Instant DXF & STEP quotes · Full fab under one PO · 1-day ground to the Northeast

Laser-cut metal parts, next-day to the Northeast.

Laser, bend, tap, PEM, finish, and CNC, all in-house under one PO. And because we're on I-95 in Milford, CT, standard ground reaches NYC, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and DC in one business day.

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No account needed. Or try with a sample part →

1-day ground to the Northeast Corridor ★ 4.6 avg across 103 reviews 190,000+ parts shipped DFARS · Manufactured in USA
Assorted laser-cut steel, aluminum, and acrylic parts made by CFA.
Live pricing · 2-4 day lead

What you actually get.

Instant pricing, full in-house fabrication, and a one-business-day Northeast shipping radius. Three things the big online laser shops don't put together, all under one roof in Milford, CT.

Instant DXF & STEP quotes.

Drop a DXF, DWG, or STEP file. See price, material, finish, and lead time in seconds. No RFQ ping-pong, no sales call.

Full fab under one PO.

Laser cut, bend, tap, countersink, PEM insert, finish, and CNC, all in-house. One shop, one invoice, one ship date.

1 business day to the Northeast.

On I-95 in Milford, CT. Boston, NYC, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and DC arrive the next business day on standard ground. No air freight, no expedite surcharge.

Trusted by teams at

From Fortune 500 OEMs to national labs and leading research universities.

Tesla ASML Commonwealth Fusion Systems Lockheed Martin Kyocera IonQ MIT Schlumberger W. L. Gore & Associates Stanford University Thermo Fisher Scientific Woodward Caterpillar KLA Los Alamos National Laboratory Starlink Keysight Technologies Fermilab GE Vernova University of Michigan Texas A&M University Bosch Vertex Pharmaceuticals UMass Lowell Medtronic UCLA Worcester Polytechnic Institute John Deere
Max sheet
44" × 44" shipped
up to 60" × 120" local pickup
Material range
0.020"-1.000"
ferrous, non-ferrous & plastics
Tolerance
±0.005" typical
tighter on request
Files accepted
DXF · DWG · STEP · PDF · SVG · AI
2D & 3D quote instantly
Max thickness · production laser Tighter tolerances and special alloys on request.
Carbon steel
1.000"
Stainless
1.000"
Aluminum
1.000"
Galvanized
0.125"
Copper
0.500"
Brass
0.500"
Titanium
0.375"
Customers
500+
Hardware teams, defense primes, and research labs
Lead time
2-4 day
Next-day hot rush available on most orders
Typical tolerance
±0.005"
Fiber laser · A36, 5052, 304
Compliance
DFARS
Manufactured entirely in the USA

Three steps to parts in hand.

From file to finished part. No sales calls, no back-and-forth RFQs.

1. Upload your file

Drop in a DXF, DWG, STEP, PDF, SVG, or AI file. No account required.

2. See your price

Real-time pricing for material, finishes, and quantity. Compare options instantly.

3. Ship or pickup

Parts as quick as 2 days, typically 2-4. Next-day hot rush or local pickup on I-95 available.

Services

From raw stock to finished part.

Cutting is step one. We also tap, bend, countersink, coat, and finish in-house, so one PO covers the whole job.

Precision Laser Cutting

Fiber laser systems. Base lead time as quick as 2 days, typically 2-4 on most jobs.

Quote this part

Countersinking

+1 dayLearn more →

Tapping

+1 dayLearn more →

Bending

+1-2 daysLearn more →

Hardware Inserts

+1 dayLearn more →

Powder Coating

+3-5 daysLearn more →

Anodizing

+5-7 daysLearn more →

Tumbling

+1-2 daysLearn more →

All Services

View full listBrowse →
New Built by CFA · Free to use

BendWorks: design sheet-metal parts in your browser.

BendWorks is our free, CFA-built sheet-metal part builder. Sketch a flat pattern, fold it into 3D, and get an instant CFA quote. No CAD license, no install.

