Automotive CNC machining services
Assembly fixtures, check fixtures, brackets, tooling inserts and prototype parts for automotive and transport manufacturers, made to your drawing. We're ISO 9001 certified, and we say up front what we can supply for your part.
Check what to send
- Design and data security
- NDA protected
- Tolerance
- Down to ±0.005 mm, on request
- Inspection
- CMM report on request
- Replies
- Within 6 hours
Automotive CNC machining services make the fixtures, gauges, tooling and parts that automotive and transport manufacturers use on the line and in development. Maketeq machines them in metal to your drawing, milled, turned, laser cut and bent, for buyers worldwide. Every order is inspected against the drawing and ships with its QC report, mill certificates and ISO 9001 documentation.
Which automotive parts do you machine?
Most of our automotive work sits around the production line rather than in the vehicle: fixtures, gauges, tooling and brackets, plus prototype and aftermarket parts. This is how they route, with the metal series that usually suit them:
| Part | Process | Metals that suit |
|---|---|---|
| Assembly fixtures, jigs, locating plates | CNC milling | Aluminum 6xxx or 7xxx for weight; tool steel for locators; mild steel 10xx |
| Check fixtures, gauges, master blocks | Milling and turning, close-tolerance work | Aluminum 6xxx, tool steel O or A series, stainless 400 series |
| Brackets, mounts, support plates | Laser cutting and bending, or milling | Mild steel, aluminum 5xxx or 6xxx, stainless 300 series |
| Shafts, pins, bushings, spacers | CNC turning | Mild steel 11xx or 12xx, stainless 300 or 400 series, brass |
| Prototype housings and manifolds | Milling and turning, 5-axis for several faces | Aluminum 6xxx, mild steel |
| Heat shields and covers | Laser cutting and bending | Mild steel, stainless 300 series, aluminum 5xxx |
| Tooling inserts and wear parts | Milling and turning | Tool steel A, D, H, O or S series |
The exact grade is confirmed in your quote, and the mill certificate comes with every order.
Applications
Automotive and transport parts we make
Fixtures, tooling and parts for production lines, prototypes and the aftermarket.
Assembly fixtures and jigs
Fixture plates, locators and clamps for the line.
Check fixtures and gauges
Master blocks and gauges milled to your datum scheme.
Brackets and mounts
Laser cut and bent, or milled from plate.
Shafts, pins and bushings
Turned parts with fits and threads.
Prototype housings and manifolds
Milled and turned bodies for development builds.
Heat shields and covers
Formed panels from steel, stainless or aluminum sheet.
Tooling inserts and wear parts
Inserts, locators and wear pads in tool steel.
Aftermarket and replacement parts
Parts made to your drawing in small or repeat batches.
Our capabilities
Capabilities for automotive fixtures and parts
The metals, finishes and documents for fixtures, tooling and parts. The exact grade, tolerances and finish are confirmed in your quote.
A wide range of metals
Metals, plastics and other materials (plastics: see `plastics`; Vivek, 24 Oct 2026). Listed by alloy series; the exact grade is confirmed in your quote.
Fixture plates are often aluminum for handling weight; locators, inserts and wear pads are often tool steel.
1xxx · 2xxx · 3xxx · 4xxx · 5xxx · 6xxx · 7xxx · 8xxx
200 series · 300 series · 400 series · PH grades
10xx · 11xx · 12xx
A series · D series · H series · M series · O series · S series · W series
Grades 1 to 4 · Grade 5
C2xxxx · C3xxxx
C1xxxx
From as-machined to anodized
Electroplating very hard steel can cause hydrogen embrittlement. Tell us the hardness of any steel part that will be plated.
- As-machined
- Bead blasting
- Anodizing Type II
- Anodizing Type III (hard anodizing)
- Powder coating
- Brushing
- Passivation
- Electroplating (nickel, chrome, zinc)
- Painting
CNC machining
Down to ±0.005 mm
±0.0002" · on request, depending on the part
Laser cutting
Down to ±0.05 mm
±0.002" · on request, depending on the part
Bending
Down to ±0.1 mm
±0.004" · on request, depending on the part
There is no standard tolerance that applies to every part. What we can hold depends on the part: geometry, size, wall thickness, material, process, finish and how the feature is inspected. We work to the tolerances on your drawing and confirm them in the quote.
