Showing posts with label wood CNC router. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Design Basics for CNC Router Cutter

As I mentioned in my “CNC Tooling Basics for Woodworkers” post and the introduction, there are a lot of little details that go into the design of CNC end mills and router bits. Only a few are important for most digital woodworkers, so, this is a streamlined primer focused on the basic details you need to know when choosing router bits and end mills for use on a CNC.

First, a diagram of the parts of a CNC end mill or router bit:

Cutting Diameter is the width of cutting part of the tool

Flutes are the cutting edges along the side of the mill or bit

Length of Cut or “LOC “is the length of the cutting area

Overall Length or “OAL” is the length of the entire mill or bit

Shank is the area of the mill that is clamped into the tool holder or collet.

Shaft Diameter is width of the shaft

Helix Angle is the angle of the cutters from the longitudinal axis

CNC Cutter Design Basics — Flutes

Flutes are the cutting edges you see along the sides of CNC mills and router bits. In the case of the spiral router bits meant for wood cutting, two flutes are most common. CNC mills can have from one to six flutes, though two or four are prevalent.

So what difference does the number of flutes on a cutter make? If you’re cutting wood on a CNC Router the number of flutes matters quite a bit.

As a woodworker, you might think that more flutes might result in a cleaner cut. After all, when it comes to saw blades, usually more teeth or cutting edges result in a cleaner cut. But, between the fast speeds that CNCs can travel, the higher RPMs that water-cooled spindles achieve and the quantity of wood waste produced, more flutes are usually not the best way to go.

When cutting wood on a CNC we’re creating a massive amount of chips. The more flutes you have means more chips being created per rotation; therefore the CNC has to travel much faster to eject them. There’s even a calculable term for this called chip load (we’ll get into that at a later date). But you need to know that the result of all those chips piling up is the cutter gets hot because it can’t eject chips fast enough – so the material being cut starts to burn and the bit overheats. It’s bad for the cutter and potentially a dangerous situation.

Here’s the rule of thumb: More cutters mean that the CNC has to run faster to eject waste and stay cool. Fewer flutes mean more material can be removed per rotation when running a CNC at slower feed rates. Feed rates on a CNC is a big topic in itself, but let’s take a quick look at what kind of speeds I mean when I say “fast.”

A high-performance four-flute wood cutting bit needs to travel at 1,800-2,000 Inches Per Minute (IPM) to work properly. Only the fastest and most expensive top-of-the-line factory-level machines using 10-20hp spindles can run that fast. At that speed, you stand behind safety shields and just watch the CNC move around in an insane blur. Even three-flute specialized cutters need to run 900-1,200 IPM – still very fast but within the range of the best commercial grade CNCs. Two-flute wood cutters happily run from less than 200 to 600 IPM — which is the real world feed rate range of the kind of machines that a woodworker, smaller professional shops or average cabinet shop CNC are able to achieve. I can tell you from personal experience that it’s still way more than fast enough to do the most frequent task CNCs do for a woodworker: cutting parts.

OK – now for some lessons learned. When I started out I purchased several four-flute cutters thinking they’d give a cleaner cut, but with the exception of a few specialized cutters, they just don’t work for cutting wood on a CNC. Bits overheated. Cuts weren’t clean. Chips were hot and slightly burned. It just never worked. Besides the ones I tried, I’m now left with a number of unused four-flute mills in my collection as a result of learning this lesson first hand. So, I use two-flute spiral cutters almost exclusively for cutting wood and those are what I recommend. I’m not the only one. Notable cutting-tool manufacturers such as Onsrud and Vortex recommend two-flute mills for woodworking on the kind of CNCs we typically use, too.

Other CNC End Mill Design Details

Helix Angles You don’t need to worry about this too much except to keep in mind that the best range for cutting wood are considered low helix when compared to metal cutting bits: 22° to less than 30°. There are exceptions at both ends, but for the most part, cutters intended for our use are within that range.

