Finding a CNC machining company that suits a part takes longer than it should. Two companies can both advertise "CNC machining" while one runs 3-axis milling in aluminium for prototype quantities and the other runs 5-axis nickel alloy parts under an aerospace quality system. CNC Directory is a new directory of UK CNC machining and precision engineering companies, built so an engineer or buyer can move from a long list to a short one using what the work needs.
Why a directory for CNC machining
A company name and a home page tell you little about fit. The details that decide it (the materials a shop works, the machines on the floor, the tolerances it holds, how it inspects parts, which certifications it holds and which industries it supplies) are usually spread across several pages or missing altogether. CNC Directory collects them in one place and lets you filter on them.
What is listed
CNC Directory lists 220+ UK companies, and the list is growing. It starts with machining and the services around it: CNC milling, CNC turning, 5-axis and multi-axis machining, wire and sinker EDM, prototyping and rapid machining, finishing and surface treatment and design and engineering (CAD/CAM). Swiss machining, welding and fabrication, sheet metal, laser and waterjet cutting and 3D printing are covered too.
What each listing shows
- Certifications, such as ISO 9001, AS9100, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001
- Materials worked, from aluminium and stainless steel to titanium, nickel superalloys and plastics
- Machine capabilities: 3-axis, 4-axis, 5-axis, live tooling, multi-spindle and Swiss-type
- Tolerance capability, where the company states one
- Testing and inspection, such as CMM inspection, first article inspection and non-destructive testing
- Finishing services, order type and volume, and industries supported
- A Last Updated date, a history of checks, and a link to the Companies House record where one exists
Industries are a good example of what the filters let you see: you can narrow the list to the companies that state they serve aerospace and defence, automotive, medical, energy, oil and gas, rail, marine and more.
How to use it
- Start with a category or a search. Pick the process you need, or search for a company or place.
- Filter on what matters for your part. Material, machine capability, tolerance, certification, volume and industry are all filters.
- Read the listing, then get in touch. Use the Contact button on the listing to reach the company directly.
Where the information comes from
Every company is checked against Companies House before it is added, to confirm it is a registered business trading under the name and at the address shown. Listings are then rechecked from time to time against each company's own public information, such as its website. Each listing shows a Last Updated date and a history of when it was last checked. This is not independent auditing: we do not test a supplier's processes on site or confirm a certification with the body that issued it. Capabilities, certifications and tolerances are what the company states, so confirm them with the company before you rely on them for a purchase.
If you run a machining company
If your company is not listed, you can submit a listing. If something on your listing needs correcting, use the suggest an update form or email cnc@cncdirectory.co.uk and we will update it. Changes go through us so that every listing reads the same way.
What comes next
More companies are added in stages, each checked before it goes live. Alongside the listings we are publishing buyer guides, starting with how to choose a UK CNC machining supplier, what affects the cost of CNC machining, CNC machining tolerances explained and 3-axis, 4-axis or 5-axis machining.
Listing details on CNC Directory are what each company states in its public information and are not independently audited. Confirm them with the company before you rely on them.
Where to go for more
UKAS is the UK's national accreditation body, a useful check on who issued a supplier's certificates. ISO publishes the quality, environmental and tolerance standards referred to here. The Manufacturing Technologies Association represents UK machine tool and manufacturing technology businesses, and Make UK is the UK manufacturers' organisation.
Find UK CNC machining companies on CNC Directory
Browse UK CNC milling, CNC turning, 5-axis and multi-axis machining, wire and sinker EDM, prototyping and rapid machining and finishing and surface treatment companies and narrow them with the Certifications, Materials Worked, Machine Capabilities, Tolerance Capability, Testing & Inspection, Industries Supported and Order Type / Volume filters. Read each listing, then use the Contact button on the companies that fit.
Figures and data in this article are drawn from CNC Directory's own dataset of UK CNC machining listings, and may be cited with attribution to CNC Directory and a link to this article. For press enquiries or a custom data cut, contact cnc@cncdirectory.co.uk.