Of the many CNC machines available, most can be sorted into one of two categories: additive manufacturing or subtractive manufacturing. Additive manufacturing refers to machining methods that add material, while subtractive manufacturing refers to machining methods that remove material from a base object. 3D printing is the most common type of the former, and CNC cutting is a popular type of the latter.
Just as there are a variety of 3D printing services (such as Craftcloud by All3DP), there’s also a wealth of CNC cutting services. In this article, we’ll go over 10 of the best on-demand CNC cutting services. To focus this list on only CNC cutting, we’ve selected services that specialize in professional CNC cutting methods, which we’ll discuss in the following sections, as well as some considerations for what makes a good CNC cutting service.
What Is CNC Cutting?
Computer numerical control, or CNC, is a motion system that uses movement commands (G-code) to tell a machine what to do and how to do it. While most people probably imagine a CNC router when someone says “CNC machine,” technically any machine that operates in CNC can be considered a CNC machine. Examples of other popular types of CNC machines include CNC lathes, CNC laser cutters, and even 3D printers.
On the more professional side of manufacturing, CNC cutting describes completely cutting (or splitting) a base material into multiple pieces, usually in a stencil format (2D shapes with a depth). However, on the hobbyist side of CNC machining, CNC cutting can mean basically any type of CNC subtractive manufacturing.
The professional definition typically involves machines that are best for cutting completely through an object, like a CNC router, CNC water jet, or CNC plasma cutter. Alternatively, the hobbyist definition can include other machines like a CNC lathe or CNC mill.
Considerations
For this list, we chose the best on-demand services that specialize in CNC cutting above other manufacturing methods. When looking at these, there are a few important elements to consider.
Cutting Technologies
The first consideration for a CNC cutting service is knowing which technologies are available for the actual cutting. “Technologies” here refers to the different types of machines that can be used. Ideally, you want a service with different types of machines, giving you more options. At least, the service should have your desired cutting technology (if you have a preference).
Materials
Another consideration is the material available for cutting. As you probably know, CNC cutting can be performed on many different materials, including wood and metals. As with the available technologies, you want a service with the largest material offering to give you choices for both the price and the mechanical properties of your cut object.
Capacity
It’s important to consider the capacity a service can handle. Some CNC cutting services are geared towards professional businesses and large orders, while others focus on individual consumers. You wouldn’t want to order 10,000 parts from a company with only a couple of small cutting machines, so it’s important to choose a service that matches your order size.
Pricing
Lastly, and most importantly for many, you should consider the price of a cutting service. While the price will vary based on the technology, material, design, and shipping, you’ll probably want to choose a service that fits your budget.
Now that we’ve gone over what to look for in a CNC cutting service let’s get into the options!
Big Blue Saw
First, we have Big Blue Saw, a CNC cutting service specializing in CNC laser cutting and CNC waterjet cutting. While this service’s available machinery may be limited, they make up for it in their material offering, which contains almost 70 different types of metals, plastics, woods, and composites. Their materials can be cut in different thicknesses, ranging from 0.4 to 25.4 mm.
Big Blue Saw also has some great online tools, such as their Big Blue Saw Designer tool, a free online computer-aided design (CAD) program that allows you to make parts for cutting. This service, like most nowadays, also has an instant quote tool, so you can quickly determine the price of your desired cut.
- Technologies: Laser cutting and waterjet cutting
- Materials: 70+ materials, including metals, plastics, woods, and composites (e.g. steel, titanium, copper, and foam)
- Instant quote tool: Yes
- Contact: Big Blue Saw
SendCutSend
Second, SendCutSend is a CNC cutting service, and while they only offer CNC routing and laser cutting, they are also capable of a few other machining methods. Additionally, SendCutSend can also perform tapping (for screws), forming, and bending. The company also provides deburring, a surface treatment for metals, for free on all orders.
Like the previous option, SendCutSend can cut your part in a wide range of materials, including spring steel, acrylic, copper, and even cork. Each material is available in different thicknesses, but the total range goes from 0.8 to 12.7 mm.
