---
type: category
name: "Cutting"
processes: 15
url: https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/cutting
---

# Cutting

15 manufacturing processes in the cutting family.

Cutting processes remove material to arrive at the finished geometry, by
mechanical shear, by melting and blowing, by erosion, or by chemistry.

Because most cutting processes need little or no dedicated tooling, they
dominate prototyping and low volumes, and they set the tolerance ceiling
for parts that other processes cannot hold.

## Processes

| Process | Tolerances | Typical volumes | Lead time |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [5-Axis CNC Machining](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/cutting/5-axis-cnc-machining.md) | ±0.005 in (±0.13 mm) standard; ±0.001 in (±0.025 mm) precision; single-setup work avoids the 0.002–0.005 in (0.05–0.13 mm) datum shift multi-setup machining carries | 1–500 parts typical; dedicated production cells run higher | 5–15 business days for prototypes; 3–6 weeks for production quantities |
| [CNC Machining](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/cutting/cnc-machining.md) | ±0.005 in (±0.13 mm) standard shop practice, equivalent to ISO 2768-m; ±0.001 in (±0.025 mm) for precision work; ±0.0002 in (±0.005 mm) on ground and precision-turned features. | 1–10,000 parts; unit cost drops steeply from 1 to about 10 pieces, then flattens | 3–10 business days for typical prototype and low-volume work, with 1–3 day expedite widely available. Production runs are scheduled against machine capacity rather than tooling lead time. |
| [CNC Milling](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/cutting/cnc-milling.md) | ±0.005 in (±0.13 mm) standard; ±0.001 in (±0.025 mm) precision; ±0.0005 in (±0.013 mm) on selected features | 1–1,000 parts typical; economical to roughly 10,000 depending on cycle time | 3–10 business days for prototypes; 2–4 weeks for production quantities |
| [CNC Turning](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/cutting/cnc-turning.md) | ±0.005 in (±0.13 mm) standard; ±0.001 in (±0.025 mm) on diameters; ±0.0005 in (±0.013 mm) achievable; concentricity within 0.0005 in (0.013 mm) TIR in a single chucking | 1–10,000 parts; bar-fed production runs well beyond 100,000 | 3–10 business days for prototypes; 2–4 weeks for production quantities |
| [Die Cutting](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/cutting/die-cutting.md) | ±0.010–0.030 in (±0.25–0.75 mm) for steel rule dies; ±0.005–0.015 in (±0.13–0.4 mm) for rotary and hardened punch-and-die tooling; print-to-cut registration typically ±1/32 in (±0.8 mm) | Digital knife 1–500; steel rule 500–500,000; rotary dies 100,000+ | Steel rule dies in 2–5 business days; rotary dies 2–4 weeks; digital knife cutting same day |
| [Electrical Discharge Machining](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/cutting/electrical-discharge-machining.md) | Wire EDM ±0.0005 in (±0.013 mm) commercial, ±0.0001 in (±0.0025 mm) achievable with multiple skim passes; sinker EDM ±0.001 in (±0.025 mm) typical, ±0.0005 in (±0.013 mm) achievable | 1–1,000 parts; standard for tooling, dies and low-volume precision components | 1–3 weeks; sinker work adds electrode fabrication time |
| [Glass Scoring](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/cutting/glass-scoring.md) | ±1/32 in (±0.8 mm) with careful hand or CNC-table work; ±1/16 in (±1.6 mm) is common for architectural glass | 1–100,000+; equally suited to one-off work and automated CNC cutting tables | Minutes per cut; glass shops typically cut to size same-day |
| [Laser Cutting](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/cutting/laser-cutting.md) | ±0.005 in (±0.13 mm) on thin sheet; ±0.010 in (±0.25 mm) on plate and over long dimensions; edge taper roughly 0.5–1° | 1–10,000 parts; no tooling, so single pieces are practical and unit cost falls mainly through nesting | 1–5 business days; same-day is common for simple sheet parts |
| [Photochemical Machining](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/cutting/photochemical-machining.md) | ±10% of material thickness as standard (±0.001 in / ±0.025 mm on 0.010 in / 0.25 mm stock); ±20% of thickness for conservative planning; ±0.0005 in (±0.013 mm) on thin foil | 1–1,000,000+; economical at both extremes because there is no hard tooling | Phototools in 1–3 days; prototypes in 1–2 weeks; production 2–4 weeks |
| [Plasma Cutting](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/cutting/plasma-cutting.md) | Conventional plasma ±0.030–0.060 in (±0.75–1.5 mm); high-definition plasma ±0.010–0.020 in (±0.25–0.5 mm); 1–3° of bevel on the cut face | 1–5,000 parts; no tooling required | 1–5 business days; same-day for simple plate profiles |
| [Punching and Blanking](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/cutting/punching-and-blanking.md) | ±0.003–0.010 in (±0.08–0.25 mm) on punched features; ±0.002 in (±0.05 mm) achievable in a well-maintained progressive die; features punched in one station relate to each other more tightly than features across stations | Turret punching 1–5,000; progressive dies 10,000–10,000,000+ | Turret punching 1–5 business days; hard tooling 4–12 weeks, then production in hours per thousand |
| [Sawing](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/cutting/sawing.md) | Band saw ±0.030 in (±0.75 mm) typical, ±0.010 in (±0.25 mm) with careful setup; cold saw ±0.005–0.010 in (±0.13–0.25 mm); abrasive saw ±0.020 in (±0.5 mm) or looser | 1 to unlimited; bundle cutting makes high volumes efficient | Minutes per cut; same-day service at any metal supplier or fabrication shop |
| [Swiss Screw Machining](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/cutting/swiss-screw-machining.md) | ±0.0005 in (±0.013 mm) routine; ±0.0002 in (±0.005 mm) achievable on diameters; ±0.001 in (±0.025 mm) on lengths | 500–1,000,000+ parts | 2–4 weeks for first articles including setup; production releases in days once the setup is proven |
| [Tube and Profile Laser Cutting](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/cutting/tube-and-profile-laser-cutting.md) | ±0.005 in (±0.13 mm) on feature position within a setup; roughly ±0.020 in (±0.5 mm) cumulative over multi-meter lengths; overall accuracy is also bounded by the mill tolerance of the incoming tube | 10–50,000 parts; bundle loading makes production runs efficient | 3–10 business days; production runs quote by the bar |
| [Water Jet Cutting](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/cutting/water-jet-cutting.md) | ±0.005 in (±0.13 mm) typical on thin material; ±0.003 in (±0.076 mm) achievable; ±0.010–0.020 in (±0.25–0.5 mm) on thick plate; 1–3° of natural taper unless a compensating head is used | 1–5,000 parts; no tooling, so single pieces are routine | 1–5 business days; often same-week for single parts |

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*Source: [Manufacturing Processes](https://manufacturingprocesses.org/processes/cutting)*