metals & plastics
on critical features
on prototypes
on most uploads
What Is a Machine Shop?
A machine shop is a facility equipped with CNC mills, CNC lathes, and precision measuring instruments that transforms raw metal and plastic stock into finished components. Modern CNC machine shops like RivCut use computer numerical control (CNC) to cut parts with repeatable accuracy down to ±0.001 inches — far beyond what manual machining can achieve. Whether you need a one-off prototype or thousands of identical parts, a machine shop is where your design becomes a physical product.
RivCut operates as a full-service machine shop out of Union City, CA, serving engineering teams across the United States. We combine 3-axis milling, 4-axis milling, and CNC turning under one roof so your project stays in one place from quoting through shipping. Every part gets CMM inspection before it leaves our facility. No middlemen. No outsourcing. No surprises.
Upload Your Design
Send your STEP file and tell us the material, quantity, and any special requirements. We quote within 24 hours.
We Machine Your Parts
Our CNC mills and lathes cut your parts from solid stock. Every run gets in-process checks and final CMM inspection.
Ship & Scale
Parts ship with inspection reports and material certs. Need more? Reorder with the same toolpaths at production pricing.
CNC Machines Built for Precision
Our shop floor runs modern CNC equipment backed by NIST-traceable inspection tools. Here is what we work with every day.
3-Axis CNC Mills
The workhorse of any machine shop. Our 3-axis vertical mills handle the majority of prismatic parts — brackets, plates, housings, and enclosures. High-speed spindles for aluminum, rigid setups for steel and titanium. Most parts are programmed and running within hours of approval.
4-Axis CNC Mills
When your part needs features on multiple faces, our 4-axis mills machine complex geometries in a single setup. This reduces handling, improves accuracy, and cuts lead time. Ideal for aerospace brackets, manifold blocks, and multi-sided housings.
CNC Lathes with Live Tooling
Turned parts like shafts, pins, bushings, and fittings run on our CNC lathes. Live tooling adds cross-drilling, flats, and keyways without a second setup. This means tighter tolerances, faster turnaround, and lower cost on cylindrical components.
CMM Inspection
Our coordinate measuring machine (CMM) verifies every critical dimension before parts ship. NIST-traceable calibration. Dimensional inspection reports included on every order. This is how we guarantee ±0.001" tolerances — not with promises, but with data.
Materials We Machine
We stock common alloys for fast turnaround and source specialty materials on request. Over 50 metals and plastics available.
Aluminum
6061-T6 for general machining, 7075-T6 for high-strength aerospace parts, 2024 for fatigue-critical applications. The most popular material in our shop — fast to machine, easy to anodize, and cost-effective.
6061, 7075, 2024Stainless Steel
303 for free-machining, 304 for corrosion resistance, 316 for marine and medical environments, 17-4 PH for high-strength applications. Passivation and electropolish finishes available.
303, 304, 316, 17-4Carbon & Alloy Steel
1018 for general purpose, 4140 and 4340 for high-strength applications, A36 for structural work. Heat treatment and black oxide finishing available on all steel grades.
1018, 4140, 4340Titanium
Grade 2 (commercially pure) for medical and corrosion-resistant applications. Grade 5 (Ti-6Al-4V) for aerospace and high-performance parts. Excellent strength-to-weight ratio but requires experienced programming.
Grade 2, Grade 5Brass & Copper
C360 brass for fittings and connectors. C110 copper for electrical and thermal applications. Both machine beautifully and take plated finishes well. Popular for RF shielding and grounding components.
C360, C110Engineering Plastics
Delrin (acetal) for wear parts and gears. PEEK for high-temp and medical. Ultem for aerospace. Nylon, ABS, HDPE, polycarbonate, and PTFE also available. Great for lightweight or electrically insulating components.
Delrin, PEEK, Ultem, NylonTool Steel
A2, D2, O1, and S7 for tooling, fixtures, and wear-resistant components. We machine in the annealed state and coordinate heat treatment through our certified partners. Hardened up to 60 HRC.
A2, D2, O1, S7Superalloys & Exotics
Inconel 625 and 718 for high-temperature environments. Monel, Hastelloy, and Kovar for specialty applications. These materials are harder to machine but critical for demanding industries like energy, aerospace, and semiconductor.
Inconel, Monel, HastelloyIndustries We Serve
From flight-critical aerospace brackets to first-run startup prototypes — our machine shop serves teams that need precision, speed, and reliability.
