Processes

AI-matched manufacturing processes.

From AI interpretation to audited execution. Fabvector maps every RFQ to the right factory cells, tooling strategies, and finish stacks — engineers validate before any supplier is exposed.

Processes

42+

Factory cells

420+

On-time delivery

98%+

Machining (5)

Machining

CNC Machining

5-axis and multitask machining for metals and engineering polymers.

Tolerance

±0.05 mm

Lead time

7-21 days

Envelope

1200 x 800 x 600 mm

Materials

6061-T6 Aluminum
7075-T6 Aluminum
Ti-6Al-4V
17-4 PH Stainless
PEEK

AI routes multi-axis programs to AS9100 partner cells; engineers validate toolpaths and inspection plans before release.

Machining

3/4/5-Axis CNC Milling

Multi-axis milling cells for complex aluminum, steel, and titanium programs with tool-life telemetry.

Tolerance

±0.020-0.050 mm

Lead time

5-14 days

Envelope

X1200 × Y800 × Z600 mm

Bead blast
Type II anodize
Chromate

Materials

6061-T6
7075-T6
Ti-6Al-4V
17-4PH
PEEK

AI balances cutter selection with spindle health; engineers lock inspection plans before releasing offsets.

Machining

Turning & Mill-Turn

Twin-spindle, live-tool turning for shafts, hubs, and manifolds with in-cycle probing.

Tolerance

Runout ≤ 0.010 mm

Lead time

6-16 days

Envelope

Ø500 mm × 600 mm length

Black oxide
Passivation
Electropolish

Materials

1018
1045
C360
Inconel 718

AI pairs concentricity targets with qualified chucking plans; Fabrix machinists verify tool offsets nightly.

Machining

Wire EDM

Submerged wire EDM for razor corner relief and thin web features.

Tolerance

±0.008 mm

Lead time

7-12 days

Envelope

400 × 300 × 300 mm

Vapor hone
Hand polish

Materials

P20
H13
D2
Inconel 625

AI stages skim passes and taper comp; engineers log dielectric condition for each program.

Machining

Sinker EDM

Graphite and copper electrode burning for deep ribs and mould details.

Tolerance

±0.012 mm

Lead time

8-15 days

Envelope

500 × 350 × 320 mm

SPI A2 polish
Texture etch

Materials

P20
H13
17-4PH

AI predicts electrode wear and schedules re-dress; Fabrix engineers sign off spark gap strategy per cavity.

Molding (4)

Molding

Injection Molding

Complex tooling with AI-assisted cooling and gate analysis.

Tolerance

±0.10 mm

Lead time

10-24 days

Envelope

Part volume ≤ 2.5 L

Materials

ABS
PC
PEEK
PEI

AI balances polymer selection with mold-flow, cycle-time, and cosmetic requirements; Fabrix engineers lock QC checkpoints before shots.

Molding

Injection Molding (Production)

Full production moulds with conformal cooling, hot runners, and SPC charts.

Tolerance

±0.075 mm

Lead time

18-35 days

Envelope

Mould base 800 × 600 mm

SPI B1
Texture 13020

Materials

ABS
PC
PP
PA66

AI validates mold-flow output and gating; engineers review ejection and tool steel spec.

Molding

Insert & Overmolding

Two-shot and insert programmes combining metals with engineering polymers.

Tolerance

±0.10 mm

Lead time

20-32 days

Envelope

Component span 400 mm

SPI A2
Soft-touch paint

Materials

ABS
TPU
C360
17-4PH

AI coordinates insert placement robots; Fabrix audits bonding adhesion and thermal cycling.

Molding

Bridge Aluminum Tooling

Rapid aluminum tooling for bridge volumes with HSM finishing.

Tolerance

±0.08 mm

Lead time

12-18 days

Envelope

Mould base 600 × 400 mm

SPI B2
Bead blast

Materials

PC-ABS
PP
POM

AI maps cooling strategy for cycle time; engineers document tool-life expectations per resin.

