Finishing
Surface Finish Ra: What the Number Means and How Machining Controls It
Why Ra alone does not describe a surface, how cutter path, stepover, and nose radius drive finish, and where a surface grinder is the only right tool.
Quality Assurance
Quality Assurance & Inspection
Documented process control, calibrated measurement equipment, and inspection records you can actually qualify a supplier with.
How We Check
Inspection You Can Read
We are an aluminum job shop, not a certificate mill. What we guarantee is measurable: parts are checked against your drawing by our people before they ship, and you can see the numbers.
- In-house dimensional inspection on an optical (2D vision) measuring system
- Height gauges and calipers for direct feature checks
- Surface roughness and hardness checks where your drawing calls for them
- Inspection report and material certs on request with your shipment
Equipment
Inspection Equipment
| Equipment | Role |
|---|---|
| VMS-3020G 2D vision measuring system | Dimensional inspection of features per your drawing |
| Height gauges & calipers | Direct feature and step checks on the floor |
| Surface roughness tester | Ra checks where your finish spec requires it |
| Hardness tester | Material condition verification on request |
Process
How Inspection Actually Happens
01
Incoming Verification
Raw stock is checked against the mill certificate before it reaches a machine. Wrong material caught here costs a phone call; caught after machining costs the part.
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02
In-Process Checks
Operators measure critical dimensions during the run, not after it. On 5-axis cells, on-machine probing verifies and compensates between operations.
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03
First Article Inspection
The first part off the setup gets a full FAI — every dimension on the ballooned drawing, measured and recorded.
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04
Final Inspection & Report
Finished parts are dimensionally checked in-house on our optical measuring system, and the inspection report ships with the order on request.
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Insights
Related Articles
Quality
GD&T for Machined Parts: Tolerances Machinists Can Actually Hold
How GD&T symbols on a print decide whether a CNC part is manufacturable and affordable. True position, profile, datums, and the tolerance traps to avoid.
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