Aerospace
Flight-critical brackets, structural components, and engine parts. AS9100-level quality. Aluminum 7075, titanium Grade 5, and Inconel 718. Full traceability on every order.
AS9100 QualityDefense & Military
Mil-spec components, weapon system parts, and ruggedized housings. facility pursuing ITAR registration. Hardened steels, aluminum armor alloys, and full documentation packages.
Pursuing ITAR RegistrationMedical Devices
Surgical instruments, implant components, and diagnostic device housings. Titanium, stainless, and PEEK. Biocompatible materials with cleanroom-ready surface finishes.
ISO 13485 QualityAutomotive
Performance parts, aftermarket components, and EV drivetrain prototypes. Aluminum, steel, and titanium. Fast turnaround for R&D teams and race shops.
Prototypes & ProductionRobotics & Automation
Custom brackets, actuator housings, end-effectors, and structural frames. Tight tolerances for precision motion systems. Aluminum and steel with fast iteration support.
Custom Brackets & FramesSemiconductor
Wafer handling components, process chamber parts, and gas delivery manifolds. Ultra-clean machining in aluminum and stainless. Surface finish control to 16 Ra and better.
Ultra-Clean MachiningConsumer Electronics
Enclosures, heatsinks, bezels, and button assemblies. Anodized aluminum and polished stainless for consumer-grade appearance. Prototype to production in one shop.
Appearance-GradeIndustrial Equipment
Heavy-duty shafts, bearing housings, manifold blocks, and custom fixtures. Carbon steel and alloy steel with heat treatment. Built for durability and long service life.
Heavy-Duty ComponentsHardware Startups
Prototyping, design iteration, investor demos, and first production runs. No minimums. NDA-ready. We help startups go from CAD file to shippable product without the overhead of managing multiple vendors.
No MinimumsFrom CAD File to Finished Parts
Three steps. No runaround. Upload your file and let our machine shop handle the rest.
Upload Your CAD File
Send your STEP, IGES, or SolidWorks file. Tell us the material, quantity, tolerances, and any surface finish requirements. We review your design for manufacturability and send a detailed quote within 24 hours. If we spot a potential issue, we flag it before you approve — free DFM review on every upload.
We Machine & Inspect
Once you approve the quote, our machinists program toolpaths and cut your parts from solid stock on our CNC mills and lathes. In-process checks catch issues early. Final CMM inspection verifies every critical dimension. Material certifications and inspection reports are generated automatically.
Ship & Scale
Finished parts ship with full documentation — dimensional inspection report, material certs, and photos. Need to reorder? Your files and toolpaths are saved. Scale from prototype to production without re-quoting from scratch. We ship anywhere in the continental US.
Machine Shop Quality You Can Verify
Quality is not a department at RivCut — it is built into how we machine. Every part gets CMM inspection before it ships. Every material comes with traceable certifications. We hold ourselves to aerospace-grade standards on every job, whether it is a single prototype or a 5,000-piece production run.
on critical features
on every order
& heat lot certs
gauges & instruments
- ISO 9001 quality management system for consistent, documented processes
- AS9100-level practices for aerospace and defense work
- Pursuing ITAR registration for export-controlled and defense projects
- ISO 13485-level practices for medical device components
- Dimensional inspection reports and first article inspection (FAI) included
- NDA-protected project files — confidential handling on every order
What Sets Our Machine Shop Apart
Most machine shops make parts. We build relationships with engineering teams who need a machining partner they can count on — order after order.
Speed That Keeps Up
Engineering teams move fast. Our machine shop keeps pace.
- 24-hour quotes on most uploads
- 3-day rush for prototypes
- 7–10 day standard production
- Direct communication with your machinist
Verified Precision
We do not guess. We measure, document, and verify.
- CMM inspection on every order
- ±0.005" standard, ±0.001" precision
- ±0.0005" on critical features
- Inspection reports with every shipment
Engineering Support
We help you get the part right before we cut it.
- Free DFM review on every upload
- Material selection guidance
- Tolerance and finish recommendations
- Prototype-to-production scaling
Common Questions About Machine Shops
Upload Your CAD File for a Quote
Get precision-machined parts from a real CNC machine shop. Prototypes in 3 days. Production in 7–10 days. Quotes in 24 hours.
No minimums · 50+ materials · NDA ready · Ships anywhere in the US