What about single-flute cutters? They’re rarely appropriate for cutting wood on a CNC (there are a few exceptions for specialized finishing bits). But for use on aluminum or hard plastics, single flutes are most common. Special single-flute cutter designs called O-flutes are the tool of choice in those cases.

So in short, the only realistic choice for cutting wood on a CNC is to use cutters with fewer flutes. And that almost always that means two.

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Monday, May 15, 2017

What Benefits Could Small Shops Get From CNC Routers

Why does Every Craftsman Need a CNC Router?

Is a CNC Router Necessary for Every Craftsman?

Here’s a glued-up leg and apron assembly for a sofa table being milled with a CNC router.

Here’s the big picture: A CNC is a digitally controlled router that cuts from its highest to its lowest point in three dimensions over the entire area of its bed. What would any woodworker do with that capability? It turns out you can do quite a lot. Below are some of the things I use a CNC for in my woodworking shop. Obviously, these are simple examples and they’re also potential topics for future articles and blog posts. There’s a lot to cover.

Owning a CNC router would have been unthinkable for a small woodworking shop just a few years ago. The high cost of these remarkable machines meant that CNC routers were out of reach for all but the largest operations, but recent cost reductions have meant that even do it yourselfers can have the power and versatility of a wood router. A CNC wood router can be a great investment, especially if you want to produce high quality signage. With such a machine the user can input almost any design into the software program and produce intricate engravings, three dimensional effects, and even pictures of people or animals that are incredibly life like.

Some woodworkers just don’t believe in using CNC routers. They believe that someone who cuts and shapes parts with a CNC router is not a craftsman, and has little or no connection with the materials he or she uses. As someone who began his woodworking career with a strong interest in hand tools, I can understand this point of view. However, my time in the woodworking industry has taught me that proficiency with CNC routers requires more creativity and skill than most people probably realize.

Pattern Cutting

As mentioned before, I’ve been using a CNC to cut patterns for a long time using an outside CNC services to do the work. It works great. If you’re willing to do the needed 2D CAD or even Adobe Illustrator drawings, I can’t recommend it enough. Perfect patterns.

Material Preparation

I flatten and surface boards that would be too awkward or large for a jointer. I thickness plane boards that can’t fit through my planer. CNCs have been a great tool for working on large slabs of wood.

Use the Built-in Precision

I take advantage of CNCs high level of precision for certain needs. Even simple tasks sometimes need precision. For example, if I need a series of holes that need to be precisely laid out and sized, the CNC sometimes does this better than other techniques.

Part Making

Part making is probably the best use of a CNC in a woodworking shop. And it’s a straightforward process once you learn how to do it. I regularly use a CNC to cut wood parts, except for the rectilinear parts — if you have the tools, it’s just easier and faster to use a table saw and miter saw for parts with straight lines. The results from cutting CNC parts are even more accurate then I’ve gotten with patterns and shaping. And, because the tool is machining a rigidly held board, I can cut even the most delicate of details without breaking the wood. Bonus: sometimes the CNC is a great assistant. While the CNC is cutting parts I can be working on something else.

Details

The CNC has been great for adding details to woodwork. I use what’s referred to as engraving routines to add cove cuts, bevels, grooves or other precision detail that normally might have to be carved into parts. Certainly hand tools can do this but there are some situations where the added precision and control is a real advantage. It’s also a great tool for adding lettering, figures to panels and other carving details.

Joinery

I use a CNC for some kinds of joinery that would be difficult to do accurately in other ways. I regularly use two techniques/tools for mortise-and-tenon joinery (Leigh FMT or Domino) and sometimes a mortiser. As great as these tools are, sometimes they can’t accurately put a mortise right where you need it. On the edges or ends of a board is usually not a problem. But, in the middle of a larger surface is challenging. The CNC puts a joint anywhere you like. That’s very handy.

