A significant share of the machines we build are custom. Aerospace, scientific research, universities, and precision device manufacturers. Bring the application — we'll build the machine.
2-axis · Watchmaking & jewelry
Two-axis micro lathe. Bidirectional spindle and extended carriage stroke run a wider tool range than standard micro lathes. Built for watchmakers and jewelers cutting parts for miniature mechanisms.
5-axis · Laser head · Micron-scale parts
Laser assembly in place of the spindle. A compound lens system compresses the beam to micron dimensions. The laser stays fixed; the workpiece moves in all five axes.
4-axis · Air-bearing spindle · 80,000 rpm
4-axis mill on a granite base for passive vibration damping and dimensional stability. Air-bearing spindle to 80,000 rpm. For ultra-precise work where any vibration corrupts the cut.
3 or 4-axis · Multi-camera
3 or 4-axis mill with a multi-camera rig and full remote-control interface. Operator positions the workpiece and monitors the cut entirely on screen — for cleanroom, hazardous, or off-site environments.
5-axis · 60,000 rpm · 12-tool ATC
5-axis mini mill for plastics, hardwoods, and soft metals. 12-tool automatic changer and a 60,000 rpm spindle. Interchangeable workholding for multiple strategies on one setup.
Two spindles · Micro-grinding
Two independently positioned spindles for micro-grinding extremely hard materials. Approach angles and tool geometries that single-spindle machines cannot reach, with extensive holder and chuck options.
3-axis · Plastic substrates
3-axis mill tuned for plastic substrate milling with channel geometries in the micrometer range. In service at university research labs.
Three of the custom builds, running. Filmed in our Surrey, BC facility and at customer sites.
2-axis micro lathe in motion
5-axis milling with tool change
Channel-milling on plastic
Custom machines share the same frames, motion systems, and NS-Motion control software as the standard lineup. Modifications are made to six subsystems.
A custom build starts from a standard NS CNC platform — frame, motion system, controls — and changes only what the application requires. That keeps engineering risk low and means service, parts, and software updates follow the same path as a standard machine.
Every build is designed and assembled at the Surrey, BC facility.
The spindle assembly can be replaced or supplemented. The Granite Base Mill runs an air-bearing spindle to 80,000 rpm. The Mira 7L replaces the spindle entirely with a laser assembly — compound lens, fixed emitter, the workpiece moving in all five axes.
Builds range from 2-axis (the Micro CNC Lathe) to 5-axis (Mira 7L, Mira X7). Travel and stroke are adjusted to the application — the Micro Lathe carries an extended carriage stroke specifically for watchmaking work.
Standard bases suit most environments. Where passive vibration damping and long-term dimensional stability matter, a granite base is substituted — as on the 4-axis Granite Base Mill.
Enclosures are modified for cleanroom compatibility or hazardous-area operation. Camera integration and sealed pass-throughs are added where the operator cannot be at the machine.
Fixtures and workholding systems are matched to the part. The Mira X7 uses interchangeable workholding to support a range of stock geometries across plastics, hardwoods, and soft metals.
The standard NS-Motion interface can be extended with a full remote-control rig — multi-camera system, remote interface — as on the Remote-Control Mill. The software base remains NS-Motion; the access layer changes.
A custom build begins with the part, not the machine. NS CNC reviews the application first and recommends a standard machine whenever one fits — a custom scope is opened only when it doesn't.
We start with the workpiece: material, geometry, tolerances, surface finish requirements, and the environment the machine will operate in. Cleanroom certification, hazardous-area classification, and operator access constraints are captured here, not added later.
We determine whether a standard machine covers the application. If it does, we say so. If it doesn’t, we identify which NS CNC platform is the right base and define what needs to change. Scope and cost are confirmed at quote before any engineering work begins.
Design, fabrication, and assembly happen at the Surrey, BC facility. Modified subsystems — spindle, axes, base, enclosure, workholding, control interface — are engineered against the requirements established in step one.
Before shipment, the machine is run and its results are confirmed against the requirements agreed at quote. If something is out of spec, it is corrected before the machine leaves.
Custom builds are supported on the same terms as standard machines: NS-Motion software updates, service, and parts. Because the build starts from a standard platform, field support follows the same procedures.
The Microfluidic Research Mill is a 3-axis machine tuned for plastic substrates, producing channel geometries in the micrometer range. University labs run the configuration for microfluidics research; the University of Toronto Simpson group has cited NS CNC machines as the fabrication platform in Analytical Chemistry (ACS).
The Micro CNC Lathe is built for the scale and material demands of horological and jewelry work — a bidirectional spindle and an extended carriage stroke, both chosen for the part geometry typical of escapement components, arbors, and miniature fittings.
Aerospace customers and precision device manufacturers arrive with tight tolerances, specific materials, and qualification requirements. The configuration follows from the part: spindle, axis count, or base change to meet it — the platform and controls stay standard.
Some applications require the operator to be physically separated from the machine. The Remote-Control Mill addresses this directly: multi-camera rig, full remote interface, the same NS-Motion control software. The operator’s distance from the enclosure is the only thing that changes.
Possibly, and we will tell you if it is. The standard lineup — Mira J9, Mira 6S, Elara 2, Lathe 3 — covers a wide range of precision work. We review the application first; a custom scope is opened only when the standard machines genuinely cannot meet the requirement.
Yes. All NS CNC machines, custom or standard, run NS-Motion. Axis counts and interface configurations vary by build, but the control software is the same — so software updates, documentation, and operator training follow the same path as a standard machine.
The workpiece material and geometry (a drawing or model if available), the tolerance and surface finish targets, the production environment, and any constraints on operator access or footprint. The more specific the application details, the faster we can determine whether a standard or custom machine is appropriate.
Yes. Because custom builds start from standard NS CNC platforms, service and parts follow the same procedures. Modified subsystems are documented at delivery, and NS CNC supports both the standard platform components and the custom modifications.
It depends on the modification and the machine. Some changes are straightforward additions to an existing platform; others require engineering assessment. Contact us with the specific change you need — we will confirm whether it is feasible and what is involved before any work is scoped.
Both are scoped per project and confirmed at quote, after the application review and feasibility assessment. There is no catalogue price for custom work — lead time depends on the scope of modification and the current build schedule.
Machining demonstrations across NS CNC machines — including the custom builds running above.
Send the part, material, and environment. We’ll tell you whether a standard machine covers it or what a custom build involves.
Two 5-axis mills, a 3 & 4-axis mill, and a 3-axis CNC lathe — the complete current catalog.
