19/10/2026
That “simple” aluminum cage with 60+ tiny holes?
It can eat up your production schedule surprisingly fast — especially when it’s made from 7075-T6.
We recently quoted a cylindrical 7075-T6 cage frame. At first glance, it looks straightforward: a tube, several window cutouts, and a lot of M2/M3 mounting holes.
But the machining time tells a different story.
**Estimated time per piece for a small batch:**
• Rough turning + window roughing: ~5 hrs
• Stress-relief cycle: ~8 hrs oven time + handling
• Semi-finish + finish turning: ~3 hrs
• 4-axis milling, drilling & tapping 50–70 holes: ~8–12 hrs
• Flip operation + opposite-side holes: ~2 hrs
• Deburring: ~3 hrs
• CMM + thread inspection: ~2 hrs
That puts the total around **22–27 machining hours per part**, before anodizing and other turnaround time.
Why does 7075-T6 make the job more demanding?
🔹 **Residual stress** — heavy material removal can cause dimensional movement after rough machining.
🔹 **Small-hole tapping** — dozens of M2/M3 threads require careful tool selection, speeds, lubrication, and chip evacuation.
🔹 **Thin features + multiple setups** — maintaining alignment becomes increasingly difficult as operations accumulate.
🔹 **Anodizing & threads** — masking and post-process thread inspection may add additional time.
So a drawing that looks “simple” on paper can still require **3–4 weeks for a small batch**, depending on the geometry, inspection requirements, surface treatment, and shop capacity.
For buyers and planners, the lesson is simple:
**Don’t estimate lead time from the number of parts alone. Count the features, setups, inspection, and post-processing.**
What’s the most underestimated feature you’ve seen on a drawing? 👇
