eMachineShop, which opened its virtual doors June 21 at www.emachineshop.com, lets users trim a process that could easily take days, down to as few as 15 minutes, claim its officials.

“It’s a new concept in getting custom parts,” says Jim Lewis, president of the Midland Park, N.J.-based company. Users can download CAD software for free and then create designs. Parts can be made from a variety of materials, including aluminum, steel and zinc.

The software is simple to use, even for a novice. It has an “expert machinist” feature that warns of physical limitations. For jobs that are theoretically possible, but impractical, eMachineShop alerts customers by e-mail, says Lewis.

Users can modify designs and see price variations instantly. Delivery of commissioned products takes about three weeks.

eMachineShop offers “one-stop shopping” with a wide variety of machining capabilities including milling, turning and finishing options, says Lewis. “You can essentially try anything that comes to mind,” he says.