  • Parametric flat patterns with live 3D unfold
  • Press-brake-aware bending with bend deduction built in
  • Export DXF/STEP or send straight to production with an instant CFA quote
Open BendWorks Watch 60-sec demo
BendWorks BendWorks browser-based sheet-metal part builder showing a laser-cut sheet-metal enclosure as a flat pattern beside its folded 3D preview.
Pattern Studio Three decorative laser-cut privacy panels designed in Pattern Studio - an eight-point Moorish star screen, a turned mashrabiya lattice and a chevron slat panel - above a strip of the sixteen built-in patterns.
New Built by CFA · Free to use

Pattern Studio: design decorative panels in your browser.

Pattern Studio is our free, CFA-built pattern generator for privacy screens, room dividers, feature walls and gate infills. Draw one repeat cell, pick a symmetry, and it mirrors, tiles and checks the whole sheet. No CAD license, no install, no login.

  • Sixteen patterns built in and every one adjustable — or draw your own cell from scratch
  • Mirrors, rotations and a live seam preview, so the pattern meets itself on every tile line
  • Catches pieces that would drop out and webs too thin to hold, before anything gets cut
  • Export a cut-ready DXF or SVG, or send it straight through for an instant CFA quote
Open Pattern Studio Quote a panel
Free tools

Free tools for your next build.

Spec your parts faster with our free calculators. No login.

Pattern Studio

Draw one cell, tile a whole decorative panel, export the DXF.

Open tool

Bend Deduction Calculator

Dial in flat-pattern length for any bend.

Open tool

Countersink Depth Calculator

Find exact depth for any screw size.

Open tool

Minimum Bend Radius Lookup

Safe bend radii by material and thickness.

Open tool

Tapping Drill Chart

Pick the right tap drill in seconds.

Open tool

Gauge-to-Thickness Converter

Sheet-metal gauge to decimal inches / mm.

Open tool

Unit Converter

Inches, mm, gauge, and more.

Open tool

PEM Fastener Selector

Match PEMs to panel thickness.

Open tool

Hole Clearance Checker

Check hole-to-edge and hole-to-bend clearances.

Open tool

Skip the math. Upload your file for an instant quote.

Get Instant Quote
Materials

Stocked, domestic, traceable.

Core alloys cover 95% of customer work. Material certificates available for a flat $35 per order.

Primary metals
Mild Steel (A36 / 1008)
0.036" · 0.060" · 0.090" · 0.119" · 0.187" · 0.250"
Aluminum (5052 / 6061)
0.050" · 0.063" · 0.090" · 0.125" · 0.190" · 0.250"
Stainless (304 / 316 2B)
0.036" · 0.060" · 0.090" · 0.120" · 0.187"
Galvanized / Galvanneal
0.036" · 0.060" · 0.090" · 0.120"
Specialty metals
Copper (C110)
0.032" · 0.062" · 0.093" · 0.125"
Brass (C260)
0.032" · 0.062" · 0.093"
Titanium (Grade 2)
0.040" · 0.063" · 0.090" · 0.125"
Acrylic (cast)
0.060" · 0.118" · 0.187" · 0.236" · 0.375"
Polymers
ABS
0.060" · 0.125" · 0.250"
Delrin (acetal)
0.062" · 0.125" · 0.250"
HDPE
0.062" · 0.125" · 0.250"
Polycarbonate
0.060" · 0.118" · 0.220" · 0.375"
UHMW
0.062" · 0.125" · 0.250"
Woods & composites
Baltic Birch Plywood
1/8" · 1/4" · 3/8" · 1/2"
Hardboard
1/8" · 1/4"
MDF
1/4" · 1/2" · 3/4"
MDO
1/2" · 3/4"
Chipboard
1/4" · 1/2"

Don't see yours? Request a material. We track demand and add materials based on what customers ask for.

Why CFA

Why buyers pick CFA.

Six reasons engineers and buyers move their laser and fab work to Milford, and keep it here.

Full fabrication under one roof.

Laser cutting, press-brake forming, tapping, PEM insertion, countersinking, deburring, finishing, and CNC, all in-house in Milford. One PO, one invoice, one ship date.

