Carbon Fiber Machining for Plates, Tubes and Molded Parts
Send your DXF or STEP file. We match it with up to 3 shops that cut carbon fiber every day. Reply within 24 business hours.
Why carbon parts need a carbon shop
Carbon fiber is not a metal and not a plastic. It is hard on tools, it frays and peels when the cut is wrong, and its dust must be extracted at the spindle. A general machine shop can cut it once. A shop that cuts it every day has the cutters, the backing boards and the extraction already set up.
Matched by method
Your RFQ goes to shops whose machines fit the job: routers for plate, tube cells for tubes, 5-axis trimming for molded parts.
Shops that know the material
Diamond and PCD tooling, exit-side backing and dust extraction are part of how these shops work, not an add-on.
You deal with the shop
Quotes, terms and delivery are agreed between you and the shop. Nothing passes through us.
What kind of carbon job is your part?
Some carbon parts are a plain profile from stock plate. Others need a shop that handles thick laminate, tight holes or molded shapes. Tick what applies.
Typical carbon fiber parts
- Drone frames and arms
- Robot gripper fingers
- Camera and sensor mounts
- Bike and motorsport brackets
- Panels and faceplates
- Tube frames with bonded fittings
- Fixture plates and jigs
- Radiolucent positioning parts
A woven carbon plate is several layers of fibre at different angles, held in resin. Every hole and edge cuts through all of them, so the cutter, the feed and the support under the part decide whether the edge stays clean.
Routing or waterjet: how carbon fiber is cut
Both are standard for cured carbon. Most plate parts are routed. Waterjet is used for thick plate and large simple outlines, often with holes routed after.
CNC routing
A spindle with a diamond-coated or PCD cutter follows the profile. The standard method for carbon plate up to about 10 mm.
- Clean edges and holes in one setup
- Holds ±0.05 to ±0.1 mm on most profiles
- Needs dust extraction, carbon dust is conductive and fine
Abrasive waterjet
A jet of water and garnet cuts without heat. Useful for thick plate and large sheets with simple outlines.
- No heat damage, fast on thick laminate
- Slight edge taper, typical ±0.1 to ±0.2 mm
- Small holes are often drilled or routed after
Laser cutting is rarely used on structural carbon parts. It burns the resin along the edge and the fumes are toxic.
Carbon materials and typical tolerances
What changes when a shop machines each form of carbon. These are typical ranges, not promises. The shop that quotes you confirms what it can hold on your geometry.
| Material | Typical sizes | What changes in machining | Typical tolerance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woven plate (twill, plain) | 0.3 to 10 mm | The most common stock. The woven face ply holds a clean routed edge. Cosmetic grades show every scratch, so mark the A side. | ±0.1 mm profile, ±0.05 mm with care |
| UD or quasi-isotropic plate | 0.5 to 20 mm | Stiffer for the weight. A unidirectional face ply splinters along the fibre at the cut, so shops use compression cutters and backing. | ±0.1 mm profile |
| Roll-wrapped tube | OD 4 to 100 mm | Plies wrapped at several angles, so it takes cross holes and slots well. The ID is set by the mandrel, the OD by sanding. | ±0.05 mm on cut length |
| Pultruded tube and rod | OD 1 to 50 mm | All fibres run lengthwise. Cheaper and straight, but cross holes and slots can split it. Keep holes small and away from the ends. | ±0.1 mm on cut length |
| Forged carbon (chopped) | 1 to 25 mm | Short random fibres in resin. Machines more like a filled plastic, no fraying, and it can be milled into 3D shapes. | ±0.05 to ±0.1 mm |
| Sandwich panel (foam, honeycomb) | 5 to 50 mm | Thin carbon skins on a light core. Edges are often sealed and fasteners need potted or bonded inserts. | ±0.2 mm profile |
Plate thickness tolerance comes from the plate maker, not from machining. See the design rules for hole sizes, edge distances and radii.
Carbon fiber machining services we match
Three kinds of work, three kinds of shop. Pick the one closest to your part or send the RFQ and we sort it.
Sheet and plate cutting
Flat parts routed from woven, UD and forged carbon plate. DXF in, finished parts out.
Tube machining
Tubes cut square, cross drilled, slotted and bonded to metal fittings.
Drilling and trimming
Holes, countersinks and edge trim on molded carbon parts, without delamination.
Industries that buy machined carbon
Different industries bring different paperwork. Mention material certificates, first article inspection or cosmetic grades in your RFQ so we match shops that already work that way.
