Bruce Erickson - Hogge Precision

An Introduction to High Precision CNC Milling: Understanding the Basics

Posted on December 4, 2023August 14, 2025 by Bruce Erickson

When you look at a complex and finely detailed metal or plastic part, have you ever wondered how it was created with such precision? The answer lies in precision CNC milling, a remarkable process that’s at the heart of modern precision manufacturing. In this beginner’s guide, we’ll take you on a journey into the world of CNC milling, explaining what it is, how it works, its advantages, and where you can find its applications.

What is Precision CNC Milling? The Art of Subtraction

At its core, CNC milling is a subtractive manufacturing process by which material is removed from raw stock whereas the workpiece is fixed, and cutting tools move and rotate in conjunction to yield the desired finished part. Imagine starting with a block of raw material, and you want to shape it into a specific part with intricate details. CNC milling is the tool that brings your imagination to life.

How Does Precision CNC Milling Work?

The Role of Computers

To maintain the high level of precision demanded in today’s manufacturing, we turn to Computer Numerical Control (CNC) equipment. Instead of relying on manual labor, CNC machining relies on computers and software to control the entire process.

Here’s the basic workflow:

Design: First, a skilled engineer creates a digital design of the part using specialized software like CAD (Computer-Aided Design).
Programming: The digital design is then translated into a set of instructions for the CNC machine. This is done using CAM (Computer-Aided Manufacturing) software.
Execution: The CNC machine takes these instructions and gets to work. It moves the cutting tools with incredible precision, shaping the raw material into the desired part.

The beauty of CNC milling lies in its ability to replicate this process consistently, producing identical parts with remarkable accuracy.

Benefits of Precision CNC Milling

CNC milling brings a plethora of benefits to the table, making it a preferred choice in modern manufacturing:

Complexity. CNC milling can handle intricate and highly detailed parts with ease.
Tight tolerances. It achieves tolerances as fine as ±0.0002” (±0.00508 mm) to ±0.0005” (±0.0127 mm), ensuring precision in every detail.
Smooth finishes. The process delivers exceptionally smooth surface finishes, even allowing for custom finishes.
Consistency. Whether you need one part or a thousand, CNC milling maintains consistency across production runs.

Applications of Precision CNC Milling

You’ll find precision CNC milling at work in a wide range of industries, including:

Aerospace
Medical
Military & Defense
General Industry
Specialized industries from fluid & air controls to motion control, manifolds, electrical power transmission & switching, and valve components

Your Partner in Milling Precision

CNC milling is a cornerstone of modern manufacturing, enabling the creation of intricate, high-precision parts essential to countless applications. From meticulously crafted manifolds for gas delivery systems to the complex components for electrical power transmission & switching, this technology transforms raw materials into finished pieces with exceptional accuracy and quality.

To explore the possibilities of CNC milling for your projects or manufacturing needs, reach out to us today.

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Ready to get started?

For more than 35 years, Hogge Precision has been a leading supplier of superior quality precision machined parts and assemblies for customers around the world. Our experienced team, working from our cutting-edge, ISO 9001:2015 registered facility, is dedicated to delivering top-quality products with a personal touch and a commitment to integrity. To learn more about our precision machining services, contact our team. We look forward to helping with your next project!

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Or call us at: 843-332-3566

Conventional CNC Turning vs. Swiss CNC Turning

Posted on May 20, 2023February 24, 2025 by Bruce Erickson

Swiss turning and traditional Computer Numerical Control (CNC) turning are two different ways used to machine parts made of metal or other raw materials. Specifically, machining is the process of removing material from a workpiece and shape it into its intended design. Both Swiss turning and CNC turning function by spinning materials at high speed and using cutting tools to shape the material into the desired part. This practice has been around for many years but has become more versatile with new technologies. These practices are crucial to many different industries for their ability to engineer metal and plastic parts efficiently and precisely.

What Is Conventional CNC turning?

Conventional CNC Turning is a process in which the bar stock rotates in a fixed position and the cutting tool’s position is driven by servo-controlled motors, typically in the X and Z axes. The process allows for highly accurate movements. Commercial metalworking machines feature standard closed-loop controls that provide accuracy, speed, and durability.

Advantages and Features of Conventional CNC Turning

This type of conventional turning is better suited for shorter, large-diameter parts with tight tolerances or difficult materials. It is ideal for many applications including:

Forgings
Castings
Bar Stock
Sawed Slugs
Anything with a diameter larger than ¾ inch

What Is Swiss CNC turning?

Swiss CNC turning is a process that feeds rotating bar stock through a guide bushing. No matter how long the workpiece, the turning tool always cuts the stock near the bushing or the point of support. The machine then feeds this past the spindle and past the tool as it goes, making Swiss-type effective for long and slender turned parts.

Advantages and Features of Swiss CNC Turning

Swiss CNC turning has an advantage in that during the turning process, the material is supported close to the tools cutting it. Using a guide bushing, the workpiece is pushed through and into tools while preventing deflection of the workpiece.

Some ideal applications for Swiss screw machining are:

Long parts and small-diameter parts under 0.750 in.
Connector components
Watch parts
Shafts
Metal devices and implants

Learn more about the benefits of CNC swiss screw machining to see if its the best process for your specific project.

Which Turning Process Should I Use?

If you need something with minimal bending or your project has high volumes of small, cylindrical pieces with extremely tight tolerances, then Swiss CNC turning would be the best process for you. On the other hand, Conventional CNC turning offers high repeatability, precision, versatility, and speed manufacturing.

Hogge Precision can help you determine which process is best for your project. Contact us for a quote today.

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Ready to get started?

