Carbon Steel CNC Machining
Carbon Steel
CNC Machining
1018 / 1020 / 1045
Turning · Milling · 5-Axis
Prototype to Volume
Inspection & Certification
Machining 1018, 1045 and other carbon steel grades for shafts, brackets, housings, fixtures and custom industrial components. Full dimensional reports and material certifications available.
Typical Tolerance
±0.01 mm
1018 Carbon Steel ✦
1045 Carbon Steel ✦
CNC Turning ✦
CNC Milling ✦
5-Axis Machining ✦
Shafts & Flanges ✦
Gears & Brackets ✦
Black Oxide & Zinc Plating ✦
Prototype to Production ✦
1018 Carbon Steel ✦
1045 Carbon Steel ✦
CNC Turning ✦
CNC Milling ✦
5-Axis Machining ✦
Shafts & Flanges ✦
Gears & Brackets ✦
Black Oxide & Zinc Plating ✦
Prototype to Production ✦
Material Grades
Common Carbon Steel Grades We Machine
1018
Low-Carbon Steel 1018
Excellent weldability, good machinability, easy to form and fabricate. Preferred for structural and weldable components where high strength is not the primary requirement.
BracketsPlatesFramesWelded Parts
View 1018 Details
1020
Low-Carbon Steel 1020
Slightly higher carbon than 1018 with improved mechanical properties. Good balance of machinability, weldability, and moderate strength. Common for case-hardened components.
Case HardenedPinsGeneral Parts
View 1020 Details
1045
Medium-Carbon Steel 1045
Higher strength and hardness than 1018. Heat-treatable to HRC 55+. Preferred for load-bearing and high-wear applications — the dominant carbon steel choice for shafts, gears, and keys.
ShaftsGearsKeysLoad-Bearing
View 1045 Details
Other
Custom Carbon Steel Grades
We machine 1215, 12L14, 1060, 1075, and other carbon grades on request. Tell us your material requirement and we will confirm availability, machinability notes, and lead time.
10601075121512L14
Request Custom Grade
Grade Selection
1018 vs 1045 — Which One for Your Part?
Choosing the wrong grade adds cost and reduces part life. 1018 and 1045 serve fundamentally different applications — the table below helps you select the right one before uploading your drawing.
| Property | 1018 Steel | 1045 Steel |
|---|---|---|
| Carbon Content | 0.14–0.20% | 0.43–0.50% |
| Machinability | ★★★★★ Excellent | ★★★★ Good |
| Tensile Strength | ~400 MPa | ~570–700 MPa |
| Weldability | ★★★★★ Excellent | ★★★ Moderate |
| Heat Treatable | Limited | ✓ Yes — HRC 55+ |
| Surface Finish | Good | Very Good |
| Typical Parts | Brackets, frames, plates, weldments, fixtures | Shafts, gears, pins, keys, load-bearing parts |
| Recommended For | General structural, fabricated structures, prototype | Mechanical drives, high-strength industrial parts |
Not sure which grade to specify? Upload your drawing and tell us the application. We'll advise on the optimal carbon steel grade before quoting.
Manufacturing Capability
Equipment & Processes for Carbon Steel
PROCESS / 01
CNC Turning for Carbon Steel
Precision OD and ID turning for shafts, flanges, pins, and rotational carbon steel parts. 1018 and 1045 both turn cleanly with controlled chip formation. Live tooling for cross-holes and flats in one setup.
ShaftsFlangesPinsSleevesThreaded Parts
PROCESS / 02
CNC Milling for Carbon Steel
3-axis and 4-axis milling of brackets, housings, base plates, and structural parts in 1018 and 1045. Controlled cutting parameters for heat management on carbon steel. Tolerances to ±0.01 mm on milled surfaces.
BracketsPlatesHousingsBase Parts
PROCESS / 03
5-Axis Machining — Complex Carbon Steel Parts
Complex housings, multi-face structural parts, and custom carbon steel components machined in a single setup on 5-axis centers. Eliminates re-fixturing error on precision carbon steel assemblies.
Complex HousingsStructural PartsMulti-Face Parts
Application Gallery
Typical Carbon Steel Parts We Produce
1018 Preferred
Carbon Steel Brackets
Material1018 / 1020
ProcessCNC Milling · Drilling · Tapping
IndustryStructural · Equipment · Automation
1045 / 4140
Carbon Steel Gears
Material1045 / Alloy Steel
ProcessCNC Turning · Gear Hobbing
IndustryTransmission · Robotics · Machinery
Project Case Studies
Carbon Steel Parts We've Made
CASE / 01
1045 Steel Transmission Shaft — Drive System Assembly
Material
1045 carbon steel bar, heat-treated to HRC 28–32 before final turning
Process
CNC turning (OD, ID, stepping) → heat treatment → OD cylindrical grinding → CMM inspection
Challenge
Concentricity ≤0.008 mm between journal diameters across 380 mm shaft length. Heat treatment distortion required post-HT grinding to recover tolerance.