Casting (4)

Casting

Die Casting

High-pressure die casting for aluminum and zinc alloys.

Tolerance

±0.15 mm

Lead time

14-28 days

Envelope

Part mass ≤ 5 kg

Materials

A380 Aluminum
ADC12
Zamak

AI matches die programs to audited foundries, optimizing gate layout and post-machining paths; engineers monitor porosity and heat treat windows.

Casting

Die Casting Cells

Hot and cold chamber die casting for aluminum, zinc, and magnesium.

Tolerance

±0.18 mm

Lead time

21-35 days

Envelope

Shot size up to 6 kg

Powder coat
T6 heat treat

Materials

A380
AZ91
Zamak

AI directs gate design and overflow pockets; engineers inspect porosity before machining.

Casting

Investment Casting

Vacuum and inert investment casting for thin-wall alloys.

Tolerance

±0.13 mm

Lead time

28-45 days

Envelope

Castings up to 15 kg

HIP
Chem mill

Materials

316L
Inconel 718
Cobalt chrome

AI reviews shell burnout data; Fabrix metallurgists log grain structure per lot.

Casting

Sand & Gravity Casting

Cope-and-drag and permanent mould casting for large housings and brackets.

Tolerance

±0.30 mm

Lead time

21-42 days

Envelope

Castings up to 1.8 m

Machining
Shot blast
Paint

Materials

Gray iron
Ductile iron
356 Aluminum

AI predicts shrink allowances per alloy; engineers verify riser strategy and heat treat windows.

Sheet Metal (5)

Sheet Metal

Sheet Metal

Laser cutting, forming, and welding with digital work instructions.

Tolerance

±0.30 mm

Lead time

8-18 days

Envelope

Panels up to 2500 x 1250 mm

Materials

5052 Aluminum
304 Stainless
CRS Steel

AI generates bend-sequencing and weld schedules; Fabrix engineers issue fixture guidance and SPC checks.

Sheet Metal

Sheet Metal Laser & Waterjet

Fiber laser and abrasive waterjet for flat pattern generation up to 25 mm thickness.

Tolerance

±0.15 mm

Lead time

4-8 days

Envelope

3000 × 1500 mm sheets

Deburr
Brush grain

Materials

5052
304
Mild steel
C110

AI optimizes nest for material yield; Fabrix QA tracks heat lots for traceability.

Sheet Metal

Sheet Metal Bending

CNC press brakes with auto-crowning and robot staging for repeatable bends.

Tolerance

Angle ±0.5°, flange ±0.25 mm

Lead time

5-10 days

Envelope

Bed length 3 m

Anodize
Powder coat

Materials

5052
304
CRS
CFRP skins

AI sequences bends to avoid collisions; engineers approve custom tooling setups.

Sheet Metal

Sheet Metal Welding

Certified TIG/MIG/spot welding for chassis, enclosures, and assemblies.

Tolerance

Fixture controlled

Lead time

7-18 days

Envelope

Frames up to 2 m

Passivation
Powder coat

Materials

304
316L
6061
CFRP Inserts

AI flags distortion risk and suggests sequence; Fabrix inspectors capture bead profile under 4K scopes.

Sheet Metal

Sheet Metal Stamping

Progressive and compound stamping for metal brackets and hardware panels.

Tolerance

±0.08 mm

Lead time

10-20 days

Envelope

Strip width 600 mm

Zinc plate
E-coat

Materials

301 Stainless
Dual-phase steel
Aluminum 5052

AI evaluates tonnage and die life; Fabrix tooling engineers confirm die maintenance schedules.

Additive (6)

Additive

3D Printing

Metal and polymer additive manufacturing with finishing workflows.

Tolerance

±0.20 mm

Lead time

3-10 days

Envelope

Build envelope 350 x 350 x 400 mm

Materials

AlSi10Mg
Ti-6Al-4V
PA12
ULTEM 9085

AI selects additive parameters and assigns required machining/finishing cells; engineers sign off surface enhancements and heat treatment.

Additive

FDM Printing

Industrial FDM for production-grade polymer fixtures and enclosures.

