The world has been changed by the 3-year COVID-19 pandemic. The CNC machining service in China is no different. Nevertheless, I still recommend that you get a CNC prototyping partner in China when you need one. Why?

1. Growing CNC technology and use of five- and six-axis machines

Five-axis CNC machines continue to become more compact and cost-effective. Meanwhile, six-axis CNC machines are also becoming more practical and popular in China. They allow CNC companies to improve manufacturing speed and efficiency, as well as help them mill more complex shapes without removing and adjusting the part being worked on. 

CNC prototyping technologies in China are still progressing, which can surely meet the growing needs of new product development.

CNC machining in China

2. Relatively lower costs

Though the population of India exceeded that of China to rank the world’s first most populous country on March 4th, 2022, the demographic dividend of China still helps keep labor costs at a relatively low level. So the costs of CNC machining services in China are still much lower than those of Western countries. For companies who develop big-sized products, such as automotive and medical device companies. The cost of prototyping is not a small number. Choosing CNC prototyping in China can save a lot of money even though there is a cross-border shipping fee.

Also, Chinese people are very diligent and efficient. In regard to the same job, it would take less human force and time in China to finish it than the Western countries do. That's another reason why the overall costs are lower. So choosing to do CNC prototyping in China helps to save you money and time, especially in this special period of time when the world is facing an economic decline because of the COIVD pandemic and other reasons.

3. Stable lead time because of strictly controlled pandemic

It has been unexpectedly three years since the COVID-19 pandemic. The global epidemic situation remains grave. Due to strict anti-epidemic measures of "dynamic zero cases", China continues to rank among the countries with the lowest confirmed case numbers. 

There are a large number of CNC machining companies in Guangdong Province in the south of China. Many of them are located in Shenzhen. As it is known to all, Shenzhen is an international city known for its high efficiency and high speed of development. You might hear that Shenzhen is also doing a great job combating COVID-19. On March 13th, 2022, the Shenzhen government announced a one-week lockdown to restrain growing cases. Many people rushed to their offices to get their computers home so they could work from their homes easily. Indeed, this is the spirit of Shenzhen and the people living there. They always take their work seriously. Factory routines are not affected by the pandemic control policies as well. Therefore, you can always trust that they can provide you with stable CNC machining services in China even when there is an epidemic. While in most countries, the rising number of people who get infected has a negative influence on manufacturing efficiency. And we can also see an unstable global environment and the European energy crisis also affect manufacturing industries globally.

CNC prototyping in China

With the loosening of the pandemic control policies since early December, more and more Chinese get infected with COVID-19. However, we haven't seen delays in any orders. Also, the peak of the outbreak would be in late December 2022 and early January 2023. That is the Christmas holiday in foreign countries and the Spring festival is coming soon. That won't affect the manufacturing schedules.

4. Manufacturing-as-a-Service trends

CNC machining companies in China normally own a range of equipment, not only CNC machines but also other equipment like 3D printers, vacuum casting machines, and silk screening devices. Businesses that need manufacturing capacity but don’t want to do it in-house, just need to turn to a central manufacturer who will get all related work done. For example, if you want to do CNC prototyping in China, your manufacturer takes it as a custom project. They finish all the work even if they don’t have a specific production capacity, and get it done by outsourcing to their partners. In this way, they serve as the role which manages the whole supply chain, which helps to streamline the process and reduce associated costs. 

 

Then how do you find a manufacturer offering CNC machining services in China?

Prototyping manufacturers in China are located primarily in the Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta, and Bohai Rim industrialized areas. In 2020, there were over 1,000 prototyping manufacturers in Shenzhen and 200 in Shanghai. How can you find them?

Google. I guess Google would be your first choice to search for a CNC machining service provider in China. The data also proves this. Try those who rank on the first page which can simply prove that they have their websites and are running them cannily. You can also give an opportunity to those who don't rank in the several first pages. Maybe they are just not good at marketing but can have their work done very well.

B2B platforms. There are some top B2B platforms for overseas importers, namely, Alibaba, Global Sources, Made-in-China, and DHgate. As CNC machining is a customized service, you still need to communicate with your candidate manufacturers off the platform. All the B2B platforms just help to save you time searching one by one. 

LinkedIn. CNC prototyping companies in China that do international business usually have official LinkedIn accounts and post regularly. Some will be active in some LinkedIn groups as well.

Through the above methods, you can easily find hundreds of CNC machining service providers. How to tell which one is the one you need? 

In my opinion, despite what the manufacturers say, send them a testing inquiry to check their prices and capabilities. It's not just about the price when it comes to a quote. An entire solution is involved. You can tell the capacity of the CNC prototyping provider in China from its quotation. 

If you want to be sure of your judgment, it's better to place a small test order. From the CNC machined part, you will know their machining capacities, for example, how they deal with the radius, if the finishing work is good enough, if they pack properly to ensure safe shipment, and so on. Some companies offer free trial orders for you to check if their capabilities suit you in a straightforward way. No matter who you choose to work with, there is no doubt it would take some time to fit in with each other.

X Rapid Technologies always welcome testing inquiries and is ready to offer you the best solutions. We stand out because of our personalized services and look forward to working with you in the near future.

FAQs of CNC Machining Services in China

1. In what cases should I choose a CNC prototyping manufacturer in China?

In most cases, the priority of companies or individuals who want to work with Chinese CNC machining manufacturers is low costs. Sure, the costs are lower because of the relatively lower labor costs in China. So if you are looking for a way to save money, a Chinese CNC machining service provider is a good choice.

However, working with a CNC prototyping manufacturer in China is cross-border trade. International shipping times need to be considered. Don’t worry. Manufacturers in China are highly efficient. Whereas, it is known to all that international shipping is not stable because of the influence of COVID-19. The CNC manufacturer is a good choice if you don't care too much about tight lead time. As China has lifted its control policies, all things are coming to normal now.

2. How can I place a CNC machining testing order to check the capabilities?

Consider tolerances, materials, special structures, finishing needs, etc. Provide them with a 2D drawing that states all your requirements. Then you'll be able to see if the CNC prototyping manufacturer in China fully understands your engineering language. That matters if you plan to work with them for a long time. If they understood your 2D drawings, it would save you a lot of time.

3. Are the CNC prototyping technologies of China not as good as those of other countries, especially those of American and European countries?

Honestly, CNC prototyping technologies in China develop slower than in American and European countries. But they are developing. And so many Chinese CNC manufacturing companies have worked with foreign companies for years, which proves that they can meet their demands well. It won't be a problem for you. It is very safe to have a try.

At X Rapid Technologies, we embrace Manufacturing-as-a-Service by arranging a 1-on-1 account manager for each project. By following up on each project from A to Z, we ensure stable quality, lead time, and responsive services. If you are planning to do CNC prototyping in China, we are happy to be at your service. Don't hesitate to get in touch to know more about us.