CNC Machining for Packaging Machinery
A packaging line only makes money while it is running, and the parts that stop it are usually the ones that touch the product: sealing jaws, format parts, guides and pockets. We machine those parts to your drawings — one set or twenty, in stainless steel, aluminium or engineering plastic.
- Sealing jaws, crimp jaws and heater jaw bodies
- Format parts and change parts for a second line
- Lane guides, rails and product contact surfaces
- Star wheel pockets, timing screw flights and nests
- Knife holders, forming collars and film path parts
The short answer
Packaging work has a shape most machining work does not: the same part comes back. A format set for a new carton size, a second sealing jaw so the line can change over without waiting, a spare pocket set after a crash. That is why the drawing reference and the machine model matter as much as the dimensions — the second order has to match the first one exactly.
We machine those parts to your drawing with ISO 2768-m as standard and ±0.01 mm on the features you mark critical: jaw faces, pocket positions, dowel holes and the surfaces that ride against the film or the product. Most parts in this category are stainless — 304 for general use, 316 where your drawing or your customer calls for it — with aluminium and engineering plastics where weight, wear or product contact argue for it.
Send the drawing, the material callout and how many sets you need. You get a priced quote within 48 hours in the normal case. If the machine is down now rather than next month, say so in the enquiry and we will tell you what is realistic before you commit.
What we hold on automation parts
The numbers we quote against, and what they mean for the parts above.
General tolerance
ISO 2768-m
Applies to every dimension with no callout of its own. Most brackets and plates need nothing tighter.
Critical features
±0.01 mm
Held on bore fits, shaft fits, datum faces and hole patterns — the dimensions you mark as functional.
Milling envelope
1000 × 600 × 500 mm
3-axis and 4-axis work. Larger is quoted case by case.
Turning capacity
Ø 300 × 500 mm
Shafts, hubs, bushings and coupling parts, with Ø 42 mm bar capacity for small turned parts.
Materials
Al / SS / steel / plastics
6061-T6 and 6082, 304 and 316, 1018 to 4140, plus POM, PEEK, nylon and UHMW.
Finishing
On the same order
Anodising, passivation, zinc and nickel plating, black oxide and powder coating arranged with the machining.
Packaging machine parts we machine
What each part is usually made from, and what the cost actually hangs on.
| Part | Typical material | What usually matters |
|---|---|---|
| Sealing and crimp jaw bodies | 304, 6061-T6 | Jaw face flatness and the heater slot fit |
| Format parts and change parts | 6061-T6, POM, 304 | Matching the set already on the machine |
| Lane guides and product rails | 304, POM | Edge radius and a smooth transition |
| Star wheel pockets and nests | POM, 304 | Pocket profile against the container |
| Knife holders and cut-off mounts | 304, 4140 | Slot position and burr control |
| Forming collars and film path parts | 304, 6061-T6 | Surface finish where the film slides |
| Timing screw flights | POM, 304 | Flight pitch and the root finish |
| Frame adapters and mounting brackets | 6061-T6, 1018 | Bolt pattern to the machine you already have |
Have a drawing ready?
Send a STEP, IGES or DWG — you get a priced quote within 48 hours in the normal case, with tolerance and lead time stated on it.
Why change parts are quoted differently
A format set is not really a one-off. The first order is the hard one: the pocket profile, the rail geometry and the mounting pattern have to be captured correctly, because the next order will be made from the same data. We keep the setup and measurement notes against the part number, so a reorder months later comes out the same way instead of being re-engineered from scratch.
That is also why we ask for the machine model and format reference on the drawing. A jaw that fits one machine and one carton size is a specific part, not a generic one, and the reference is what lets us reproduce it without a sample on the bench.
If you are replacing a worn or broken part and have no drawing, send the part itself or a good set of photos with dimensions. For straightforward parts we can measure and produce a drawing for your approval before anything is cut. For repeat production of the same part across a line, see CNC machining for industrial automation.
Processes behind these parts
Most automation parts use one or two of these. Where a job needs more than one, we run them on the same order rather than handing it back to you to coordinate.
POM · PEEK · UHMW
Insulators, wear strips and light tooling that metal cannot do.
Getting the drawing right the first time
Small decisions on the drawing that keep a changeover from turning into a second order.
- Put the machine model and format reference on the drawing. That is what lets a reorder be made the same way months later.
- Say whether the part touches the product or only the film. It changes the material callout and the finish, and it is cheaper to decide on paper.
- Mark the surfaces that slide against film or product with the finish you want. A plain Ra callout costs little at machining time and a lot to correct afterwards.
- Tell us if the line gets washed down. That usually decides 304 or 316 instead of aluminium or plain steel.
- Order sets together when you can. Two sets off one setup cost less than two orders a month apart.
- Give the target date up front. Standard lead time is 2–4 weeks; rush orders are confirmed case by case.
Frequently asked questions
What packaging engineers and maintenance teams ask before they send the first drawing.
Can you make a second set of change parts to match the ones we have?
Yes. Send the drawing, or send a part from the set that is on the machine. We keep the setup and measurement notes against the part number, so a reorder comes out the same way. If there is no drawing at all, we can measure the part and send you a drawing for approval first.
Do you machine sealing jaws?
Yes — jaw bodies, backing plates and crimp jaws to your drawing. Give us the heater cartridge and thermocouple hole dimensions and the finish you want on the jaw face, and we quote to those. If the section you have drawn will not hold its shape at temperature, we will say so before we quote.
304 or 316 for washdown areas?
304 for most machine parts, 316 where your drawing or your customer specifies it. You make the call on the drawing and we machine to it. Material traceability and inspection reports are available on request — put the requirement on the drawing or in the enquiry and it gets quoted with the job.
Can you work from a sample part instead of a drawing?
For straightforward parts, yes. Send the part and we will measure it, produce a drawing and send it back for your approval before anything is machined. Complex or safety-related parts should come with the original drawing or the OEM reference.
Can you hit a surface finish on product contact faces?
Yes — state the Ra value on the drawing and we quote to it. Where the finish matters, say which faces it applies to; finishing every face when three of them need it adds cost without adding anything. See the surface finishes page for what is achievable.
What do you need to quote, and how long does it take?
A 3D model plus a dimensioned PDF, the material, how many sets or pieces, and your target date. You get a priced quote within 48 hours in the normal case, with tolerance and lead time stated on it. Standard lead time is 2–4 weeks; rush orders are confirmed case by case.
Send us the drawing
Send a STEP, IGES or DWG model with a dimensioned PDF, the material callout, how many sets you need and your target date. If it is a replacement for a part already on the machine, include the model and format reference, or send the part and we will draw it for your approval. You get a priced quote within 48 hours in the normal case, with tolerance and lead time stated on it. If an NDA needs signing first, say so and we will do that before you send anything.
Ready to Start Your Project?
Send drawings in STEP, IGES or DWG. You get a priced quote within 48 hours in the normal case, with tolerance and lead time stated. Change parts quoted against the same part number, so reorders match.