See all services

Design tools most cutters don't hand you.

BendWorks builds sheet-metal parts in your browser, backed by eight free calculators and a full design-rules library. Spec it right before you ever quote.

Open BendWorks

One business day to the Northeast.

On I-95 in Milford. Boston, NYC, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and DC arrive the next business day on standard ground, with no air-freight surcharge to buy.

See the cost math

DFARS-compliant, made in the USA.

Files sit on access-controlled US servers, seen only by the staff running your job, and are never shared externally. Domestic supply chain. NDAs on request.

More about CFA

A real fabricator on the phone.

Tight tolerance, an odd material, a revision mid-run? Call Milford and get a straight answer from the people who run the machines, not a broker network or a ticket queue.

Talk to the shop

Prototype to production, one flow.

The same instant quote prices a one-off and a 500-piece run, with quantity pricing applied automatically. 82% of customers come back and order again.

Get an instant quote
Reviews

Engineers talk to engineers.

4.6 / 5
★★★★★
Based on 103 verified reviews from engineers, makers, and fabricators.
★★★★★
"Uploaded a STEP Monday, had powder-coated brackets in hand Friday. Pricing matched the instant quote to the dollar."
Dan R., Robotics Engineer
★★★★★
"Tolerances held across a run of 400 stainless panels. Finish was clean, edges consistent. We've moved our standard signage work here."
Priya S., Signage Shop Owner
★★★★★
"DFARS-compliant, responsive on revisions, fast turnaround. They're on our short list for prototype and low-volume production."
Marcus T., Defense Prime Buyer
DefenseRoboticsConsumer HardwareSignageArchitectureAerospace
CFA's manufacturing facility in Milford, Connecticut, just off I-95.
CFA HQ · Milford, CT · Off I-95
Northeast advantage · On I-95

On I-95. The whole Northeast Corridor is one day out.

From our floor in Milford, CT, standard ground reaches roughly 50 million people the next business day: Boston, NYC, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and DC, with most of New England and the Mid-Atlantic within two. We shipped 190,000+ parts to all 48 contiguous states in 2025.

1 day · NYC 1 day · Boston 1 day · Philadelphia 1 day · Baltimore 1 day · Washington, DC Same day · Milford pickup
1-day ground reach
~50M
People in the Northeast Corridor
Repeat rate
82%
Customers ordering again
Get Instant Quote
CFA Q4 2025 shipment volume by state State tile grid. Darker red tiles indicate top-volume destinations (CA, NY, NJ, MA, PA, FL, TX, NC, GA). Pink tints show moderate and light shipping activity. The Connecticut tile has an inset dashed marker indicating CFA headquarters in Milford.
The Northeast math

Same next-day speed. Without the air-freight bill.

Out-of-region shops ship standard ground to the Northeast for free, but it takes 3-4 business days. Need it in 1-2? Now you're buying expedited production plus overnight air. Here's what that did to one real ~$67 part:

Out-of-region shop · West / Central US
+$92-128 to go fast
  • Standard ground is free, but 3-4 business days out
  • 2-3 day delivery: +$92.54 (expedited production + air)
  • Next-day before noon: +$128.20
  • A ~$67 part nearly triples in total landed cost
CFA · Milford, CT · on I-95
1 business day on standard ground
  • No expedited-production tier to buy
  • No overnight or air-freight surcharge
  • Boston, NYC, Philadelphia, Baltimore & DC next business day
  • You pay normal ground freight, and that's the whole bill

The constant we promise is transit time: one business day to the Northeast Corridor by ground. Your exact shipping cost is calculated on the instant quote, before you check out. See the full cost breakdown →

Pickup or ship

Two ways to take delivery.

Once your job is complete, pick it up at our Milford facility or we'll ship it to you UPS or FedEx with live tracking. No third-party handoffs, no broker network.

Local pickup
No transit
Milford, CT · M-Th 6a-3p · Fri 6a-12p · off I-95
Ground shipping
1-day NE corridor
UPS / FedEx ground with tracking · no air surcharge · longer transit to other regions
Need a human in the loop?

