3C Digital Industry
3C means computers, communication and consumer electronics. Phones, laptops, tablets, wearables, earbuds, routers. We make the metal and plastic parts inside them.
Four processes under one roof: CNC machining, 3D printing, injection molding and sheet metal. Send a 3D file. Get a price, a DFM review and a real part.
Parts we make
A phone is judged in the hand. Gap lines, colour match, weight and touch all come from the parts below. These are the parts we build every week.
Machined from 6061 or 7075 aluminium, then anodized to your colour. Gap lines held under 0.15 mm.
Unibody shells, bottom covers and kickstands. Thin walls, crisp edges, brushed or bead-blasted faces.
Machined fins with a high aspect ratio. Flat mounting faces so the thermal pad makes full contact.
USB-C, HDMI and board-to-board housings. Pin alignment held to ±0.02 mm so plugs seat with the right force.
Lens barrels, brackets and sensor plates. Flatness and coaxiality checked on a CMM, part by part.
Small, curved and cosmetic. SLA for the look, molding for the volume, 2K for the soft-touch ring.
Sheet metal and machined parts that hold screens, batteries and boards in place. Stiff, light, cheap.
Fine holes, crisp edges, no burrs. Punched, etched or laser cut, then finished to match the shell.
Not on the list? We build custom 3C parts too. Send the file and we will tell you what is possible.
Why YiguProto
3C buyers care about three things: it fits, it looks right, and it arrives on the date you promised your boss. Here is how we protect all three.
We review your model first. Wall thickness, draft angle, corner radii, tolerance stack. You get a marked-up report, not a surprise invoice later.
Colour, gloss and texture checked against your golden sample under D65 light. A part that measures right but looks wrong is still scrap.
3C parts keep getting thinner. We control heat, step-down and fixturing so a 0.5 mm wall does not bow after machining.
Anodizing insulates. We mask grounding pads or use chromate conversion, so your shielding still works after the finish goes on.
Print the prototype, machine the pilot, mold the launch. Same files, same engineer. No re-explaining your part to a new vendor.
FAI, CMM data, material certificates, RoHS and REACH declarations. Your quality team gets documents, not promises.
01CNC Machining
CNC machining cuts a solid block of metal down to your shape. No mold, no tooling fee, no four-week wait. That makes it the fastest route to a real part you can test, and the sensible choice for 500 premium units where a mold would never pay back.
It is also the process that holds the tolerances 3C parts live on. Mating faces, PCB bosses, O-ring grooves and pin holes all sit in the 0.01 mm range.
Flat and pocketed parts: housings, plates, heat sink bases. 3-axis for simple work, 5-axis for curved shells.
CNC milling →Round parts: lens barrels, standoffs, buttons, threaded inserts. Held to ±0.005 mm on diameter.
CNC turning →One setup for organic curves and undercuts. No re-clamping, so no tolerance stack and no tool marks at the joints.
5-axis machining →Sharp internal corners a cutter cannot reach, plus fine slots and clean cut-offs in hardened steel.
Wire EDM →| Material | Why it suits 3C | Parts we make from it |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminium 6061-T6 | Machines fast, anodizes evenly, good strength-to-weight | Mid-frames, housings, heat sinks |
| Aluminium 7075-T6 | Much stronger, resists bending under load | Wearable cases, rugged shells, hinges |
| Copper C110 | Best heat and current path of any common metal | Vapour plates, RF shields, busbars |
| Stainless 304 / 316L | Hard, corrosion resistant, takes a fine polish | Buttons, bezels, sensor rings |
| Brass / bronze | Cuts clean, plates well, stable contact resistance | Connector pins, EMI contacts, inserts |
| PC, POM, PEEK | Insulating, low friction, holds shape when hot | Insulators, gears, test fixtures |
Send STEP, IGES or a dimensioned PDF. Price and DFM notes back within 24 hours.