Outcome
Stable 500-piece monthly production. All parts pass assembly concentricity gauge. Zero rejections in 8 consecutive batches.
Result: Achieved concentricity ≤0.006 mm across all critical journals. Part life extended 40% vs. previous supplier's 1040 equivalent.
Request Similar Part →
CASE / 02
1018 Steel Mounting Bracket — Automation Equipment Line
Material
1018 hot-rolled steel plate, customer-supplied material spec with mill cert requirement
Process
CNC milling (profile + pockets + slots) → drilling and tapping M8–M12 → deburring → zinc plating (yellow chromate)
Challenge
Positional tolerance ±0.05 mm on 14 bolt hole pattern across 320 mm bracket span — required fixture design and in-process pin gauging.
Outcome
1,200-piece order delivered in 12 working days. First-article inspection report provided. All hole patterns within ±0.03 mm. Customer reordered at 2× quantity.
Result: Eliminated bolted assembly rework caused by hole positional drift from previous supplier. Production line downtime reduced to zero on this bracket family.
Request Similar Part →
CASE / 03
Custom 1045 Carbon Steel Gearbox Housing — Industrial Conveyor
Material
1045 carbon steel billet, normalized before machining to relieve residual stress
Process
5-axis milling (external profile + internal pockets) → precision boring (bearing seats Ø62H7) → deburring → powder coat (RAL 9005)
Challenge
Two Ø62H7 bearing seats must be coaxial within 0.015 mm over 180 mm center distance. 5-axis single-setup machining was essential to hold this without re-clamping.
Outcome
CMM-verified coaxiality ≤0.012 mm on all 40 housings. Bearing press-fit assembly completed with zero rework. Customer qualified the housing for 3-year production run.
Result: 40-piece delivery with full CMM dimensional report and material cert. Qualification passed first time — no deviation from drawing on any critical feature.
Request Similar Part →
From Raw Material to Finished Part
How We Machine Carbon Steel Parts
Every carbon steel order follows a controlled production sequence — from material intake to packaged delivery.
STEP 01
Raw Material
1018 / 1045 bar stock, plate, or billets sourced with full mill certification — heat number and chemical composition verified before cutting.
STEP 02
CNC Machining
Turning, milling, 5-axis, drilling, and tapping per drawing. Controlled cutting parameters manage heat generation and surface finish on carbon steel.
STEP 03
Secondary Operations
Deburring, edge breaking, heat treatment (on 1045 parts), grinding (where required), and surface finishing — coordinated by us as a single-source process.
STEP 04
Inspection
Dimensional inspection per drawing. CMM verification for critical dimensions. Full dimensional reports and material certs prepared and reviewed before release.
STEP 05
Final Delivery
Parts packed with anti-rust protection, labeled with lot code, and shipped with dimensional report, material cert, and packing list. Worldwide delivery.
Why Work With Us
Why Choose Us for Carbon Steel Machining
GR
Experience with Common Carbon Steel Grades
1018, 1020, 1045 — we run these materials daily across turning, milling, and 5-axis centers. Optimized cutting parameters, known tool life, and predictable surface finish on every grade.
FL
Flexible Machining — Shafts, Brackets, Plates, Custom Parts
From Ø8 mm pin shafts to 800 × 500 mm structural base plates — we machine the full range of carbon steel part types in one facility, without outsourcing to secondary suppliers.
QC
Stable Quality from Prototype to Production
Same drawing-based QC plan, same inspection process, same material certification — whether you order 5 pieces or 5,000. First-article inspection reports available on all production orders.
FS
Surface Finishing, Inspection, and Full Documentation
Black oxide, zinc plating, powder coating, nickel — managed as a single source. Material certifications, CMM reports, and dimensional reports delivered with every order.
Get a Quote
Send Your Drawing.
Get a Quote.
Every enquiry includes a DFM review — tolerance feasibility, material confirmation, and process approach confirmed before production starts. MOQ 1 piece.
24hr
Quote Response
MOQ 1
Prototypes OK
ISO
9001:2015
📐
DFM Review on Every Enquiry
Tolerance feasibility, fixturing strategy, and material confirmation. Specific, actionable feedback — not generic pushback.
🎯
First Article Inspection — Standard
FAI report on every new run. Material certs and surface treatment certs included with every shipment.
🔄
Same Process: Prototype to Production
Process plan from your prototype applies to production batches. No re-qualification when you scale.
⚙
3 / 4 / 5-Axis CNC + Turning
Complex structural parts, shafts, housings, and transmission components. Metals and engineering plastics.
ISO 9001:2015
3/4/5-Axis Milling
CNC Turning
CMM Inspection
Global Delivery