Contract Manufacturing in China
CNC machining, injection molding, and product assembly from a single ISO 9001:2015 factory in Dongguan. European engineering management on-site. Not a trading company.
What is Contract Manufacturing?
Contract manufacturing is when a company outsources the production of parts, components, or finished products to an external manufacturer. Instead of investing in your own factory, equipment, and workforce, you send your drawings and specifications to a contract manufacturer who produces the parts to your design and ships them to you.
China remains the world’s largest contract manufacturing destination because of its combination of manufacturing scale, supply chain depth, skilled workforce, and cost advantage. A CNC machined part that costs $60-120 in Europe or the US typically costs $25-50 at a qualified Chinese factory for the same material, tolerance, and surface finish.
Davantech is a contract manufacturer in Dongguan, China. We operate our own factory with 60+ CNC machines, injection molding presses, and assembly lines. We are not a trading company. The engineering team you communicate with is the same team that manages your production on the shop floor.
Contract Manufacturing Capabilities
Unlike contract manufacturers that specialise in one process, Davantech covers the full manufacturing chain from raw material to finished, tested product. This means one supplier, one quality system, and one shipment.
- 3-axis and 4-axis milling
- CNC turning with live tooling
- Wire EDM for complex profiles
- Parts up to 1.8 m long
- Insert molding (metal + plastic)
- Cable and connector overmolding
- Mold tooling from $2,000
- Production runs 1,000-100,000+
- Machined + molded + bought-in components
- Functional and electrical testing
- Custom packaging and labelling
- Ship finished products worldwide
- Custom cable assemblies and harnesses
- Overmolded connectors and strain reliefs
- IP67 / IP68 sealed cables
- Electrical testing on every cable
China vs Western Cost Comparison
Real pricing from Davantech production orders, compared against quotes from the same customers’ incumbent Western suppliers for identical drawings, materials, and tolerances.
| Part Example | Process | Qty | Davantech | Western Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminium 6061 enclosure (70x35x25 mm) | 3-axis milling | 200 | $4.10/pc | $9-12/pc (US) |
| Stainless 304 coupling (turned + threaded) | CNC turning | 500 | $1.90/pc | €4-6/pc (EU) |
| PA6 mounting block | Milling | 1,000 | $3.50/pc | €7-10/pc (EU) |
| Overmolded cable assembly (TPU + brass contacts) | Insert molding + assembly | 2,000 | $2.80/pc | €6-9/pc (EU) |
Savings are largest on labour-intensive parts (multi-setup milling, manual finishing, assembly) and smallest on raw-material-dominated parts (large billets, exotic alloys). For a full cost breakdown, see our CNC machining cost guide.
How Contract Manufacturing Works with Davantech
For a more detailed walkthrough, see our step-by-step guide to ordering CNC parts from China.
Mechanical Design Support Included
Many contract manufacturers in China expect a finished, production-ready drawing. Davantech is different. Our engineering team actively supports the design process, especially for customers who are developing new products and need manufacturing expertise alongside their own design work.
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DFM review on every quoteWe flag tolerance stack issues, thin walls, difficult-to-machine features, and finishing compatibility before you commit to production. This is included free, not charged as engineering time.
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3D modelling from sketchesIf you have a concept but no 3D model, our engineers create production-ready STEP files from your sketches, reference parts, or verbal description. Design support included at no extra charge.
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Material and process recommendationsNot sure whether to machine or mold? Aluminium or stainless? Anodise or powder coat? Our engineers recommend the optimal material and process for your application, budget, and volume.
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Cost reduction through design changesWe routinely reduce part cost by 20-40% through design modifications that don’t affect function: larger corner radii, relaxed non-functional tolerances, optimised setup orientation, and material substitution.
For design guidelines, see our DFM guidelines for CNC machined parts.