Paperwork your customer will ask for
A CMM inspection report suits check fixtures, gauges and locating features.
With every order
- Standard QC inspection
- Material certification (mill certs)
- ISO 9001 documentation
On request
- CMM inspection report
- DFM analysis
- Geometric and dimensional metrology reports (FAIR, ballooned drawing, 3D scan, manual, Ra)
- Material verification and chemistry reports (MTC, PMI)
More on request
- Non-destructive testing reports (LPI, MPI)
- Process capability and compliance reports (SPC, PPAP)
- Other reports, on request
Honest scope
Where an ISO 9001 supplier fits, and what to tell us
We're ISO 9001 certified, not IATF 16949 certified. If your customer's rules require IATF 16949 for the part, tell us with the drawing and we'll say so before quoting.
Work we take on
- Assembly fixtures, jigs and locating plates
- Check fixtures, gauges and master blocks
- Tooling inserts and wear parts
- Prototype, development and aftermarket parts
Tell us before we quote
- Whether your customer requires IATF 16949
- The PPAP level and customer-specific requirements
- The datum scheme for fixtures and gauges
- Hardness of steel parts that will be plated
- The reports you need, such as a CMM report
Do automotive suppliers need IATF 16949?
It depends on the part and on your customer. IATF 16949 is the automotive quality management standard, built on ISO 9001 and published by the International Automotive Task Force (IATF). Vehicle makers often require it from suppliers of production parts.
We’re ISO 9001 certified, not IATF 16949 certified. Much of the work above, such as fixtures, gauges, tooling and prototypes, sits around the vehicle rather than in it, and your customer’s own rules decide what applies. Put any IATF 16949 requirement on the RFQ, and we’ll say yes or no before quoting.
What is PPAP, and what should I tell you?
PPAP, the Production Part Approval Process, is the evidence package a supplier submits so a customer can approve a production part. It’s published by the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG), and submission levels and contents vary by customer.
Tell us the PPAP level and your customer’s specific requirements with the quote. We confirm which elements we can supply for your part before quoting. What comes with every order regardless is QC inspection, mill certificates and ISO 9001 documentation, with a CMM inspection report on request.
How are fixtures and gauges checked?
A fixture or gauge is only as good as its datums. The part it holds is located from the same datum scheme as the part drawing, so the fixture drawing should reference that scheme rather than its own edges.
Before production, a sample is made and sent to you for reference, so you can try it with real parts on your line. Every fixture is then inspected against your drawing before it ships. For check fixtures and gauges, ask for a CMM inspection report on the locating pins, rest pads and reference holes: those are the features that decide whether the gauge agrees with your lab.
If the fixture holds several part variants, mark which locators belong to which variant, so each is checked against the right dimensions.
Which finishes suit automotive fixtures and brackets?
Fixtures want stable, hard-wearing surfaces; brackets want corrosion protection. These are the common pairings:
| Part | Finishes that suit |
|---|---|
| Aluminum fixture plates and housings | Anodizing Type II, or Type III for wear surfaces |
| Steel brackets and mounts | Zinc or nickel plating, powder coating, painting |
| Tool steel locators and inserts | As-machined or bead blasted |
| Stainless covers and heat shields | Passivation, brushing |
Electroplating very hard steel carries a risk of hydrogen embrittlement, which ASTM B633 from ASTM International addresses for zinc coatings. Give the hardness of any steel part that will be plated, and the finish is agreed at the quote.
Right first time
Why automotive orders go wrong, and how we prevent it
These are the problems that hold up a line or a launch. We ask about them before anything is cut.
Order rejected because the customer requires IATF 16949
Why:Customer-specific rules went beyond ISO 9001 and weren't on the RFQ.
Put the requirement on the RFQ. We answer yes or no before quoting.
Check fixture reads differently in the lab
Why:The datum scheme on the fixture didn't match the part drawing.
