Custom Tooling Plates, Machined Flat to Your Drawing
Richconn machines custom tooling plates to your prints — CNC fixture plates and modular subplates, equipment mounting base plates, riser plates, jig and inspection reference plates. We control flatness, parallelism, and hole-grid position on every plate, working in cast tooling plate, 6061/7075 aluminum, tool steel, and stainless. With gantry machining capacity for large plates and an ISO 9001:2015 quality system, we deliver plates that drop into your machine, cell, or assembly without re-truing.
Tooling Plate Capabilities at a Glance
A fast reference for engineers sizing up a tooling plate supplier. These are the plate types, materials, features, and tolerances we machine to print — every plate is custom, none is a fixed catalogue item.
| Plate Types | CNC fixture plates & modular subplates, equipment mounting / base plates, riser & spacer plates, jig & assembly plates, inspection & reference plates |
| Materials | Cast tooling plate (MIC-6 / ATP-5 type), 6061-T651, 7075-T6, tool steel ( D2 · A2 ), stainless ( 304 · 440C ), with stress-relieved stock for stable flatness |
| Key Controlled Features | Flatness, parallelism of top/bottom faces, hole-grid true position, dowel-hole fit (H7), thickness consistency — held per drawing GD&T |
| Hole Features | Threaded grids (M6 / M8 / M10 / M12, imperial UNC), reamed dowel holes & press-fit bushings, counterbores, dowel-and-thread alternating patterns, coordinate engraving |
| Size Range | Small precision plates up to large plates on gantry machining centers — single-piece machining avoids splitting big plates across setups |
| Surface / Finish | Precision-milled / fly-cut faces, surface ground (when specified), Type II / Type III hardcoat anodize, black oxide, passivation, laser-engraved hole coordinates |
| Volume | One-off plates & prototypes, low-volume sets, repeat batches for serial machine programs — no MOQ |
| Inspection | CMM for flatness, position & thickness; height gauge & optical; 4-gate flow IQC → IPQC → FA → OQC ; records retained 3 years |
What Is a Custom Tooling Plate?
A tooling plate (also called a fixture plate, modular subplate, or base plate) is a precision-machined flat plate used as a stable, repeatable foundation for workholding, mounting, or locating. It typically carries a grid of threaded holes — often with reamed dowel holes for precise location — so fixtures, vises, jigs, or components always sit in a known, repeatable position. A custom tooling plate is machined to your specific drawing rather than bought off a catalogue: your size, thickness, hole pattern, dowel locations, material, and tolerances.
The reason tooling plates matter is repeatability. On a plain T-slot table a fixture can be clamped almost anywhere, slightly rotated or off-position, so an operator has to measure and re-establish the work offset every time. With a precision tooling plate, the fixture drops into defined holes at a known location and orientation — measure once, then reuse. For high-mix, low-volume work where setup time is a large share of total shop time, that repeatability is exactly where the value is.
Common reasons to order a custom tooling plate from Richconn:
- A modular fixture / subplate sized to your specific machine table and hole grid
- An equipment mounting base plate that locates components to each other within a cell
- A riser or spacer plate to gain Z height or relocate a work zone
- An inspection or assembly reference plate needing controlled flatness as a datum
- A plate too large or too tight-tolerance for a general shop to hold flat
What We Control on Every Plate
Flatness
Top working face held flat per print — the plate is a datum, so flatness is non-negotiable
Parallelism
Top face parallel to the mounting face so the plate sits true without shimming
Hole-grid position
True position of the threaded grid so fixtures repeat across the whole plate
Dowel fit
Reamed dowel holes / bushings (H7) that set the precise locating datum
Material stability
Stress-relieved stock so the plate stays flat after machining and in service
Tooling Plates We Machine
"Tooling plate" covers several distinct part types, each with a different controlling feature. Below are the five we machine most often — with the requirement that actually drives quality on each.
CNC Fixture Plates & Modular Subplates
A flat plate carrying a coordinate grid of threaded holes (with reamed dowel holes) that bolts onto a machine table. Fixtures, vises, and jigs mount into defined positions and repeat exactly, so you measure a work offset once instead of every setup. Often engraved with a row/column coordinate system and protected by set screws.
True position of the hole grid and flatness of the top face. If the grid drifts, fixtures no longer repeat; if the face isn't flat, every fixture mounted to it inherits the error.
Equipment Mounting & Base Plates
The structural base that components of a machine or automation cell mount to — motors, actuators, sensors, modules. The plate sets the relative position of everything bolted to it, so its hole positions and flatness determine whether the assembly aligns. Common in automation equipment, test stations, and machine bases.
Position relationship between mounting-hole groups and dowel locations. We fixture and inspect for the assembly relationship, not just individual hole dimensions.
Riser & Spacer Plates
Plates that raise a fixture, vise, or work zone to a needed Z height, or relocate the working envelope. Their entire job is to add height without adding error, so the two faces must be flat and parallel and the thickness must be consistent across the plate.
