Choosing a machine shop to trust with your project is an important decision. At Coastal Machine and Supply, we understand that customers often have a lot of questions before getting started. Below are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions we receive to help you feel confident in partnering with our team.

What We Excel In At Coastal Machine and Supply

1. What are your capabilities?

At Coastal Machine and Supply, we work on a variety of projects. Our versatile equipment and experienced team allow us to adapt to your industry’s unique needs and ensure precision for even the most complex parts. Our wide range of capabilities includes:

• Custom precision machining
• Sawing
• Honing
• Multi-axis machining
• Milling
• Turning
• Inspection and quality assurance 

2. What part sizes can you machine? 

Our custom machining services allow us to handle a wide range of part sizes, from compact components to large builds. We specialize in machining parts within the 15- to 20-inch cube range, as well as round parts measuring 8 to 12 inches in diameter and 30 to 60 inches long. 

While these dimensions are our sweet spot, our shop is set up to handle larger parts up to 120 inches. Our four Mazak vertical machining centers enable us to handle large-scale parts and intricate precision work, maintaining speed and consistency for our customers.

Check out our full list of equipment to learn more about sizing specifications for your required processes. 

3. What materials do you enjoy working with?

Whether it’s standard metals or exotic alloys, we have the expertise to machine the materials your project requires. By specializing in stainless steel and exotics, we deliver parts that are accurate, durable, and built to perform exactly as intended.

Some materials we commonly work with include:

• All stainless steel grades
• Low-alloy steels
• All nickel alloys, including Inconel and Monel
• Forgings 
• Titanium 

4. Do you offer design support?

We offer design for manufacturing advice at Coastal Machine and Supply. If you have parts in a preliminary stage or a rough draft for a part, we can provide DFM input to ensure you’re getting the best part possible.

Customer Experience and Orders

5. What do you need from me to quote?

When requesting a quote, the most important thing to include in your RFQ package is a drawing. Some parts also require a model. When possible, it is best to provide both to ensure you receive a quick and accurate quote so your project can get started right away. 

When requesting a quote, it is also important to include:

• Quantities
• Dimensions
• Material specification
• Finishing requirements
• Turnaround time 

6. What industries do you serve?

As a trusted Louisiana manufacturer, we partner with customers in the oil and gas, space, and defense industries. In addition, we also commonly complete parts for other sectors, including:

• Nuclear
• Construction
• Marine
• General manufacturing

Due to relationships and location, we most commonly work with these industries, but we don’t limit ourselves. We are open to working with any industry if the part is the right fit.

7. What are your lead times?

We plan most projects within a four- to eight-week window, giving you predictable timelines and reliable delivery. However, our lead times vary depending on many factors, including process, complexity, material availability, and quantity. 

8. Can you expedite my order?

We value our relationships with our customers and always keep their best interests in mind. When asked to expedite an order, we won’t bump another part, but we will look at all possibilities to see if a rush order is feasible. We always aim to get you what you need when you need it and will try our best to make this happen, while staying fair to the rest of our partners. 

9. Do you have a minimum order quantity?

At Coastal Machine and Supply, we don’t require a minimum order quantity. As a job shop, most of our work falls in the range of 5 to 10 pieces, and we regularly support production runs in the hundreds. While it’s less common, we also have customers who need parts in the thousands, and we’re equipped to handle those projects when they arise. Our goal is to meet you where you are and deliver the quantity you need with precision and reliability. 

10. Do you provide internal coating services?

While we don’t offer in-house coating services, we partner with a trusted network of suppliers to handle this for you. This allows us to provide turnkey solutions, managing every step so you don’t have to coordinate with multiple vendors. You can rely on us to deliver fully finished parts, ready for use, with minimal effort on your end.

Certifications and Quality Assurance

11. What certifications do you have?

We hold various certifications to ensure our customers can feel confident when trusting us with their projects. Our licenses and certifications include:

• API Q1
• AS9100D
• ISO 9001:2015
• API-5B
• API-7-2

In addition to holding these licenses, being an AS9100 certified machine shop, and an ITAR registered manufacturer, we are also working towards CMMC. These credentials reflect our ongoing commitment to quality, security, and compliance so our partners can trust us with even their most complex and sensitive projects.

12. How do you ensure accuracy?

To guarantee the precision of your parts, we use two coordinate measuring machines:

• Keyence Wide Area CMM – 32’ x 16’ measuring range
• Hexagon Global S 12.15.10 Bridge CMM – PC DMIS Software

In addition to these tools, we provide detailed inspection reports for every project. Our fully digitalized machine shop ensures complete traceability throughout each project, giving you confidence that your parts meet exact specifications from start to finish.

Whether you’re in aerospace, oil and gas, general manufacturing, or another industry, our team is ready to support your goals. If you have additional questions, don’t hesitate to contact us, and if you’re ready to start your next project, request a quote today.