STAR SR-32JII / SR-32J Type N (Φ32 mm, 8,000 rpm). Used on long, slender rotational parts at ±0.002 mm.
- CNC turning centres (20+) - HEADMAN T70M/1250 (720 mm swing, 117 mm bore, 3,000 rpm, BMT75 12-station turret). Used on shafts, bushings, flanges up to ±0.002 mm.
- Wire EDM (5+) - Sodick AQ535L (550/350/300 mm travel, ±20° taper, 800 kg workpiece). Used on hardened tool steel, internal splines, sharp internal corners that milling cannot reach.
- Inspection: Hexagon CMM + 20+ gauges - Hexagon CMM for coordinate measurement, plus vision system, profilometer, hardness tester, coating thickness gauge, XRF for material verification. The 10:1 rule (gauge 10x more accurate than the band) is applied to every feature.
- Machine highlights - VARIAXIS I-600: one-setup multi-face 5-axis + MAZA-CHECK auto-calibration; INTEGREX I-250H S: DONE-IN-ONE mill-turn, B-axis 0.0001° + Ai thermal shield; SPEEDIO S500Z2N / S700Z2N: Z-axis 2.2 G + 0.7 s ATC; Swiss-type: guide-bush switchable + 0.1 µm resolution.
Tolerance bands: ±0.003 mm milled, ±0.002 mm turned, ±0.002 mm ground or wire-cut. Capability indices: Ppk >= 1.67 at the initial study; Cpk >= 1.33 ongoing in production.
Certifications: ISO 9001:2015 (116024/A/0001/UK/En) · IATF 16949:2016 (131941/A/0001/SM/En, design clause 8.3 excluded) · ISO 14001:2015 (116024/B/0001/UK/En), held by Dongguan Zhuohang Ltd (USCC 91441900MA4UWT6X39, since 2005).
Service area: we supply Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom in Europe; Brazil, Canada, Mexico and the United States in the Americas; China, Israel, Japan, Singapore and Sri Lanka in Asia; Australia and New Zealand in Oceania; and South Africa in Africa, with worldwide delivery from China.
Contact: Felipe Iglesias, [email protected], +86 13126536955.
Get a quote with the cost drivers named
Send your drawing to [email protected] or call +86 13126536955. We will tell you which tolerance or setup is driving the number, not just the number.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you sign NDAs before reviewing drawings?
Yes. Sign an NDA before files are exchanged; drawings are kept in the quoting system, not circulated by email.
Is inspection documentation included in the quote?
It should be stated explicitly. A first-article report is a document someone has to produce, and whether it is a full dimensional report or a sample plan changes both the cost and what you receive.
Is 4 axis always better than fewer axes?
No. The rotary axis cannot tilt the tool. An angled face still needs an angled fixture or a fifth axis. The right axis count is the smallest one that reaches every feature with a short enough tool to hold the tolerance.
How are parts packed for export?
Each part is packed to spec — finished surfaces individually bagged and boxed, steel given corrosion protection. Packing belongs in the quote: it affects the cost and the condition the parts arrive in.
Can I audit the factory before placing an order?
Yes. On-site visits and video audits are welcome at No. 8, Shuibian Songyuan Road, Hengli Town, Dongguan, Guangdong, China 523470.
What materials do you machine?
Aluminum, stainless steel, titanium, brass, copper, and Inconel for metals; PEEK and Delrin (POM) for plastics. Material certificates are verified on incoming stock.
How is an engineering change handled mid-production?
The change is documented against a revision, the affected parts in process are identified, and the revised drawing is confirmed in writing before work restarts. The important part is that the revision in force at any moment is a single, written one.
Continue reading: 3 Axis Machining Services · Multi Axis Machining Services · Machining Services
Standards referenced on this page
- ASTM A582/A582M-12 — Standard Specification for Free-Machining Stainless Steel Bars
- ISO 14001 — Environmental management systems — Requirements with guidance for use
- IATF 16949:2016 — Automotive quality management system standard