CNC machining in Copper
Excellent thermal and electrical conductivity Copper offers excellent thermal and electrical conductivity, it’s often used for busbars, wire connectors, and other electrical applications. Copper has a glossy reddish-orange appearance.
Mastering the Challenges of
Copper Fabrication
Copper, due to its high thermal conductivity and "gummy" nature, is among the most challenging materials to cut. This causes self-interference in the standard shop, leading to surface tearing and tool adhesion.
Our Solution: To speculate a little further, we achieved a Ra 0.4 μm surface finish & ±0.005mm tolerance using specialized diamond-coated carbide tooling and high-pressure coolant systems.
- No Burrs: Clean cuts thanks to various rake angles.
- High Speed: 5-axis CNC operations are available for complex geometries.
- 100% traceability of materials; only C101 and C110 are included.
Stainless Steel CNC Machining Parts Gallery
Browse our stainless steel CNC machining gallery, highlighting high-quality parts we’ve manufactured for multiple industries.
Copper CNC Machining Capabilities
Delivering high-conductivity precision components with advanced 5-axis technology and specialized copper tooling.
CNC Milling
High-speed milling optimized for oxygen-free copper, preventing material galling and ensuring surface integrity.
- 5-Axis Simultaneous Machining
- Precision ±0.005mm
- Complex Thermal Solutions
CNC Turning
Swiss-type and multi-spindle turning for high-volume electrical connectors and conductive terminals.
- Ultra-smooth surface finishes
- Live tooling for cross-holes
- Up to 400mm Diameter
Wire EDM
Advanced Wire EDM services for intricate patterns and micro-features in hard-to-reach copper geometries.
- Zero mechanical stress
- Micro-geometry capability
- Tight radius corners
Surface Plating
Protecting copper from oxidation with specialized silver, tin, or gold plating for extreme conductivity.
- Electroplating & Passivation
- Bright Acid Copper Plating
- Mirror-like Polishing
Rapid Prototyping
Quick-turn copper parts for R&D testing. From CAD to physical prototype in as little as 3-5 days.
- Design for Manufacturability
- No Minimum Order Quantity
- Functional Material Testing
Quality Assurance
Stringent inspection using CMM and optical scanning to verify every dimension on your copper components.
- ISO 9001:2015 Certified
- AS9100 Space Compliance
- 100% Traceability
Copper Alloy Expertise
We work with a wide range of copper grades tailored to your specific conductivity and strength needs.
Copper CNC Machining Industry Applications
Our high-precision copper components deliver unmatched thermal and electrical performance across these critical sectors.
Electronics
Superior conductivity for efficient power and signal management.
- Heat Sinks & Spreaders
- Bus Bars & Terminals
- RF Shielding Components
- Electrical Connectors
Automotive & EV
Critical components for electric vehicle power and cooling systems.
- EV Battery Busbars
- High-Voltage Connectors
- Inverter Components
- Motor Cooling Plates
Aerospace
Mission-critical parts certified for extreme aviation environments.
- Avionics Connectors
- Radar Waveguides
- EMI/RFI Shielding
- Satellite Hardware
Medical
High-purity copper parts for advanced diagnostic technology.
- MRI Imaging Parts
- Diagnostic Sensors
- Antimicrobial Surface
- Surgical Tool Heads
Custom Copper Machined Parts for Precision Engineering
High-performance, abrasion-resistant copper prototype parts crafted to your precise industrial specifications. Our CNC capabilities ensure the highest electrical conductivity and thermal efficiency.
High Fin Density Copper Heat Sinks
Precision CNC-machined fins up to 0.5 mm thick, designed for high-performance computing and thermal management.
Micro-channel Copper Cooling Blocks
Complex internal microchannels with low thermal resistance for advanced semiconductor and laser cooling applications.
Heavy-Duty CNC Machined Copper Busbars
C110 high conductive copper busbars for EV battery systems and power distribution with maximum current capacity.
Miniature Precision Copper Components
Medical and aerospace grade micro parts with tolerances within ±0.005 mm precision for specialized sensors.
Mirror Finish Polished Copper Parts
Surface roughness RA < 0.2 µm, 100% burr-free for optical communications and high-end aesthetic applications.
Custom Industrial Copper Heat Exchangers
Customized heat exchange components designed for reliability in high-end industrial automation and green energy.
Copper milling
Copper is an incredibly versatile metal, making it an optimal choice for producing CNC machined custom parts. The alloy has several useful properties alongside its versatility—this is why companies working in industries such as electrical, construction, transport and consumer goods use it for many applications. CNC machined copper parts begin as raw pieces of metal that are cut down bit by bit to create a desired shape or object. This process is done most accurately with a CNC (Computerized Numerical Control) machine which can produce almost any three- dimensional object designed via CAD (computer-aided design) software.
Copper parts
We offer a complete copper CNC machining service and can produce complex copper parts in C110 and C101. Copper parts are corrosion resistant and versatile and can be used for applications requiring electrical conductivity and higher quality aesthetics. We operate almost every kind of CNC mill and turning center, and are able to machine whatever you need, from simple, "as-machined" workholdings to complex, organic geometries with tight tolerances. When creating Copper parts with us, you can apply up to 7 different post-processing/surface finishing options including bead blasting, powder coating, smooth machining and polishing.
Copper CNC machining services
Protolabs Network offers a state-of-the-art copper CNC machining service, guaranteeing consistent quality and fast turnaround times. We have over 1,600 milling and turning machines at our disposal, which means capacity is virtually always available and prices are always competitive. Our network of manufacturers allows us to fulfil orders with a low volume of CNC machined copper parts as well as more complex copper machining. We can fulfil complex orders for prototypes and low volume production runs in a wide variety of post-processing and surface finish options. Work with us to access our vast CNC copper machining supply chain today.
Case Studies & Solutions
Optimizing Conductivity for High-Voltage EV Busbars
Overheating issues due to microscopic burrs and uneven surfaces on C101 copper busbars.
5-axis CNC milling with custom diamond tooling for Ra 0.4 surface finish.
Liquid Cooling Plates for High-Performance Computing
Complex micro-channel internal structures in C110 copper impossible for traditional casting.
High-speed CNC drilling creating 0.5mm thin fins with zero material deformation.
Antimicrobial Copper Components for Surgical Tools
Need for precision-turned copper components with bio-compatibility and anti-oxidization.
CNC Swiss turning with medical-grade passivation to prevent oxidation.
Copper CNC Machining Service FAQs
To get CNC-machined copper parts from Protolabs Network, upload your CAD (.STL) files onto the platform and use the quote builder to get your parts into production.
The cost of CNC machining Copper depends on the complexity and size of the part and the type of Copper. These variables will affect the type of machine that is required, the time it takes to produce the part, and the cost of the raw material.
We use machine learning algorithms to calculate the exact cost of any machinable part directly from a CAD file. Simply upload a CAD file to get an instant CNC machining quote.