When evaluating manufacturing options, two dimensions often draw attention: cost and lead time. The operations in a CNC Milling Factory and a CNC Drilling Factory differ in these respects, and understanding how helps firms make informed decisions.

According to published comparisons, milling operations typically involve more complex setups, longer cycle times and higher tool costs — because the milling tool must traverse multiple axes and remove larger volumes or complex shapes. Conversely, drilling operations in the dedicated CNC Drilling Factory can often yield quicker turnaround when the job is simply “produce a lot of holes” or “prepare features for assembly”. The simplicity and repeatability of drilling tasks can translate into shorter lead time when the feature set is straightforward.

From a cost perspective, if a component only requires holes or relatively simple features, routing it through the drilling factory makes sense: less complex operation, reduced tool change overhead, fewer axes to control. But if the component requires complex surfaces, contours, slots and multiple features, then the milling factory’s services are justified. A smart manufacturing house might keep both factories active and choose job routing based on part complexity. That way, repetitive hole‐only components get sent to the drilling unit; whereas full geometry parts go through the milling facility, then possibly the drilling for final features.

Lead time also links to scheduling and resource usage. The CNC Milling Factory may require more programming, more tool changes, more fixturing, and so may have larger setup time. Drilling could be faster to program and setup, particularly when using canned cycles for hole making. For manufacturers, the route selection (milling first then drilling, or drilling first then milling) also matters. Operators should coordinate to avoid bottlenecks: for instance, if holes are drilled before milling, subsequent contouring might affect hole alignment; if milling occurs first, drilling stations must align precisely. Many process engineers recommend finishing contouring (milling) before drilling holes when possible to preserve hole location accuracy.

Overall, by integrating a CNC Milling Factory and a CNC Drilling Factory within the same operation, manufacturers can tailor the workflow for cost‐effectiveness and tempo. Part complexity, quantity, tolerances and finish all drive the routing decision, enabling smarter cost‐lead time trade‐offs.