- Technologies: Laser cutting and routing, as well as tapping, bending, forming, and deburring
- Materials: 30+ materials, including spring steel, polycarbonate, cork, and titanium
- Instant quote tool: Yes
- Contact: SendCutSend
Fractory
Third, Fractory is a metal-focused fabrication service with a wide range of CNC cutting methods, including CNC laser cutting, plasma cutting, flame cutting, waterjet cutting, oxy-fuel cutting, tube cutting, and routing. Like the previous option, Fractory also offers a deburring (surface treatment) and bending service for metals.
Unfortunately, Fractory only offers their cutting services in seven materials, six of which are types of steel. Fractory has a super great user interface and a built-in quoting tool; however, you will need an account to find the price of a cut. Also, it’s important to note that Fractory only delivers to the US, UK, Sweden, Ireland, Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia.
- Technologies: Laser cutting, plasma cutting, flame cutting, waterjet cutting, oxy-fuel cutting, tube cutting, routing, bending, and deburring
- Materials: 7 materials, including carbon steel, stainless steel, galvanized steel, Hardox steel, Strenx steel, Domex steel, and aluminum
- Instant quote tool: Yes
- Contact: Fractory
Cutting Experts
Cutting Experts is a division of Pioneer Rubber & Gasket with over 40 years of manufacturing experience. This service offers CNC routing and waterjet cutting, both with an impressively low tolerance of +/- 0.076 mm (0.003 inches). Cutting Experts offers a plethora of different materials, including foam, brass, aluminum, ceramic, steel, and even marble.
The downside of this service is their interface, which isn’t as smooth as Fractory’s nor does it have an instant quote tool. One benefit of their website is that it’s full of helpful information about materials and processes that you can use to decide how you want your part cut.
- Technologies: Waterjet cutting and routing
- Materials: 20+ materials, including tile, marble, aluminum, titanium, and more
- Instant quote tool: No (manual quote within 1 day)
- Contact: Cutting Experts
Prototype Hubs
Fifth, Prototype Hubs is another great service, and while they offer 3D printing and various types of CNC machining, they also offer three great CNC cutting methods. These technologies include CNC routing, laser cutting, waterjet cutting, and plasma cutting. The CNC cutting business is meant for sheet metals, but you can order an area cut in plywood, MDF, and acrylic.
Prototype Hubs has a nice web interface and has listed the order of prices for their CNC cutting services. Plasma cutting is the cheapest, followed by laser cutting, then waterjet cutting. Like the previous service, Prototype Hubs’ website also contains a knowledge page where you can learn about manufacturing methods before you order.
- Technologies: Routing, laser cutting, plasma cutting, waterjet cutting, 3D printing, milling, and turning
- Materials: 10+ materials, including low carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum, MDF, plywood, and acrylic
- Instant quote tool: Yes
- Contact: Prototype Hubs
CNC Art Cut
With one of the widest ranges of CNC cutting technologies on this list, CNC Art Cut is a great option, boasting an impressive assortment of videos that show off their manufacturing abilities. CNC Art Cut offers CNC routing, fiber laser cutting, 3D tube laser cutting, and CO2 laser cutting with a moderate selection of materials to choose from, like steel, wood, and even leather. On top of this, this company also offers welding (a few types), CAD drafting, fiber laser marking, and sheet metal bending.
With all of these services available, CNC Art Cut can handle complex parts, from the design (CAD) and cutting to the final details like welds and markings. They also have a very cool web interface, although it can be a little glitchy to use. It’s also worth noting that this company doesn’t have an instant quote tool, and you have to make direct contact with their sales team, which takes more time.
