Importing machined parts from China is not complicated, but the failure modes are predictable. Most of them happen before production starts — in the quote that was not itemised, the sample that was approved against the wrong drawing, or the payment terms that gave away all the leverage. This guide walks through the whole chain, with the numbers and the checkpoints that actually matter.
The process end to end
A straightforward order — a machined aluminium bracket, say, in a few hundred pieces — moves through five stages. The table below shows realistic durations for each, assuming the drawing is complete and no design changes happen mid-flight.
| Stage | What happens | Typical duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Quoting | Drawing review, DFM feedback, price and lead time issued | 1–3 working days |
| 2. Sample / first article | One or a few units machined for approval | 5–10 working days |
| 3. Production | Full batch machined and inspected | 10–20 working days |
| 4. Finishing | Anodizing, plating, coating, assembly | 2–7 working days |
| 5. Shipping | Express, air freight or sea freight | 3–5 days express, 7–14 days air, 25–40 days sea |
Add the stages together and a first order with a sample round typically lands at 5–7 weeks door to door by air, or 8–10 weeks by sea. A repeat order without sampling is closer to 3–5 weeks.
The single biggest driver of delay is not machining speed. It is the number of round trips between you and the supplier before the drawing is settled. Every unanswered tolerance callout or unspecified finish adds a day.
What a quote should itemise
A quote that gives you one number is not usable for comparison. Ask for a breakdown along these lines:
| Line item | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Material | Grade and form (bar, plate, casting). A 7075 part quoted as 6061 will be cheaper and wrong. |
| Machining | Setup time plus cycle time. Reveals whether the shop understood the part. |
| Surface finishing | Often quoted separately because it has its own minimum batch charge. |
| Inspection | Dimensional report, FAI, material certificates. Should be explicit, not assumed. |
| Packaging | Individual bagging, tray, foam, export carton. |
| Freight | Depends on Incoterm — see next section. |
If surface finishing is missing from the breakdown, the price is not the price. This is the most common source of the “the invoice was 40% higher than the quote” complaint.
For reference, our own CNC machining service quotes are itemised this way, and surface finishing is always quoted as a separate line because it carries its own minimum batch charge.
Incoterms: what you are actually buying
Three terms cover almost all small and mid-size machined-part orders. They are not interchangeable, and the difference is not just who pays the freight.
| Term | Supplier delivers to | You handle | Use when |
|---|---|---|---|
| EXW (Ex Works) | Their loading dock | Everything: export clearance, freight, import clearance, duty | You have a freight forwarder and want full control |
| FOB (Free On Board) | Loaded on the vessel/aircraft at the Chinese port | Freight, insurance, import clearance, duty | Most common for sea freight |
| DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) | Your door, duty paid | Nothing | Small express shipments where you want zero admin |
For a first order under 100 kg, DDP is usually worth the premium — it removes customs as a variable. For repeat sea freight, FOB with your own forwarder almost always costs less and gives you visibility.
EXW looks cheapest on paper and is the most work in practice. If you have never imported before, do not start there.
Payment: ranking the options by actual risk
Payment terms are where first-time buyers lose money. Ranked from safest to riskiest for the buyer:
| Method | Buyer risk | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 30% deposit / 70% before shipment against inspection report | Low | The standard arrangement. The 70% is your leverage — hold it until you have seen inspection results. |
| Letter of credit | Low | Safe but expensive and slow. Bank fees often exceed the order value below USD 30k. |
| PayPal / credit card | Low–medium | Chargeback protection is real, but suppliers pass on the 3–4% fee. |
| 100% before production | High | Acceptable only with an established supplier you have ordered from before. |
| 100% after delivery | N/A | No Chinese machining supplier will accept this from a new customer. Asking damages credibility. |
The 30/70 split is not a formality. Make the 70% conditional in writing on an inspection report or sample approval, so that a failed batch gives you a reason to withhold payment rather than a dispute to negotiate.
