At OriginLabs, innovators of all experience levels have access to advanced manufacturing tools that help transform ideas, experiments, and designs into real-world results.

One recent project demonstrated how OriginLabs’ CNC milling equipment can be used to refine pieces of metal, in this case 3D printed stainless steel.

Not all prototypes come off a 3D printer finished. In this project, externally manufactured stainless steel parts required additional refinement through CNC machining before they could be used as standardized samples for technical research and material testing.

These samples were used to evaluate how strong and durable the 3D printed metal was under tensile testing, a process where a material is pulled until it breaks. By machining the premade parts into a specific shape, the OriginLabs team was able to produce more accurate and consistent pieces, leading to better tensile testing results.

Projects like this showcase the versatility of CNC milling and how advanced machining technology can support everything from prototyping and fabrication to research and product development. By allowing users to produce highly accurate parts in materials like aluminum, plastics, and mild steel, OriginLabs’ CNC mill gives innovators access to industry-relevant manufacturing technology capable of supporting both early-stage concepts and precision-machined components.

Interested in how CNC milling can support your project? Schedule a consultation with the OriginLabs team to discuss your idea, explore machining options, and determine the best approach for your prototyping, fabrication, or research goals.

(Above) Before a part can be machined, the path the machine will use has to be programmed. This CNC toolpath simulation (blue lines) shows the machining strategy used to transform the piece of stainless steel into a finished component.

(Below) The CNC Mill then follows that toolpath. The rotating spindle shapes and shaves the metal block as coolant is sprayed to prevent overheating.