Why Choose Davantech as Your Contract Manufacturer
- Own factory in Dongguan
- 60+ CNC machines on-site
- No middlemen; molds and finishing through fixed partners
- Factory audits welcome
- Belgian engineering leadership on-site
- English-speaking project engineers
- Western quality standards applied daily
- Direct communication, no sales filter
- CNC machining + molding + assembly
- One PO, one quality system, one shipment
- No requalifying new vendors at each stage
- Prototype to production in same factory
- Third-party audited annually
- First article inspection on every new part
- CMM measurement reports available
- RoHS and REACH compliant materials
- Detailed cost breakdown in every quote
- No hidden charges or surprise invoices
- Material, machining, finishing itemised
- 30-60% below Western equivalent
- NDA signed before drawing review
- Files stored on secured servers
- Controlled sharing with qualified partners under NNN agreements
- Serving Western OEMs since 2012
Industries We Serve as Contract Manufacturer
- Aluminium enclosures and heat sinks
- Overmolded connectors and cables
- PCB integration and box-build
- Surgical instrument components
- Passivated and electropolished finishes
- Sensor housings and connectors
- EV charging connectors and cables
- Precision shafts and fittings
- Valve bodies and manifolds
- Hydraulic and pneumatic fittings
- Precision gears and shafts
- Structural brackets in 7075-T6
- Hard anodised actuator components
- 19-inch rack enclosures
- RF connector components
- Antenna mounting hardware
Contract Manufacturing Questions
What is contract manufacturing?
Contract manufacturing is when a company outsources the production of parts or products to an external manufacturer. You provide the design (drawings, 3D files, specifications) and the contract manufacturer produces the parts in their factory, handling material procurement, machining, finishing, and shipping. You retain ownership of the design and intellectual property.
Is China still cost-effective for contract manufacturing in 2026?
Yes. Despite rising labour costs, China’s manufacturing cost advantage remains 30-60% below Western equivalents for precision CNC machined parts. The cost gap is largest on labour-intensive work (multi-setup milling, manual assembly, surface treatment) and smallest on material-dominated parts. China’s supply chain depth (materials, tooling, finishing all within the same industrial zone) keeps total cost competitive even when hourly rates have increased.
How do I protect my intellectual property?
Davantech signs NDAs before reviewing any drawings. All files are stored on secured servers. Files are treated as confidential. Where qualified partners require project information for agreed operations, confidentiality is maintained through supply-chain NNN agreements. We have supplied European and North American OEMs since 2012 without a single IP incident. For additional protection, register your design patents in China before production and include IP clauses in your supply agreement.
What is the minimum order quantity?
1 piece for CNC machined parts (no mold required). 500-1,000 pieces typical minimum for injection molded parts (mold investment required). We regularly produce prototype quantities of 1-10 pieces followed by production orders of 100-5,000 pieces per batch.
How long does shipping from China take?
Typical transit times are 3–8 working days by air or express and 6–8 weeks by sea to Europe, 14 to 20 days to the US West Coast. We ship EXW Dongguan for express and air freight and FOB Yantian for sea freight, and prepare the export documents.
What happens if parts don’t meet specification?
If parts do not meet the agreed drawing or approved sample, we investigate the cause with you and agree on the corrective action, such as rework or replacement. Our ISO 9001:2015 quality system applies first article inspection to every new part and in-process inspection to production batches.
Can I visit the factory?
Yes. Factory visits and audits are welcome. We are located in Zhangmutou, Dongguan, approximately 1.5 hours from Hong Kong and Shenzhen airports. Video factory tours are also available for customers who cannot travel.
Do you provide design and engineering support?
Yes. Free DFM review with every quote. 3D modelling from sketches or samples. Material and process recommendations. Cost reduction through design optimisation. Our engineering team supports the full journey from concept to production. See our design guidelines for more.
What products can you manufacture in China?
We make CNC machined metal and plastic parts, injection molded, insert molded and overmolded parts, cable assemblies and molded connectors, and complete assembled products. Parts can be supplied separately or assembled, tested and packed as a finished product.
Contact Engineering
ISO 9001:2015 · European Management