Request Quote

Or call us at: 843-332-3566

Introducing Our New Turning Machine: SC-100X2

Posted on June 30, 2022February 24, 2025 by Bruce Erickson

Since 1989, Hogge Precision Parts Co., Inc. has been a trusted contract manufacturer of high-quality parts and assemblies. Our team is committed to innovation and superior customer service. To that end, our company has continued our investments into state-of-the-art machining technologies in 2022 with the purchase of our new Nakamura-Tome SC-100X2 turning machine, which will lead to numerous benefits for our customers.

The SC-100X2 is a hybrid twin-turret, dual-spindle machine that offers the capability of multitasking with simultaneous machining. This machine will allow us to drop off complete simple to medium complexity parts at a lower cost than a true twin-turret. And as with all new equipment purchases at Hogge Precision, it is equipped with all the necessary accessories to run lights out, increasing overall capacity.

The machine capacity and travels make it ideal for parts made from bar stock up to 2” in diameter and about 5” long in lot sizes of 50 to 5,000 pieces.

This will bring our operations to a higher level of efficiency and cost competitiveness by keeping the right parts on the right machines. It offers a range of capabilities and helpful features, including:

Speed: 41% faster than conventional single turret-dual spindle machines.
Motors
- L-spindle: 11/7.5kW
- R-spindle: 7.5/5.5kW
- Milling: 7.1/2.2kW, with a maximum production speed of 6,000min-1
Axes
- X- and Z-axes come standard on the R-spindle
- Y-axis achieves strokes of 80mm (±40mm)
Dimensional turning capacities
- Maximum length: 400mm
- Maximum diameter: 195mm
- L-spindle bar capacity: 51mm
- R-spindle bar capacity: 42mm
- Up to 33 tools
Superimposed cycle: Concurrent operation with overlapping L- and R-spindle control
Unloading gripper: Lower turret is equipped with a turret hand unloading gripper. This is critical for parts with demanding surface finish requirements.

Hogge Precision Capabilities: CNC Turning

With the new SC-100X2 in our 42,000-sqft., ISO 9001:2015-registered facility, Hogge Precision’s processes suit everything from low-volume production runs on 2- and 3-axis machinery up to high-volume production runs on bar-fed turning equipment with up to eight axes. We are also proud to offer lights-out manufacturing for greater production output.

With our high-precision turning equipment, we’re capable of fulfilling tolerances as tight as ±0.0005″. Our CNC turning equipment has dimensional capacity maximums of:

3″-diameter bar stock
10″-diameter slug
20″ in length

We leverage our technical capabilities to create advanced custom turning processes that generate high-performance components and assemblies for clients in the aerospace and defense, transmission and switching, industrial, medical, military, energy, plumbing, and motion control sectors, among others.

In addition to our CNC turning capabilities, we also continue to refine our technology and methods in other machining processes and value-added services, such as:

If you have any questions related to our new SC-100X2 machine, or how our customized machining solutions can support your business, contact us today or request a quote to begin your project.

Our Commitment to Quality

Hogge Precision Parts Co., Inc. is committed to providing products and services of a quality that exceeds the continuing needs and expectations of our customers.

Years in Business

7,725

Shipments in 2023

97%

On-Time Delivery

99.8%

Quality Requirements Met

Ready to get started?

Request Quote

Or call us at: 843-332-3566

Our New Swiss-Style Turning Center

Posted on February 24, 2022February 24, 2025 by Bruce Erickson

Hogge Precision is a premier contract manufacturer that delivers targeted products and services designed to meet the changing needs of their customers. Through the use of advanced screw machining and CNC equipment, Hogge Precision has gained a reputation for providing quality products at affordable prices. In an effort to continue providing superior solutions and expand our capacity to meet current demand, Hogge makes it a priority to invest in the latest machine tool technologies.

Hogge’s most recent investment in 2022 is a new Swiss-style turning center, which features advanced capabilities to accommodate various design and capacity requirements. This investment offers 9 fully programmable axes and a 44 tool capacity to meet the needs of even the most demanding small-part geometries. Hogge’s new Swiss-style turning center also features a 3/4‘’ bar diameter with 10,000 RPM spindles as well as an automatic bar loader for lights-out production.

Benefits of New Equipment

The new Swiss-style turning center offers a host of benefits for Hogge’s customers. For example, its increased tool capacity can accommodate the most challenging and complex small-part applications.

Another major advantage of this equipment is its lights-out production capabilities. Hogge Precision is dedicated to lights-out manufacturing, as it allows for the creation of parts with little to no human intervention besides the initial tooling setup and machine programming. This means that this equipment can run 24/7 to produce high-quality parts with high levels of speed and accuracy. Other benefits of lights-out production include increased capacity, enhanced operational efficiency, reduced overhead costs, improved worker safety, and better production quality and product consistency.

Hogge Precision Capabilities: Swiss Machining

This new investment along with our current custom Swiss machining capabilities allow Hogge to deliver precision-machined small diameter parts to meet various needs. Hogge can turn a wide range of metals while meeting tight tolerances and adhering to strict industry standards. With custom processes such as form turning, parting/cutting, internal/external threading, knurling, and much more, Hogge can produce everything from valve components and custom fittings to electrical components, instrument parts, and more.

For more information about the new Swiss-style turning center and its capabilities, contact Hogge Precision, or request a quote today to get started on your custom machining solution.

Our Commitment to Quality

Hogge Precision Parts Co., Inc. is committed to providing products and services of a quality that exceeds the continuing needs and expectations of our customers.

Years in Business

7,725

Shipments in 2023

97%

On-Time Delivery

99.8%

Quality Requirements Met

Ready to get started?

Request Quote

Or call us at: 843-332-3566