Documents you need for customs
Your forwarder will ask for these. Missing any one of them holds the shipment at the port and accrues storage charges at your expense.
- Commercial invoice — itemised, with unit prices and the agreed Incoterm stated on it
- Packing list — carton count, dimensions, gross and net weight per carton
- HS code — the harmonised tariff code for your part. Machined metal parts usually fall under 7326, 7616 or 8466 depending on material and function; confirm with your forwarder rather than guessing
- Certificate of origin — needed for preferential duty rates in some markets
- Bill of lading / air waybill — issued by the carrier
For shipments above a few thousand dollars, a customs broker pays for itself. Declaring the wrong HS code is a penalty issue, not just a cost issue.
The five failures that actually happen
1. The quote did not include finishing
You approved a price for machining. The anodizing is a separate line with its own minimum charge, and the total is 30–40% higher. Always ask for an all-in price to your door, then ask for the breakdown.
2. The sample was made on a different machine than the production run
Prototypes are often machined on a 3-axis mill by a senior operator. Production may run on a different machine with a different fixture. Approve the sample and ask which process the production batch will use.
3. Packaging was not specified
Machined aluminium parts with a cosmetic finish will arrive scratched if they are loose in a carton. Specify individual bagging or a tray with dividers, and state it on the purchase order, not in a chat message.
4. Tolerance callouts were general, not per-feature
A drawing with a blanket “±0.05 mm” note on every dimension gets quoted at the tightest interpretation. Marking only the three features that matter typically reduces the price and never reduces quality.
5. The supplier was a trading company, not a factory
Trading companies are not automatically bad — some add real value in coordination. But you should know which one you are dealing with, because it changes who is accountable when a part is out of spec. Ask for a video call walking through the shop floor.
The first-order checklist
Before you send a purchase order, confirm all of the following in writing:
- Drawing revision number, and that the supplier is quoting that revision
- Material grade and form specified explicitly
- Surface finish specified by standard, not by adjective
- Inspection scope: which dimensions are measured, and whether a report is provided
- Packaging method
- Incoterm and named place
- Payment split and the condition attached to the balance
- Lead time counted from which event — PO date, drawing approval, or material arrival
An order that starts with these eight items settled rarely has a dispute at the end of it.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to import CNC parts from China?
Freight for a 20–50 kg express shipment to the US or Europe typically runs USD 150–400. Sea freight for a pallet is usually USD 300–800 plus destination charges. Duty depends on the HS code and your country’s tariff schedule — for machined aluminium and steel parts it is commonly in the low single digits, but confirm with a broker.
Do I need to pay in USD?
Most Chinese machining suppliers quote in USD. Some accept EUR or GBP. RMB pricing is possible but exposes you to exchange-rate movement between quote and payment.
Can I visit the factory before ordering?
Yes, and for orders above roughly USD 20k it is usually worth it. For smaller orders, a video call with a live walk-through of the shop floor is a reasonable substitute — ask them to show the machine that will run your part.
What if the parts arrive out of specification?
This is why the balance payment is conditional on inspection. If the parts are wrong, you have three options in order of preference: rework at the supplier’s cost, replacement, or a partial refund. All three are much easier to obtain before the final payment has left your account.
How do I protect my drawings?
Sign an NDA before sending files, send only the views necessary for quoting, and remove the title block if it reveals customer names. For anything genuinely sensitive, split the drawing so no single file shows the complete part. Signing an NDA before the first drawing goes out is the simplest step, and it costs nothing.
Where to start
The fastest way to make this concrete is to send one drawing and see how the supplier responds. A useful reply arrives within a day, itemises the cost, and asks about the two or three things your drawing left ambiguous. A reply that is just a number is a warning sign.
Send your drawing, material, finish and quantity to our team and you will get an itemised quote within 24 hours on working days.
More guides on supplier vetting, payment terms and import logistics are on our CNC machining guides page.