We ask for the datum scheme, and offer a CMM report on the locating features.
Plated high-strength steel part cracks later
Why:Hydrogen embrittlement from electroplating very hard steel.
We ask the hardness and discuss the finish, such as powder coating or another series, at the quote.
Bracket coating chips at the bend lines
Why:The coating went on before bending.
We confirm the finish goes on after bending.
Quality assurance
Every fixture, gauge and part, checked against your drawing
We guarantee consistent quality from first order to repeat production.
- ISO 9001 certified quality system
- Locating features, hole positions and datums checked against your drawing before the parts ship
- Standard QC inspection, material certification (mill certs) and ISO 9001 documentation with every order
- CMM inspection report and DFM analysis on request
- NDA as standard. Files shared only with our production team.
How we work
From inquiry to satisfaction
The same path on every order, so you always know what happens next and what you'll receive.
- 01
Inquiry and drawing
You send your CAD file or drawing. We log the design and an engineer reviews it for manufacturability (DFM).
- 02
Quote with DFM notes
One quote with the price, the lead time and notes on anything that adds cost.
- 03
Sample part for reference
A sample part is made and sent to you for reference before production starts.
- 04
Production
The batch is made to the approved sample and inspected against your drawing.
- 05
Proof before the parts arrive
Photos of your parts, the QC reports and proof of dispatch reach you before the parts do.
- 06
Delivery and satisfaction survey
Parts arrive by standard delivery, and we ask how we did with a short customer satisfaction survey.
Gallery
Automotive fixtures and parts gallery
Why Maketeq
Why automotive buyers choose Maketeq
Straight answers on scope
ISO 9001 certified, and we say before quoting whether we can meet your customer's requirements.
Accuracy for fixtures and gauges
Tolerances down to ±0.005 mm (±0.0002") on request, depending on the part, with a CMM report on request.
Fixtures and brackets together
Machining and sheet metal from one supplier, so fixture plates and formed brackets come on one order.
More than 50% lower cost
Below typical US and European machining prices and online manufacturing platforms, from a geographic cost advantage, not from less inspection.
Proof before the parts arrive
Photos of your parts, the QC reports and proof of dispatch reach you before the parts do.
Engineers who reply
Technical team on email and WhatsApp. Reply within 6 hours, whatever your time zone.
Before you send
Is your automotive RFQ quote-ready?
Tick what you have. Anything missing, an engineer will ask for.
Questions buyers ask about automotive CNC machining services
Can an ISO 9001 supplier make automotive parts?
Yes, where your customer’s requirements allow it. Fixtures, gauges, tooling, prototypes and aftermarket parts are common examples. Tell us any IATF 16949 or PPAP requirement with the drawing.
Can I get a CMM inspection report?
Yes. A CMM inspection report is available on request. It suits check fixtures, gauges and locating features.
Do you machine prototype parts for development builds?
Yes. Prototype housings, manifolds and brackets are milled, turned or cut and bent to your drawing, from one part upward.
Can you make a fixture from a 3D model without a drawing?
Send the STEP model and a PDF drawing for the locating features, tolerances and material. The model carries the shape, but the drawing carries what has to be held, and that’s what the fixture is inspected against.
Do you send a sample before production?
Yes. A sample part is made and sent to you for reference before production starts.
What do I receive before the parts arrive?
Photos of your parts, the QC reports and proof of dispatch reach you before the parts do.
Is there a minimum order quantity?
No. You can order one fixture or a production batch of parts.
Ready to start? Upload your drawing for a quote. See the other industries we supply.
Learn more
Related guides and articles
Capabilities
How we make metal parts
CNC machining
Prismatic metal parts made from your STEP file and drawing.
Explore CNC machining
CNC milling
Pockets, faces, slots and threaded features on VMC.
Explore CNC milling
CNC turning
Shafts, pins, bushings and round fittings turned on CNC lathes.
Explore CNC turning
Sheet metal cutting
Flat profiles with clean, repeatable edges.
Explore sheet metal cutting
Send the drawing for your fixture or part
Tell us the customer requirements with the drawing. An engineer checks them, flags anything that adds cost and sends one quote.