Drones and UAV
Frames, arms, top plates and camera mounts cut from 1.5 to 5 mm woven plate.
Robotics and automation
Gripper fingers, end effectors and light arms that move fast with less inertia.
Motorsport and automotive
Brackets, panels, splitter plates and interior parts, prototype to small series.
Sporting goods
Bike components, archery parts, paddles and plates for skis and boots.
Medical imaging
Radiolucent positioning parts and table components. Carbon lets X-rays through with little shadow.
Industrial machinery
Tube rollers, camera booms, light gantries and fixture plates.
How it works
One RFQ from you. A short list of shops that fit. No bidding platform and no middleman on the order.
Send your RFQ
Upload a DXF, STEP or PDF and tell us the material, thickness, quantity and when you need it. About three minutes.
We match up to 3 shops
We read the drawing and pick shops whose cutting method, bed size and materials fit. You hear from us within 24 business hours.
Shops quote you directly
Each shop contacts you with a quote. You compare, ask questions and order from the one you choose.
What drives the price of a carbon part
Six things decide most quotes. If a price looks high, one of these is usually why, and some of them you can change on the drawing.
- Plate or tubeMaterial is often half the price. Aerospace prepreg plate costs several times a commercial twill sheet of the same thickness.
- Sheet useShops buy standard sheets and nest parts on them. Parts that nest tightly waste less, and offcuts are rarely reusable.
- Cut length and thicknessRouter time follows the length of every profile and hole. Thicker plate cuts slower and wears diamond tools faster.
- Holes and fitsEach drilled hole needs backing. Countersinks, reamed bores and tight positions add time and inspection.
- Edge and surfaceSanded or sealed edges, chamfers and a scratch-free cosmetic face all add handling time.
- QuantityProgramming and setup are paid once. On 1 to 10 parts they are most of the price.
Have a DXF ready?
Send the short version now. We ask for anything missing. To give full details up front, use the full RFQ form.
Your files go only to the shops we match. Ask for an NDA and nothing is shared until it is signed.
Cut carbon fiber every day? Get RFQs that fit your shop.
Shops see a preview of each request before taking it and talk to the buyer directly. We take no commission on the order.
Questions buyers ask
Something else? Email .
Is this service free for buyers?
Yes. You pay nothing to send an RFQ or to receive quotes. Price, terms and delivery are agreed between you and the shop.
Do you cut carbon fiber yourselves?
No. We are a matching service, not a machine shop. We read your RFQ and send it to shops that cut carbon fiber every day. The shop quotes you, makes the parts and ships them, and you place the order with the shop.
Who sees my drawing?
Shops first see a short preview with part type, material, thickness, quantity and tolerance. It does not include your name, company or files. Your contact details and files go only to the shops we match, up to 3. If you ask for an NDA, we hold the files until it is signed.
How many quotes will I get?
Up to 3. If only one or two shops fit the material, thickness and quantity, we send it to fewer rather than fill the list.
Which files should I send?
For flat parts cut from plate, a DXF at 1:1 scale in millimetres plus a PDF with thickness, tolerances and the cosmetic side. For tubes and 3D parts, a STEP file plus a PDF drawing. A photo or sketch with dimensions also works for a first price.
Can the shop supply the carbon plate or tube?
Yes. Most shops quote material and machining together. If you already have plate or tube, say so on the form and give the grade, thickness and finish. Shops then quote machining only.
Where are the shops located?
That depends on the part and on the region you pick on the RFQ form. You can ask for shops in North America, Europe, Japan, Korea or the rest of Asia, or leave it open and let us match on fit alone.
Guides for carbon fiber buyers
- Choosing a Supplier
Composites Trade Shows 2027: Where Buyers of Machined Carbon Fiber Parts Meet Shops
Dates, cities and venues for JEC World, SAMPE America and CAMX in 2027, plus how a buyer of machined carbon fiber parts can use a visit to find cutting shops.
- Process
How to Drill Carbon Fiber Without Delamination
Why carbon fiber delaminates when drilled and how shops prevent it: drill geometry, backing, feed at breakthrough, coolant and how to inspect holes on delivery.
- Choosing a Supplier
Carbon Fiber Machining Explained for Engineers and Buyers
How carbon fiber parts are machined, which method fits plate, tube and molded parts, which tolerances are realistic and what to put in an RFQ for a firm quote.