Stamping forms metal by putting sheet material into a die and using pressure to bend, cut, or shape it. It’s mainly used for thin sheets and plate material, and is great for making parts that need consistent shapes and high repeatability.
CNC machining (lathe or milling) uses cutting tools on a CNC machine to remove material from blocks, bars, or thick plates. It works well for parts that are more complex, three-dimensional, or have varied thickness and detailed features.
In short: stamping presses metal into shape, while CNC machining cuts material into shape.
Advantages of Stamping
High output and low cost per piece: Once the die is designed and installed, a stamping press can make large quantities of the same part quickly, keeping the unit cost low. Ideal for mass production.
Good material utilization: Since parts are formed from sheets, there’s very little cutting waste compared to CNC machining.
Best for simple, thin-sheet parts: Such as brackets, covers, shells, clips, thin-wall components, and similar items.
Stable and consistent: Parts made from the same die have very high repeatability.
Things to Watch Out for in Stamping
Die design and manufacturing cost is significant, so the upfront investment is high.
Works best with ductile sheet metals. Very thick, very hard, or brittle materials aren’t suitable.
If the part needs complex 3D features, deep cavities, internal details, or thick geometry, stamping may not be able to achieve it.
Advantages of CNC Machining (Lathe / Milling)
High precision & handles complex features: CNC machines can create detailed geometry, deep cavities, internal structures, cylinders, and shaft-type parts with good accuracy.
Wide material compatibility: Thick blocks, bars, metals, plastics, and many specialty materials can all be machined. This gives designers a lot of freedom.
Great for small batches, prototypes, or frequent design changes: No dies needed — just update the program and start cutting.
Easy to adjust or customize: Design changes are quick compared to reworking stamping dies.
CNC Machining Considerations
Lower material utilization — cutting removes material, so scrap is unavoidable.
Unit cost is higher, especially for mass production, since each piece needs machine time and labor.
For simple, repeated thin-sheet parts, stamping is usually more economical.
How to Choose Between Stamping and CNC?
If your part is simple, flat, thin, and needed in large quantities, stamping is usually the better option.
If your part needs complex shapes, tight tolerances, thicker material, or special materials, CNC machining is a better fit.
Sometimes combining both works well — for example, use stamping for the main shape and CNC machining for detailed or critical features.
Quick Guide by Application
Sheet-metal parts, covers, brackets, thin-wall housings, clips, plates → Stamping is generally the most cost-efficient.
High-precision parts, complex geometries, thicker components, shafts, gears, medical device parts, special alloys, custom shapes → CNC machining is more suitable.
If batch size changes often or designs get updated frequently → CNC gives more flexibility.
If the design is stable and volume is high → Investing in stamping dies pays off in the long run.