Talk to a real fabricator in Milford.

Tight tolerance, weird material, prototype with revisions on the fly. Sometimes you just need a person. We're a phone call away, not a broker network.

Call 203-350-9003 Or send a note →
How CFA compares

CFA vs. a typical online laser cutter.

The same instant-quote convenience, plus the in-house operations and one-day Northeast shipping radius most online cutters can't put together.

What you're comparing
CFA
Typical online laser cutter
Instant DXF & STEP quote
✓In seconds, no RFQ ping-pong
✓Usually
Full fab under one PO
✓Bend, tap, PEM, countersink, finish & CNC in-house
✗Laser + bend; secondary ops outsourced or unavailable
Typical lead time
✓2-4 business days, next-day rush available
3-5+ business days
Delivery to the Northeast
✓1 business day on standard ground, no air surcharge
3-4 days ground; +$90-130 to expedite
In-house finishing
✓Powder coat, anodize & plating managed
✗Often not offered
DFARS · Made in USA
✓Yes, domestic supply chain
Varies by shop
Talk to a real fabricator
✓Call Milford and reach your job
✗Portal or ticket queue
Free design tools
✓BendWorks + 8 calculators
✗Limited or none

Figures describe typical out-of-region online laser cutters; your exact price and lead time always come from the instant quote. Prefer a named, line-by-line teardown? See the head-to-head breakdowns just below.

Named breakdowns

Go deeper, competitor by competitor.

Line-by-line teardowns on price, lead time, finishing, and what actually shows up at your dock.

CFA vs Xometry CFA vs SendCutSend CFA vs OSHCut CFA vs Protolabs CFA vs traditional job shops
FAQ

Questions, answered.

How fast can I get parts?
Most laser-cut orders ship as quick as 2 days, typically 2-4 business days. Add a day or two for tapping, bending, or inserts, and 3-7 days for powder coat or anodize. Your exact lead time appears on your instant quote.
How fast can you reach the Northeast?
We're on I-95 in Milford, CT. Standard ground reaches Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, DC, and most of New England and the Mid-Atlantic in one business day, with no overnight or air-freight surcharge. Transit time is the constant we promise; your exact shipping cost appears on the instant quote before checkout.
What file formats do you accept?
DXF, DWG, STEP, PDF, SVG, and AI. Both 2D files and 3D STEP models quote instantly. Keep line work on a single layer where you can; it makes nesting cleaner.
What's your tolerance?
Typical laser-cutting tolerance is ±0.005" on cut features. Formed dimensions follow standard press-brake tolerances. If you need tighter, call it out in notes on the quote and we'll flag feasibility.
Do you ship internationally?
We ship across the continental US by default. International and Alaska/Hawaii orders are quoted case-by-case. Contact us first so we can confirm duties, export control, and carrier before you upload.
Do I need an account to get a quote?
No. Upload a file at /quote and you'll see pricing and lead time immediately. You only create an account when you're ready to check out.
How do you handle sensitive drawings?
We're DFARS-compliant and manufacture entirely in the USA. Files are stored on access-controlled US servers, reviewed only by staff working your job, and never shared externally. NDAs available on request.
Do you handle production runs or just prototypes?
Both. The same instant-quote flow prices one-off prototypes and repeat production runs, and quantity pricing applies automatically as you raise the count. Many customers prototype with us, then keep their standard production here without ever re-quoting by email.
How does CFA compare to other online laser cutters?
Competitive on part price, and usually ahead on total landed cost in the Northeast because there's no expedite tier or air freight to buy. See the side-by-side breakdowns: CFA vs Xometry, CFA vs SendCutSend, CFA vs OSHCut, and CFA vs Protolabs.

Upload your file. See your price.

Instant pricing in a minute, no account required. Shipped from Milford, CT, with 1-day ground across the Northeast.

Get Instant Quote
No account needed Instant pricing 1-day ground to the NE corridor
DFARS compliant · Manufactured in USA · Real-time pricing
© 2026 CFA · Custom Fabrication Accelerated · Milford, CT · 203-350-9003