Parallelism of the two faces and thickness consistency. A riser that isn't parallel tilts everything stacked on top of it — the error compounds up the stack.
Jig, Assembly & Welding Plates
Plates used as the base of an assembly, bonding, or welding jig — with locating bores, dowel holes, clamp positions, and clearance pockets specific to the product being built. Steel plates for welding fixtures; aluminum or hardened steel for assembly and bonding jigs.
Position of locating features relative to the product datum, plus durability of clamp / contact areas. Hardened or hardcoat-anodized surfaces where repeated loading would otherwise wear the plate.
Inspection & Reference Plates
Plates that serve as a measurement or alignment datum — surface-reference plates, gauge bases, CMM fixture plates, and pattern / mounting plates for foundry tooling. Here flatness is the product: the plate exists to be a known-flat reference, so material stability and finishing matter as much as machining.
Flatness and long-term dimensional stability. We use stress-relieved or cast tooling-plate stock and, where specified, surface grinding to hold a tight flatness that won't drift over time.
Features & Options We Add
Beyond the plate itself: threaded hole grids in metric or imperial, press-fit dowel bushings, counterbores and chamfers, alternating dowel-and-thread patterns, coordinate engraving or laser marking, lifting / handling features, coolant and chip clearance channels, and edge identification.
No fixed catalogue. Send your hole pattern, grid pitch, dowel scheme, and tolerances — or tell us the machine and application and we'll review the design with you before quoting.
Tooling Plate Materials
Material choice on a tooling plate is mostly about flatness stability, weight, and wear. The grades below are what we run most often — and why each is specified.
| Material | Typical Grades | Why It's Chosen for Plates |
|---|---|---|
| Cast Tooling Plate | MIC-6 / ATP-5 type cast aluminum | Pre-stress-relieved during casting — exceptional flatness stability with minimal machining stress. The default for fixture and reference plates. |
| Wrought Aluminum | 6061-T651 · 7075-T6 | 6061-T651 is stress-relieved and machines clean for general plates; 7075 where higher strength / hardness is needed. Light, fast, easy to anodize. |
| Tool Steel | D2 · A2 (heat-treatable) | Welding-jig bases, wear-loaded fixture plates, and hardened locating zones that would gall or wear in aluminum. |
| Stainless Steel | 304 · 440C | Corrosion-resistant plates for clean lines, food, or wet environments; 440C where a hard, corrosion-resistant locating surface is needed. |
| Carbon / Alloy Steel | 1045 · 4140 | Heavy structural base plates and weld fixtures where stiffness and cost matter more than weight. |
A plate machined from un-relieved stock can bow as machining releases internal stress — so it leaves the shop flat and arrives bowed. We start from stress-relieved or cast tooling-plate stock and, on tight-flatness plates, rough then stress-relieve then finish, so the flatness on the inspection report is the flatness you get in service. Tell us the flatness your application needs and we'll confirm the right material and process route before quoting.
Tolerances & Controlled Features
The features below are what separate a real tooling plate from a flat piece of metal with holes. We hold these to your drawing GD&T and verify them on CMM — and we state honestly what depends on material, size, and finishing route.
| Feature | How It's Held | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Face Flatness | Precision milling / fly-cut; surface grinding when specified | The top face is the datum for everything mounted on it — flatness error transfers into every fixture and part |
| Parallelism | Both faces machined / ground to drawing | Keeps the plate sitting true without shimming; critical on risers where error stacks |
| Hole-Grid Position | CNC-positioned, CMM-verified true position | Fixtures must repeat across the whole grid; drift breaks the "measure once" benefit |
| Dowel-Hole Fit | Reamed to H7 / press-fit bushings | Sets the precise locating datum — the difference between "located" and "roughly positioned" |
| Thickness Consistency | Held across full plate area | Uneven thickness re-introduces the tilt a ground plate is meant to remove |
| Thread Quality | Tapped / thread-milled, gauge-checked | Grid holes see repeated bolting — clean, consistent threads prevent galling and stripping over plate life |
Achievable flatness and parallelism depend on plate size, material, and whether the spec calls for as-milled or ground faces. Richconn states the values it can hold in production with documented CMM records for your specific plate — rather than publishing a single headline number that may not apply to your size or material. Send the drawing (or the flatness your application needs) and we'll confirm exactly what process route holds it, including whether stress relief or surface grinding is required.
From Stock to Flat, Located Plate
Holding flatness on a plate is a process route, not a single operation. For tight-tolerance plates we sequence the work so internal stress is released before the finishing cuts.
Material & Stress Relief
Start from cast or stress-relieved stock; rough then relieve on tight-flatness plates.
Face Machining
Mill / fly-cut both faces; surface grind when the drawing calls for tight flatness.