023D Printing
3D printing builds a part layer by layer from a digital file. No tooling, no setup, no minimum order. You can hold a design in your hand tomorrow and find the mistakes while they are still cheap to fix.
Use it to check fit, form and feel before you commit to steel. Then send the same file to machining or molding once the design stops moving.
Smooth, fine detail, clear or opaque. Best for cosmetic models, light pipes and lenses that must look real.
SLA printing →Tough, slightly grainy, no support marks. Good for snap-fits, brackets and parts that get handled.
SLS printing →Fast, dense and consistent. The cheapest way to run 50 to 200 functional PA12 housings.
MJF printing →Cheap and strong in one direction. Perfect for jigs, fixtures and quick shape checks, not for cosmetics.
FDM printing →| Process | Material | Accuracy | Best for in 3C |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLA | Standard, tough, clear resin | 0.05–0.1 mm layers | Cosmetic models, lenses, light pipes |
| DLP | High-detail resin | 0.025–0.05 mm layers | Small wearables, fine texture, tiny features |
| SLS | PA12, PA11, TPU | ±0.1 mm or ±0.3% | Snap-fits, brackets, internal ducts |
| MJF | PA12, PA12 glass bead | ±0.3 mm | Batch housings, 50–200 pieces |
| FDM | PLA, ABS, PETG, PC | ±0.5 mm | Jigs, fixtures, rough mock-ups |
| SLM | AlSi10Mg, 316L, Ti64 | ±0.1 mm | Lightweight metal prototypes, lattice parts |
03Injection Molding
Injection molding fills a steel mold with melted plastic. The first part costs a lot, because of the mold. Every part after that costs very little, and every one is the same.
This is how 3C products reach the shelf: millions of identical shells, buttons and light guides, with the same colour and the same snap.
Aluminium or soft steel mold in 10 to 15 days. Good for 500 to 5,000 parts while the design is still young.
Rapid tooling →Hardened steel, hot runner, tight process windows. For ±0.02 mm fits and parts with no room for flash.
Precision molding →Two materials in one part: hard shell, soft grip. Sealed buttons and water-resistant seams without glue.
2K molding →Optical PC and PMMA for light guides and covers. Polished tooling, slow fill, no flow marks.
Transparent molding →| Material | Key property | Typical 3C use |
|---|---|---|
| PC | Clear, tough, heat resistant | Light guides, transparent covers |
| PC/ABS | Balanced strength, finish and cost | Laptop and tablet housings |
| ABS | Molds easily, paints and plates well | Internal frames, brackets, buttons |
| PA6 / PA66 + GF | Stiff, wear resistant, dimensionally stable | Hinges, structural ribs, gears |
| POM | Low friction, tight tolerance, stable | Sliders, cams, buttons, rollers |
| PMMA | Optical clarity, scratch resistant | Display windows, lenses |
| TPU / TPE | Soft, grippy, seals without gaskets | Soft-touch rings, seals, feet |
| PPS / PEEK | High heat, chemical resistant | Connectors, SMT-compatible parts |
We quote tooling and part price separately, so you can see what you are paying for.
04Sheet Metal
Sheet metal work starts with flat metal and folds it into shape. Cut, bend, weld, finish. No mold, low setup, and a strong part for very little money.
It is the standard answer for chassis, brackets, shields and rack enclosures. The parts that hold everything else in place.
Any outline, any hole, no tooling. Burr-free edges and hold-down tabs so thin sheets stay flat.
Laser cutting →Press-brake folds with repeatable angles. Bend lines and relief cuts planned so the part closes without gaps.
CNC bending →Once volume passes a few thousand, a stamping tool beats laser cutting on price and cycle time.
Metal stamping →Laser weld, spot weld, rivets and PEM inserts. Then paint or powder coat to match the housing.