Tolerance

±0.20 mm

Lead time

3-7 days

Envelope

900 × 600 × 900 mm

Vapor smooth
Paint

Materials

ABS
PC
PEEK
ULTEM 9085

AI aligns build orientation with load paths; engineers document anneal cycles for high-temp polymers.

Additive

SLA Printing

High-resolution stereolithography for appearance models and microfluidic devices.

Tolerance

±0.05 mm

Lead time

2-5 days

Envelope

350 × 350 × 400 mm

Polish
Clear coat

Materials

ABS-like
Clear resin
High-temp resin

AI manages support density and UV post-cure; engineers check clarity and dimensional drift.

Additive

SLS Printing

Selective laser sintering for nylon and TPU production runs.

Tolerance

±0.12 mm

Lead time

4-7 days

Envelope

700 × 380 × 580 mm

Media tumble
Dye

Materials

PA12
Nylon 11
TPU 88A

AI balances packing density and heat soak; Fabrix QA logs porosity and mechanical yield tests.

Additive

MJF Printing

Multi Jet Fusion for detailed nylon parts with isotropic properties.

Tolerance

±0.10 mm

Lead time

3-6 days

Envelope

380 × 284 × 380 mm

Bead blast
Dye

Materials

PA12
PA11
PP

AI chooses agent mix and post-fuse soak; engineers sign off color and dimensional QA.

Additive

Metal AM (DMLS/SLM)

Laser powder bed fusion for aluminum, stainless, titanium, and nickel superalloys.

Tolerance

±0.08 mm

Lead time

7-14 days

Envelope

400 × 400 × 450 mm

HIP
Machining
Electropolish

Materials

AlSi10Mg
316L
Ti-6Al-4V
Inconel 718

AI programs support removal and heat treat chain; engineers sign coupons for density and mechanical results.

Finishing (10)

Finishing

Surface Finishing

Anodize, coating, and polishing cells tied to Fabrix QA records.

Tolerance

Process-controlled

Lead time

5-12 days

Envelope

Parts up to 1.2 m

Materials

Aluminum
Titanium
Stainless Steel
Composite Panels

AI recommends finish stacks based on durability and cosmetic targets; engineers ensure certifications (RoHS, REACH, NADCAP).

Finishing

Type II Anodize

Decorative and corrosion-resistant anodize for aluminum components.

Tolerance

Growth 10-25 µm

Lead time

5-8 days

Envelope

Parts up to 1.5 m

Clear
Black
Custom dye

Materials

6061
6082
7075

AI suggests dye curves based on prior cosmetic flags; labs log sealing time per batch.

Finishing

Type III Hard Anodize

Hardcoat anodize for wear surfaces with controlled pore sealing.

Tolerance

Growth 25-75 µm

Lead time

7-12 days

Envelope

Components up to 1.2 m

Teflon impregnation
Dyed

Materials

6061
7075
2024

AI flags dimensional compensation; engineers review hardness coupons and dielectric tests.

Finishing

Chem Film (Alodine/Iridite)

MIL-DTL-5541 conversion coating for grounding and conductivity.

Tolerance

Surface build < 2 µm

Lead time

4-7 days

Envelope

Panels up to 2 m

Class 1A
Class 3

Materials

6061
6082
5052

AI ensures electrical continuity zones remain masked; QA documents salt-spray tests.

Finishing

Black Oxide

Conversion coating for steels to enhance corrosion resistance and reduce glare.

Tolerance

No dimensional change

Lead time

3-6 days

Envelope

Parts up to 0.9 m

Oil seal
Wax seal

Materials

1018
1045
4140

AI cross-references storage environment; inspectors track coating thickness and adhesion.

Finishing

Stainless Passivation

CIT/M nitric passivation for stainless corrosion protection.

Tolerance

No change

Lead time

3-5 days

Envelope

Assemblies up to 1 m

ASTM A967
QQ-P-35

Materials

304
316L
17-4PH

AI schedules bath refreshes; Fabrix QA logs copper sulfate tests per lot.