Another example of how I use a CNC as a joint making tool is a kind of a twofer. If you’re already using the CNC to cut parts that ultimately need mortises, why not just cut the mortises at the same time?

Finally, a CNC router offers the potential for kinds of joinery we’ve never seen before. No matter the tool or method, we’ve been doing joinery pretty much the same way for thousands of years successfully. The value of millennia of experience is that we know exactly why and how joints work and why they can fail. The point is we understand the engineering. So let’s apply what we know and maybe rethink the entire of idea of joinery. The possibilities are exciting and it’s something I’m seriously exploring.

Jigs and Fixture Making

I regularly use a CNC for making jig and fixture parts. It’s particularly handy if you need dedicated clamp cauls for an unusually shaped project or other task-specific tools.

Plywood Cutting

I know it’s a strange topic to bring up on a woodworking blog but sometimes plywood is a very useful material. Cabinets are obvious, but there’s a lot of other things you can make out of sheet goods, particularly if you have a CNC handy. I’ve made, chairs, stools, tables, tool boxes and all kinds of things with plywood. Parts are joined together with a whole range of joints developed for the task that pretty much snap into place. And, there are great plans out there for CNC owners. Many are free and well designed.

Cutting Materials Other Than Wood

I had never cut aluminum or plastics before I got a CNC. Now I use it to machine aluminum for jigs that need metal parts. Same with polycarbonates and plastics. Depending on the machine’s rigidity, many machines can cut soft metals. I have friends with CNCs that use them to cut brass or aluminum parts for furniture. As you can imagine cutting metal is not the same as wood. You use different procedures, tooling and techniques.

Carving

I regularly use a CNC to add features that would normally be carved by hand or done with elaborate jigs or router setups. It’s great for tasks like carving a seat for a stool or a chair, tapering a bevel or a progressive round over the length of a table leg, for example. Many things are possible if you can work in 3D in CAD software and have CAM programs that support 3D operations and learn how to carve with a CNC.

Next I’ll explain how I accomplished certain woodworking tasks before I had a CNC and what’s changed since.

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Small Shops Are Eager to Use CNC Routers

How Could You Fit a CNC Router into Your Shop?

Is Your Shop Sufficient for a CNC Router?

In the back of your head, you might be thinking that one day it’s possible that you might add a CNC Router to your shop, then you’ve got a lot to think about.

This Laguna IQ 2’x3′ CNC Router, like others in this class, is well designed and engineered for small-shop digital woodworking.

If you’re at the point to where you’re at least thinking about the idea of adding a CNC Router to your shop, then you’ve likely done some research. If that’s the case then you’ve certainly noticed there’s a huge range of sizes and prices of machines to consider. With CNC routers from as small as 12” x 18” to as large as 5’ x 10’ in size, and prices from a few thousand dollars up to the stratosphere, there’s a lot to think about.

There is a way to narrow down the choices quickly. That’s to keep in mind that – more than any feature, or level of performance, or price – it’s the size of the CNC that directly determines the kind of things that they can best be used for. So I encourage readers to think beyond those flashy 3D carving demos that every manufacturer has and consider some of the practical things that you might use a CNC for.

The smallest machines that are suited for detailed carvings and small project work might not work quite as well for furniture projects if your intention is to use it for cutting parts. The larger machines are designed around cutting full sheets of plywood but may be too big to fit in your shop. So whether you’re driven by need, space or cost, the best solution for many woodworkers needs is likely somewhere in the middle.

Over time, I’ll cover different sizes and classes of CNC machines from less expensive tabletop machines all the way up to bigger, fancier, and thus pricier, solutions. But that’s a lot to cover. Since I can’t do it all at once, a good place to start is at the intersection of size/function/price where I think a lot of woodworkers will be most interested: CNC machines that are large enough for a broad range of hobbyist/small shop furniture projects. They also happen to be around the size of a table saw and priced just above a fancy one. That makes them a nice fit in home or small professional shops that are typical of many Popular Woodworking readers.

