How a Bushing Is Made

Primary process: Turning (Lathe). The full route, materials, tolerances and design tips for a bushing, with an indicative cost.

Turning (Lathe)Primary process
MachiningFamily
8Route steps
+/-0.025mmTypical tol.

A bushing is primarily made by Turning (Lathe). Turning spins the workpiece on a lathe while a single-point tool removes material, producing round features to tight tolerance. Below is the full route to make a bushing, the materials it suits, the tolerances to expect and the main design points. The route is free, from the finder.

Step by step

How a bushing is made

The usual route, raw material to finished part. The amber step is where the bushing gets its basic shape.

  1. Stock

    Start from bar, plate or billet sized for the bushing.
  2. Turning (Lathe) (roughing)

    Rough out the main shape, leaving stock on the critical surfaces.
    Tooling None   Tolerance ±0.025 to 0.125mm   Lead 1 to 10 days
  3. Finish machining

    Take the finishing passes that bring the bushing to tolerance.
    Tooling None   Tolerance ±0.025 to 0.125mm   Lead 1 to 10 days
  4. Holes and features

    Drill, ream and tap, and where needed broach splines or cut gear teeth.
    Tooling None   Tolerance ±0.05 to 0.2mm   Lead hours to days
  5. Heat treatment

    Harden and temper if the bushing must resist wear or load, then finish-grind.
    Tooling n/a   Tolerance can distort   Lead days
  6. Grinding

    Where the bushing has bearing or sealing surfaces, grind them to the tightest tolerance and finish.
    Tooling Low (wheel)   Tolerance ±0.002 to 0.02mm   Lead days
  7. Surface finish

    Anodise, plate or coat for wear and corrosion resistance.
    Tooling Low   Tolerance adds microns   Lead days
  8. Inspection

    Measure the bushing against the drawing, on a CMM for close work.

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Precision

Tolerances to expect

TYPICAL TOLERANCE IT CAN HOLD
+/-0.025mm typicalcoarsefine+/-1mm+/-0.1mm+/-0.01mm+/-0.005mm
Where this process typically lands. Tighter is possible with extra operations like grinding, at higher cost.
Materials

Materials for a bushing

GradeWhy it suits this
Bearing bronze (C932)Self-lubricating, wear-resistant
C360 free-cutting brassBest machinability, corrosion-resistant
Design

Design tips

General pointers. The full design-for-manufacturing list for a bushing is in the dossier.

  • Finished bore too tight. Leave stock for press-fit close-in.
  • Machined from solid. Start from bronze tube stock.
Cost

What a bushing should cost

Bronze cost and turning the bore/OD to fit.

PER-PART COST vs VOLUME
one-offat volumeVolume per order, low to highCost per part
Per-part cost drops as volume spreads tooling and setup over more parts. The exact figures for a bushing at your volume, in your currency, are in the dossier.
MODEL EST.
$10 to 28 per part at 1 off
A rough ballpark only. The dossier gives should-cost at your exact volume and currency, with the full breakdown.
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Everything you need to quote and source it

The free route above is yours. To actually put a number on a bushing and buy it well:

  • Should-cost at your exact volume in 12 currencies, with the material, processing, tooling and overhead breakdown
  • Who to source from, typical MOQ and lead time, and the exact RFQ checklist to send
  • A quote checker that tells you if a supplier quote is fair, and the red flags to watch
  • The full DFM list and a ready-to-send RFQ draft

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See also: How Turning (Lathe) works and the full route for a bushing in the finder.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How is a bushing made?
A bushing is primarily made by turning (lathe). The route is: Stock; Turning (Lathe) (roughing); Finish machining; Holes and features; Heat treatment; Grinding; Surface finish; Inspection.
What does a bushing cost?
It depends on size, tolerance and volume. As a rough ballpark it starts around $10 to 28 per part at 1 off and falls with quantity. The dossier gives should-cost at your exact volume and currency. A model estimate, not a quote.
What material is a bushing made from?
Common choices are Bearing bronze (C932); C360 free-cutting brass.
What is the main process for a bushing?
Turning (Lathe). Shafts, pins, bushings, fittings and any round part, prototype to high volume on CNC.
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