Finishing

Electropolish

Surface smoothing for stainless and nickel alloys with sub-micron roughness.

Tolerance

Material removal 5-25 µm

Lead time

5-9 days

Envelope

Parts up to 0.8 m

Mirror
Satin

Materials

304
316L
17-4PH

AI predicts RA improvement vs geometry; labs record electrolyte chemistry for repeatability.

Finishing

Powder Coat

Automated powder coating lines with color QC and cure monitoring.

Tolerance

Film 60-90 µm

Lead time

6-8 days

Envelope

Frames up to 2.4 m

Matte
Gloss
Texture

Materials

Aluminum
Steel
CFRP

AI selects cure schedule and hanger map; inspectors measure coating thickness per panel.

Finishing

Industrial Paint

Controlled booth painting for Class-A cosmetics with baking or air-dry options.

Tolerance

Film 30-60 µm

Lead time

6-9 days

Envelope

Panels up to 2 m

2K polyurethane
Epoxy

Materials

ABS
PC
Aluminum
Steel

AI references gloss targets and VOC rules; technicians document booth humidity per shift.

Finishing

Media Blast & Texture

Automated bead, shot, and dry ice blasting for controlled textures.

Tolerance

Surface only

Lead time

3-6 days

Envelope

Cabinet 1.5 m

Fine glass
Alumina grit
Dry ice

Materials

Aluminum
Steel
CFRP

AI suggests media grade per cosmetic requirement; QA logs RA before and after treatment.

Heat Treat (5)

Heat Treat

Aluminum T6 Heat Treat

Solution heat treat and age for aluminum structural parts.

Tolerance

Growth ≤0.15%

Lead time

4-7 days

Envelope

Loads up to 1.2 m

Type II anodize
Chem film

Materials

6061
6082
7075

AI validates quench delay windows; Fabrix metallurgists verify hardness coupons.

Heat Treat

Aluminum T73 Heat Treat

Stress-corrosion resistant temper for high-strength aluminum.

Tolerance

Growth ≤0.12%

Lead time

5-8 days

Envelope

Loads up to 1 m

Hard anodize
Chem film

Materials

7075
7050

AI monitors soak uniformity; Fabrix QA reviews conductivity testing per lot.

Heat Treat

Quench + Temper

Controlled furnace cycles for alloy steels needing toughness and wear resistance.

Tolerance

Growth ≤0.20%

Lead time

6-9 days

Envelope

Loads up to 1.5 m

Black oxide
Nitriding

Materials

4140
P20
H13

AI stages furnace recipes; metallurgists log Rockwell checks per sample.

Heat Treat

Carburizing

Atmosphere carburizing for gear teeth and wear surfaces.

Tolerance

Case depth 0.5-1.5 mm

Lead time

7-10 days

Envelope

Loads up to 800 mm

Quench temper
Shot peen

Materials

8620
9310
4140

AI calibrates carbon potential vs geometry; engineers validate microstructure and distortion correction.

Heat Treat

Nitriding

Ferritic nitrocarburizing for wear and fatigue resistance.

Tolerance

Case depth 0.2-0.6 mm

Lead time

6-9 days

Envelope

Loads up to 1 m

Black oxide
Micro polish

Materials

4140
17-4PH
H13

AI sets soak vs case depth; QA logs compound layer thickness per blueprint.

QA & Inspection (3)

QA & Inspection

CMM Inspection

Coordinate measurement with PC-DMIS programs tied to drawing revisions.

Tolerance

Repeatability ±0.003 mm

Lead time

Per lot

Envelope

Bridge 1.2 m

Inspection report

Materials

All

AI auto-generates CMM paths; inspectors provide annotated PDFs with callout results.

QA & Inspection

FAI (AS9102)

First Article Inspection packages for aerospace and defence programmes.

Tolerance

Per drawing

Lead time

+2 days to build

Envelope

Docs only

AS9102 Rev C

Materials

All

AI pre-populates characteristic tables; Fabrix QA verifies ballooned drawings and evidence.