What size of CNC am I referring to? Machines that are in the range of 24” wide by 36” to 48” long. A machine of this size is well-suited for cutting parts for the majority of furniture projects that a serious hobbyist would likely to build. The smaller machines in the range could be used to make guitars, parts for smaller cabinet projects, 3D carving details, many furniture parts, stools, chairs and just about any kind of shop project or jig you could come up with.

Keep in mind that with any CNC there are ways for even smaller-sized machines to work on larger projects, so they can definitely work as well as the larger size. It’s just easier to start with enough length to begin with; that extra foot makes the 48” of some models a plus for longer furniture parts like dining chair backs and some cabinet pieces. And, as a division of 4’ x 8’, a 2’ x 4’ CNC is a natural for plywood-based projects.

In this size range, there are at least a dozen candidates including machines from ShopBot, Shark,Automation Technologies, Legacy CNC Woodworking and more. Plus, there are a handful of companies that produce quality kits like CNC Router Parts and the wonderfully designed Grunblau Platform CNC. Over time, I hope to look into these and other CNCs in more detail.

For this article, I’m going to focus on a specific group of machines that are very similar in terms of design, engineering, and choice of components. These are the machines made by Laguna Tools, Powermatic and Axiom Precision. I’ve had the opportunity to use two out of the three on CNC projects, so I’m familiar with their capabilities and have had a close look at the third. Between their components, specifications and construction, they have much in common and much to like. So, let’s have a look.

What’s in a Class?

These are the features that make this 24″ x 36″ to 24″ x 48″ class special – and give digital woodworkers a lot to like in a package sized for a small shop.

Z height of 6” or more
3hp water-cooled spindles
Linear rails for smooth guidance
Ball screws for precision motion
Stiff frame and gantry for strength and accuracy
A simple pendant controller

You certainly make a valid point. Beyond learning to live with the technology that’s part of digital woodworking, for many hobbyists there’s the issue of the cost of entry into this world. I don’t have an easy answer but I can offer a couple of observations.

When it comes to the price of the equipment itself, time and market size is already having an effect and will continue to do so. Just a few years ago, quality machines in this class and performance would have been $12K-$16K, easily. For them to drop to this range in such a short period is certainly an indication that the market is growing quickly, more manufacturers are getting involved, common core components like linear rails, ball screws, spindles, etc are more prevalent. And, because machines like this are just as desirable for another group of CNC users known as “Makers” expect the prices to continue to drop.

The one caveat I’d make is though mechanically CNCs are somewhat simple, compared to other fixed tools like a shaper they are much more complicated with a demanding precision build and the added electronics. So, it’s hard to imagine them falling to that range. But, over time, closing in on the price of a tool like a Saw Stop Industrial table saw seems possible.

A second thing to take into perspective is that many home woodworkers invest quite a lot of money into equipping their shops. I’ve heard all kinds of industry estimates, from a few thousand to many thousands on average. But let’s just say that it’s an impressive amount. For some woodworkers, particularly new ones, a CNC may be an alternative to some of the other expensive fixed machinery in a shop. Like any tool or approach to the craft, the choices you make all depends on what you want you to do with your hobby and how you want to do it.

Finally, there’s another way to go if cost is the critical factor. As I hinted at in this article and will get into more detail in the future you could choose to build your own machine from a kit. There are some good ones out there that are well thought out, well spec’d and quite attractively priced.

Then there are also other alternatives to fixed CNCs. The Maslow CNC for example. And, the very impressive Shaper Tools Origin that will debut this fall. They don’t have all the benefits of fixed tool CNCs, but they do come with far less cost and still keep most of the good parts of digital woodworking.

With all that said, all the machines in the group in the article are well designed, engineered and executed. For many digital woodworkers including some home hobbyists in small shops, these CNCs offer a lot to like in ready-made solutions. Like the best table saws, shapers, planers, and bandsaws, these are good tools.

