EN
For a typical pilot run of 10 to 100 pieces, Delrin CNC machining usually lands between $15 and $60 per part for a fist-sized component of moderate complexity. Drop below 10 pieces and you are in prototype territory, where $30 to $120 per part is common; push past 500 pieces and simple Delrin parts can fall to just a few dollars each. The reason the range is so wide has little to do with the material itself — Delrin is one of the cheapest engineering plastics to machine — and almost everything to do with how one-time setup costs are spread across your quantity.
This guide breaks down where the money actually goes in a Delrin CNC machining pilot run, gives realistic per-part ranges by quantity, and shows you the specific design decisions that move your price up or down.
A "pilot run" usually means 10 to 100 parts — enough to validate fit, function, and assembly before committing to production tooling. Here is what job shops typically charge per part for a moderately complex Delrin component (roughly 60 x 40 x 20 mm, standard ±0.05 mm tolerances, no special finishing):
| Quantity | Typical cost per part | What is happening |
|---|---|---|
| 1–10 pcs | $30–$120 | Prototype pricing; setup and programming dominate |
| 10–50 pcs (pilot run) | $15–$60 | Setup cost starts to amortize; fixture shared across parts |
| 50–100 pcs | $10–$35 | Efficient batch processing; cycle time becomes the main driver |
| 100–500 pcs | $6–$20 | Near-production pricing; material and cycle time only |
Treat these as orientation ranges, not quotes. A simple turned bushing can sit at the bottom of every band, while a large 5-axis part with ±0.01 mm callouts and pressed-in inserts can exceed the top of them.
Every pilot-run quote splits into two buckets, and understanding them is the key to controlling your CNC machining cost.
Because the one-time bucket is divided by your quantity, it dominates at low volumes and nearly disappears at higher ones. That is why the single biggest lever on pilot-run pricing is quantity itself.
Say your Delrin bracket carries $300 in one-time programming and setup, plus $9 per part in material, machining, and finishing. The per-part price falls out like this:
| Quantity | Setup share per part | Variable cost per part | Your price per part |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 pcs | $30.00 | $9.00 | $39.00 |
| 25 pcs | $12.00 | $9.00 | $21.00 |
| 50 pcs | $6.00 | $9.00 | $15.00 |
| 100 pcs | $3.00 | $9.00 | $12.00 |
Going from 10 to 25 parts nearly halves the unit price in this example, while going from 50 to 100 saves only about $3. If your validation plan can absorb a few extra parts, ordering toward the top of a quantity break is usually the cheapest engineering you will ever do.
Compared with metals or high-performance plastics like PEEK, Delrin (POM/acetal) is unusually kind to your budget at low volumes. It machines at high speeds with excellent chip control, which keeps cycle times short and tool wear negligible. Its dimensional stability and very low moisture absorption mean parts hold size between machining and inspection, so scrap rates stay low — you are not paying for rejected parts. And because Delrin needs no annealing or stress-relieving before or after machining in most applications, there are no hidden thermal-processing line items in the quote.
This is why Delrin is a default choice for pilot-run gears, bushings, spacers, cams, valve seats, and sliding components across automation, medical, and packaging equipment: you get production-representative parts without production-level spending.
Online ranges are useful for budgeting, but a real quote depends on your drawing. ANOK Precision Manufacturing is an ISO 9001:2015 certified shop in Shenzhen, China, producing precision parts since 2007, with extensive plastic CNC machining experience, covering Delrin (POM), Nylon, PEEK, PC, PTFE, and more. Our 3-axis, 4-axis, and 5-axis milling and CNC turning centers handle everything from one-off prototypes to pilot runs and high-volume production, with tolerances down to ±0.002 mm on critical features.
Send us your 3D model and 2D drawing, and tell us the quantity range you are considering. We will come back with a detailed quote, quantity breakpoints, and practical DFM suggestions to bring your per-part cost down.
For a moderately complex part at 25–50 pieces, yes — that sits comfortably in the typical $15–$60 pilot-run band. If your part is a simple turned spacer, you should expect less; if it is a large multi-setup housing, expect more.
Because at 1–5 pieces, the entire programming and setup cost lands on a handful of parts. Nothing is wrong with the quote — that is simply how low-volume machining economics work.
No. Delrin is among the easiest engineering plastics to machine, often cheaper to process than Nylon because it holds tolerances without moisture-conditioning steps and produces a better as-machined finish.
A 3D model (STEP), a 2D drawing with tolerances marked, your target quantity (or a few quantity options), and any finish or insert requirements. With those, most shops can turn a quote around in a day.