Hole Grid & Dowels
CNC-position threaded grid, ream dowel holes / press bushings, counterbore.
Finish & Mark
Anodize / black oxide as specified; engrave or laser-mark hole coordinates.
CMM & Ship
CMM flatness / position report, deburr, clean, rust-protect, pack, ship.
Why Source Custom Tooling Plates From Richconn
Six concrete reasons — each backed by how we actually make plates. We don't sell a fixed catalogue of grid plates; we machine the plate your drawing specifies, flat and located.
We Build Flatness In, Not Hope For It
Flatness comes from the material and process route, not luck. We start from cast or stress-relieved stock and, on tight plates, rough-relieve-finish so the plate doesn't bow after it leaves us. The flatness on the CMM report is the flatness you get in service.
Gantry Capacity for Large Plates
Big base and fixture plates are machined on gantry machining centers in a single setup — so a large plate isn't split across multiple setups, which is where grid position and flatness errors creep in on undersized machines.
Truly Custom, Not a Configurator
No fixed sizes, no catalogue grid you have to design around. Send your dimensions, hole pattern, grid pitch, dowel scheme, and material — or describe the machine and application and we'll review the plate design with you before quoting.
Hole Grids CMM-Verified
The whole point of a fixture plate is repeatable position. We verify true position of the hole grid on CMM — not just hole-by-hole size — so fixtures repeat across the entire plate, which is what makes the "measure once" workflow actually work.
One Plate or a Repeat Program
No MOQ. We make a single prototype plate, a set for a machine build, or repeat batches for a serial program — same engineering attention. Ideal for builders who need the same plate to ship repeatedly for a production machine line.
ISO 9001 · 4-Gate · 3-Year Records
Every plate clears IQC, IPQC, FA, and OQC under an ISO 9001:2015 system, with CMM flatness and position records retained 3 years and fully traceable — the documentation serial-machine and quality-managed programs require.
Where Our Tooling Plates Are Used
The same plate-making capability serves several applications. Each below notes the plate type and what it's controlling for that use.
CNC Machine Shops
Modular fixture plates and subplates that cut setup time on high-mix, low-volume work — fixtures drop into a known grid, measured once.
Automation Equipment
Mounting and base plates that locate modules, actuators, and sensors to each other inside a cell — the structural datum of the machine.
Assembly & Welding Lines
Jig and welding base plates with product-specific locating bores and durable clamp zones for repeatable build operations.
Inspection & Metrology
Reference and CMM fixture plates where flatness is the product — a known-flat datum for measurement and alignment.
Foundry & Molding Tooling
Pattern and mounting plates needing tight flatness and parallelism so patterns seat accurately and mold halves align.
Test & R&D Rigs
Optical breadboards, rig base plates, and reconfigurable mounting plates for test benches and development fixtures.
How to Get a Tooling Plate Quote
Send a finished drawing, or just the machine and application — we'll help spec the plate. Files are protected under NDA on request, and a quote comes back within 2 business hours.
Send Drawing or Spec
You send: 2D drawing + 3D model (STEP/DWG/DXF/PDF) — or machine table size, hole grid, and application
We confirm: Receipt within 30 minutes in business hours
Confirm Spec
You send: Material, flatness/parallelism needs, hole pattern, dowel scheme, finish, quantity
We review: Design feasibility, flag flatness / stress-relief needs
DFM & Process Route
You wait: Free of charge, no commitment
We plan: Material, stress relief, mill vs. grind route to hold flatness
Quotation
You receive: Price, lead time, inspection scope, finish options
We commit: Within 2 business hours of complete files
Machine & Inspect
You issue: PO + first-article approval if required
We run: Process route → CMM flatness / position report
Finish & Deliver
You receive: Plate + inspection report + export docs
We pack: Deburr, clean, rust-protect, ship worldwide
Tell us the machine and what the plate has to do — we’ll help design the hole grid, dowel scheme, and flatness spec before you commit.
Custom Tooling Plates — FAQ
The questions engineers and machine builders ask most before ordering a plate. Each answer gives decision-useful detail.
Q.01 What is a custom tooling plate?
Q.02 What's the difference between a fixture plate, a subplate, and a base plate?
Q.03 What flatness and parallelism can you hold?
Q.04 What material should I use for a tooling plate?
Q.05 Why does a tooling plate need stress relief?
Q.06 How large a tooling plate can you machine?
Q.07 Can you machine a standard hole grid like an existing modular fixturing system?
Q.08 What finishes do you offer on tooling plates?
Q.09 Do you make one-off plates, or only batches?
Q.10 Can you help design the plate if I only know the machine and application?
Q.11 What inspection comes with the plate?
Q.12 Do you ship tooling plates internationally?
Send Us Your Tooling Plate Drawing
Upload a finished print or just describe the machine and application — our engineers return a quote with free DFM and a flatness process plan within 2 business hours. No commitment, NDA on request.