Welding & assembly →| Material | Thickness range | Typical 3C use |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminium 5052 | 0.5–3.0 mm | Chassis, brackets, covers |
| Aluminium 6061 | 0.8–4.0 mm | Stiff frames, mounting plates |
| Cold rolled steel (SPCC) | 0.5–2.0 mm | Internal structure, shields |
| Stainless 304 | 0.3–2.0 mm | Bezels, exposed panels, wear parts |
| Copper / brass | 0.2–1.5 mm | EMI shields, contacts, spring fingers |
| Galvanized steel (SECC) | 0.5–2.0 mm | PC cases, rack panels, brackets |
Send a DXF or a STEP file. Flat patterns and bend notes come back with the quote.
Choose the right process
Most 3C projects use more than one. Pick by stage and volume, not by habit. This table is the short version.
| Your situation | Best first choice | Why | Lead time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design still moving, need a shape in your hand | 3D printing (SLA or MJF) | No tooling. Change the file, print again. | 1–3 days |
| Need real metal, real threads, real fit | CNC machining | Same alloy as production. Holds ±0.01 mm. | 3–7 days |
| Cosmetic sample for a client or an investor | CNC + anodizing, or SLA + paint | Colour and texture match the final part. | 5–9 days |
| Pilot run, 50 to 500 units | CNC or rapid tooling | No hard tooling commitment yet. | 7–15 days |
| Production, 1,000 to 100,000 units | Injection molding | Mold cost spreads thin. Parts are identical. | 20–35 days incl. tool |
| Large flat housing, chassis or shield | Sheet metal | Cheaper than machining, faster than molding. | 5–10 days |
| Thin-wall shell with snap-fits at volume | Injection molding | Only molding holds that geometry at this price. | 20–35 days incl. tool |
Send the file and the volume. We will tell you which of the four is cheapest, and why.
Specifications
The numbers engineers and buyers ask for first. If you need something outside these ranges, ask. Some of it we can still do.
| Process | Tolerance | Min. wall | Surface finish | Lead time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CNC machining | ±0.005 mm critical / ±0.05 mm standard | 0.5 mm | Ra 0.4–3.2 µm | 3–7 days |
| 3D printing (SLA) | ±0.1 mm | 0.6 mm | Ra 1.6 µm after polish | 1–3 days |
| 3D printing (SLS / MJF) | ±0.3 mm or ±0.3% | 0.8 mm | Matte, slightly grainy | 2–5 days |
| Injection molding | ±0.02 mm critical / ±0.1 mm standard | 0.6 mm | SPI A1–B3 | 20–35 days |
| Sheet metal | ±0.1 mm | 0.3 mm | Painted, powder coated, brushed | 5–10 days |
| Die casting (metal housings) | ±0.05 mm after machining | 0.8 mm | As cast, then machined and coated | 25–40 days |
Lead times start from approved DFM and, for molding, from approved tool design. Rush options are available on most processes.
Quality & documentation
Anyone can say the part is good. Here is what actually ships with it.
Critical dimensions measured on a coordinate measuring machine. First article inspection on every new tool and every new setup.
Mill certs with heat numbers. You can trace the alloy in your part back to the batch it came from.
Declarations for every material we ship. No lead, no cadmium, no customs surprise at the EU border.
Colour, gloss and texture checked under D65 light against your golden sample. Written pass or fail, with photos.
Air-leak tests for IP67 and IP68 housings. Go / no-go gauges on connectors and mating faces.
NDA before we open the file. Files stay on our server, not on a machinist's phone. Deleted on request.
How a project runs
3C hardware moves in stages. Each stage answers one question. We are set up to move with you, and to hand over clean files at every gate.
Does the design work? Printed and machined samples, 5 to 20 pieces. Fast, rough, cheap to change.
Does it work and look right? CNC with the real finish, or rapid tooling. 20 to 100 pieces.
Can the line make it? Production tooling, full inspection, packaging sign-off, yield check.
Run it. Molding, stamping and assembly with lot traceability and shipments on a fixed schedule.
STEP, IGES, STL, X_T, DXF or a PDF with dimensions. Tell us the volume and the deadline. You get price, lead time and DFM notes, usually the same business day.
FAQ