QA & Inspection

PPAP Level 3

Automotive PPAP dossiers including control plans and capability studies.

Tolerance

Per print

Lead time

+3-5 days

Envelope

Docs only

Control plan
Dimensional report

Materials

All

AI assembles PFMEA + control plan drafts; Fabrix quality team validates run-at-rate evidence.

Recommended manufacturing chains

End-to-end process bundles vetted by Fabvector engineers.

Aerospace CNC Programme

5-Axis CNCStress ReliefType III AnodizeCMM + SPC

Key tolerance: ±0.02 mm

Materials
7075-T6
Ti-6Al-4V
Certs
AS9100
NADCAP

Injection Molding Programme

Production MoldingP20 ToolingSPI TextureMold-flow + SPC

Key tolerance: ±0.08 mm

Materials
ABS
PC
PA66
Certs
ISO 9001
IATF 16949

Sheet Metal Assembly

Laser CutCNC BendTIG WeldPowder Coat

Key tolerance: ±0.15 mm

Materials
304 SS
5052 Al
Certs
ISO 9001

Metal Additive Programme

DMLS / SLMHIPFinish MachiningElectropolish

Key tolerance: ±0.05 mm

Materials
Ti-6Al-4V
Inconel 718
Certs
AS9100
Certified to
ISO 9001
AS9100
IATF 16949
ISO 14001
ITAR

420+

Audited factories

98%+

On-time delivery

4

Global regions

RegionsShenzhen /Ho Chi Minh City /Detroit /Munich

Every material lot traced to a human-reviewed, certified factory.

Process tolerance snapshot

Benchmarked across audited partner cells.

ProcessTypical toleranceLead timeMax reach
CNC Machining±0.05 mm7-21 days1200 x 800 x 600 mm
Injection Molding±0.10 mm10-24 daysPart volume ≤ 2.5 L
Die Casting±0.15 mm14-28 daysPart mass ≤ 5 kg
Sheet Metal±0.30 mm8-18 daysPanels up to 2500 x 1250 mm
3D Printing±0.20 mm3-10 daysBuild envelope 350 x 350 x 400 mm
Surface FinishingProcess-controlled5-12 daysParts up to 1.2 m
3/4/5-Axis CNC Milling±0.020-0.050 mm5-14 daysX1200 × Y800 × Z600 mm
Turning & Mill-TurnRunout ≤ 0.010 mm6-16 daysØ500 mm × 600 mm length
Wire EDM±0.008 mm7-12 days400 × 300 × 300 mm
Sinker EDM±0.012 mm8-15 days500 × 350 × 320 mm
Sheet Metal Laser & Waterjet±0.15 mm4-8 days3000 × 1500 mm sheets
Sheet Metal BendingAngle ±0.5°, flange ±0.25 mm5-10 daysBed length 3 m
Sheet Metal WeldingFixture controlled7-18 daysFrames up to 2 m
Sheet Metal Stamping±0.08 mm10-20 daysStrip width 600 mm
Injection Molding (Production)±0.075 mm18-35 daysMould base 800 × 600 mm
Insert & Overmolding±0.10 mm20-32 daysComponent span 400 mm
Bridge Aluminum Tooling±0.08 mm12-18 daysMould base 600 × 400 mm
Die Casting Cells±0.18 mm21-35 daysShot size up to 6 kg
Investment Casting±0.13 mm28-45 daysCastings up to 15 kg
Sand & Gravity Casting±0.30 mm21-42 daysCastings up to 1.8 m
FDM Printing±0.20 mm3-7 days900 × 600 × 900 mm
SLA Printing±0.05 mm2-5 days350 × 350 × 400 mm
SLS Printing±0.12 mm4-7 days700 × 380 × 580 mm
MJF Printing±0.10 mm3-6 days380 × 284 × 380 mm
Metal AM (DMLS/SLM)±0.08 mm7-14 days400 × 400 × 450 mm

Total: 42 processes across 13 categories

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