- Technologies: Routing, fiber laser cutting, 3D tube laser cutting, CO2 laser cutting, sheet metal bending, CAD drafting, fiber laser marking, and welding
- Materials: 20+ materials, including metals, woods, plastics, foams, and leathers
- Instant quote tool: No
- Contact: CNC Art Cut
Cutting Edge Fabrication
Cutting Edge Fabrication is a more professional CNC cutting service, leveraging its large-scale manufacturing capabilities to focus on larger clients in fields like aerospace and construction. This service also is really only for metal machining, but a larger part of their business is centered around CNC cutting. In total, they offer eight different types of CNC cutting, three methods of welding fabrication, CNC machining, and sheet metal assembly.
While their website interface looks like it could use an update, it’s not a site where you would order a single small part, so it’s not as big of a deal. Moreover, if you want to order a part to be cut, you have to contact them because they don’t have an instant quoting tool.
- Technologies: Plate cutting, laser cutting, routing, oxy-fuel cutting, plasma cutting, production sawing, metal sawing, metal shearing, aluminum welding, metal parts fabrication, press brake forming, sheet metal assembly, and CNC machining
- Materials: 10+ materials, including stainless steel, structural steel, and sheet metal
- Instant quote tool: No
- Contact: Cutting Edge Fabrication
H. Loeb Corporation
H. Loeb Corporation is among the oldest services on the list, founded over 70 years ago, so you know they must be doing something right. This company has a large manufacturing offering geared towards helping industries – such as aerospace, military, laundry, and lighting – to scale their manufacturing.
H. Loeb Corporation offers cutting for around 50 materials using seven CNC cutting methods, most of which are unique to this service on this list, like die-cutting and plastic knife cutting. The company is also capable of two other manufacturing methods: material laminating and packaging insert manufacturing. H. Loeb also has a prototyping service!
This service’s website is so-so, and they also don’t have an instant quoting tool, which is a downside. However, it’s important to remember that this service is intended for businesses, and an instant quoting tool isn’t usually used for those types of orders.
- Technologies: Die-cutting, plastic laser cutting, knife cutting, foam splitting, routing, slitting, sheeting, prototyping, material laminating, and packing insert manufacturing
- Materials: Around 50 materials, including foams, metals, plastics, rubbers, metal films, and more
- Instant quote tool: No
- Contact: H. Loeb Corporation
Flinchbaugh
Ninth, Flinchbaugh is an even older company than H. Loeb, dating back to 1936 and emphasizing quality control. Flinchbaugh currently operates over 35 different machines, covering CNC routing as well as other types of CNC machining, painting, welding, grinding, and more.
Although their only CNC cutting capabilities are CNC routing, they are a very reputable company with a long track record of happy customers. Unfortunately, this company lacks a real instant quoting tool, but its web interface is pretty solid.
- Technologies: Routing, milling, turning, painting, welding, grinding, sawing (non-CNC), welding, and more
- Materials: 10+ materials, including aluminum, steel, copper, and plastics
- Instant quote tool: No
- Contact: Flinchbaugh
BDE Manufacturing Technologies
Lastly, BDE Manufacturing Technologies is a CNC machining service that operates a large manufacturing facility in Oregon. BDE is capable of large-format CNC cutting through routing and wire electromagnetic discharge machining (EDM). On top of CNC cutting, the company also offers many other CNC-related services, like an assortment of CNC machining methods as well as CAD and CAM prototyping.
The impressive part is that BDE can conduct these cutting services with extreme precision. Moreover, their CNC machining (including routing) and wire EDM processes maintain a tolerance of +/- 0.005 and +/- 0.00254 mm, respectively. This company can cut a few different metals, including stainless steel, regular steel, aluminum, titanium, copper, brass, and other alloys.
BDE’s website interface is decent, and they have a page describing their recent work so you can see their true capabilities. One final thing to mention is that BDE’s website lacks an instant quoting tool for orders, but you can fill out their manual quote contact form to request a price.
- Technologies: Routing, wire EDM, non-cutting CNC machining, CAD, CAM, assembly
- Materials: 10+ materials, including stainless steel, regular steel, aluminum, titanium, copper, brass, and other alloys
- Instant quote tool: No
- Contact: BDE Manufacturing Technologies
License: The text of "The Best CNC Cutting Services for 2022" by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.