In manufacturing, the word “complex” is frequently used to describe parts, especially those that require 5-axis machining. However, the complexity of a part isn’t always obvious, or always limited to its design. From extremely tight tolerance requirements to hard-to-source and hard-to-machine exotic materials, there are many aspects of a part that can contribute to its complexity, and they all pose unique challenges from a manufacturing perspective.

With over 50 years of experience providing precision CNC machining services, the team at Leech Industries has become experts at manufacturing complex parts for the most critical applications. Leveraging our skills in design, engineering, and manufacturing, we take on the truly challenging jobs that demand our expertise. So regardless of what’s driving complexity within your project, we can help you navigate all the challenges of manufacturing complex parts and collaborate closely with you to turn your most unique and complex concepts into reality.

Common Factors That Drive Complexity During Manufacturing

Defining complexity in terms of manufacturability is a challenge. What’s complex for some shops may be commonplace for others. At Leech Industries, we’ve become experts at addressing a number of factors that contribute to a part’s complexity. These include:

Atypical External Dimensions

Parts with organic shapes or atypical external dimensions can be very difficult to secure during the machining process. However, by manufacturing custom fixtures, leveraging our 5-axis and 9-axis CNC machines, and relying on the knowledge of skilled machinists to determine the correct approach, manufacturing parts like these is an art at which Leech Industries’ team excels.

Challenging Internal Geometries

Like atypical external dimensions, intricate internal geometries can be challenging to machine. Parts with these features typically require special tooling, custom fixtures, and more machine time with greater oversight. However, with our extensive library of tools and advanced equipment, combined with the knowledge of our experienced machinists, we’re able to manufacture parts with intricate internal geometries and machine them to precision.

Extremely Tight Tolerances

Many times, engineers design a part for perfection, only for its tolerances to be unrealistic or incredibly costly to achieve. This is often referred to as “over tolerancing.” While we can certainly manufacture parts with extremely tight tolerances, we’re also experts at design for manufacturability (DFM) and general dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T). By leveraging our design and engineering expertise, we help you optimize your design for manufacturability and determine where tolerances can likely be relaxed to achieve finished parts that are equally functional and reliable while also more cost-effective to manufacture.

Highly Specific Processing Requirements

Beyond simple post-processing like heat treating, sometimes a part requires extensive processes that we need to rely on external vendors to perform. While this naturally adds to cost and lead time, it also significantly adds to complexity when a part specification requires a particular certification, which sometimes very few vendors are able to provide. However, by collaborating with our team and informing us of your end-use requirements, we can leverage our extensive network of suppliers to plan ahead and provide the right post-processing solutions to achieve your goals.

Exotic Materials

Exotic materials can be difficult to source and challenging to machine, not to mention costly. But sometimes, they’re the best – and sometimes the only – option for a part and its application. With the difficulty of sourcing some of these exotic materials, we may only get one shot at getting it right during manufacturing. That’s why, if your part’s application requires using an exotic material, we recommend working closely with our team during the design process to optimize your design for manufacturability and ensure the availability of your required material.

Critical Applications

The more critical a part’s application, the more complex it becomes. When a part’s failure can result in severe consequences, such as in aerospace and defense applications, precision and quality must be ensured to an even higher level, adding to complexity at every step of manufacturing and inspection. However, with decades of experience manufacturing precision machined parts, we can guarantee the quality of parts needed in the most demanding and critical applications.

How Leech Industries Approaches Manufacturing Complex Parts

Many aspects of a design contribute to a part’s complexity. As such, manufacturing complex parts requires the right combination of expert engineers and skilled machinists with the tools and advanced machines necessary to carry out the job. Beyond that, it requires the confidence to say “yes” in the face of a challenge and rise to the occasion to meet each customer’s specific needs.

At Leech Industries, we turn theoretical engineering concepts into manufacturable parts. Our engineers and machinists will collaborate closely with you on your most unique and challenging jobs, simplifying complexity when possible and overcoming challenges when necessary. With an extensive number of skilled professionals working together in our AS9100 machine shop, our CNC machining services are relied upon for manufacturing complex parts with critical applications.

If you have a complex part that demands the skill and expertise of the Leech Industries team, reach out to us and ​​request a quote. Let us help you make your vision a reality.