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Thursday, May 11, 2017

How do I Use a CNC Router to Cut Out Furniture Parts

CNC routers are "computer numerical controlled" machines that take the fine work of measuring, sawing, wood carving, planning, drilling, cutting mortises and tennons, and even collecting dust out of the hands of the carpenter and put it into the processors, planers, drill bits, and other fiddly bits of the computer and router machine. What can be achieved in terms of project design, time savings, and labor savings with a CNC wood router is nothing short of stunning. But even more stunning is that these computer / router machines are now affordable for use in the home shop.

Cutting a narrow triangle-shaped opening with power and/or hand tools is anything but simple. Cutting parts with precise details is a task well suited for digital woodworking and CNC Routers.

How I use a CNC Router: Part Two

In the previous post, I gave an overall explanation of the process that I use to make furniture parts with a combination of various power tools and hand tools. Essentially, it’s a hybrid process of power and hand tools that many other professional and hobbyist woodworkers use. The goal is consistency and accuracy. I mill and square up materials with jointers, planers and saws. Then, I rough cut and final shape parts to my patterns.

Stock Preparation

So, how does the process change when you use a CNC Router to cut out your parts? For me at least, some things are the same. I still prepare my stock with the same tools as before with saws, jointers and planers. Getting your boards flat and square is even more critical when using a CNC Router. You want the boards you’re going to CNC Router very flat. From this point on, everything changes.

Below is a simple example of the CNC Router doing what it does well: accurate part cutting. In this example, we’re not cutting out a complete part, just a shape in the middle of a board. A long, thin triangle. As simple as it looks, I’ve had to make this exact cut many times. It’s been difficult with any combination of power tools and hand tools. The red triangle in the drawing below shows you the area I need to remove.

A Challenging Cut for Woodworkers

Here’s the problem: The triangle is very narrow. It’s about 2-1/2” wide at the top and tapers down over 9” to a sharp point. It might seem simple but in practice it’s been a difficult detail to cut out accurately. I’ve tried all the woodworking processes that you’d expect. The most successful technique has been to drill holes in the corners, then jig saw or scroll saw out the triangle. So far, I’ve been unhappy with the results. Even holding a jigsaw to a guide, the walls of the triangle are not perfectly straight and smooth. So, after rough cutting, I set up a two-step shaping process with the pattern to get the walls straight. But, we’re just getting started. The sharp end of the triangle keeps it challenging. Time for rasps, files and lots of sanding in a difficult-to-access area before the job is done. After a lot of time-consuming work, I’ve never been completely happy with the quality of the results. This job is all about precision. That makes it a perfect task for a CNC Router.

First Draw the Part, Then Cut It

After drawing the board and the triangle in CAD and then programming the CNC Router with CAM software to make the cut, I place the board on the bed of the CNC Router, align it, clamp it tightly and begin. I cut my way down in steps to the full 1” depth of the board just as you’d do with a router. Small connecting pieces of wood at the bottom of the cut called “tabs” or “bridges” are left to keep the triangle just slightly attached to the main board. That keeps it from rattling around during the last pass and potentially damaging the part.

You can see the tabs being machined in the video below when the CNC Router pauses, rises up and then drops down. Total time to cut the triangle opening: 116 seconds. The results are perfect. When you add in the time for changing boards and clean up, eight boards were completed in 20 minutes.

Sometimes a small detail is a big challenge. Cutting this narrow triangle out of a board is particularly difficult using other woodworking techniques. With a CNC Router it’s done quickly and accurately.

Though this triangle is only a simple example, it should give you an idea of how accurately and quickly a CNC router can machine parts. If we were cutting a complete part with any combination of curves or shape, there’s a bit more involved but in general, the process is pretty much the same.

As I said previously, a CNC Router can do many things. Certainly, it does some tasks better than others. And, as always, some tasks are better left to hand or power tools. Accurate part cutting just happens to be one woodworking task a CNC Router does very well.

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Wednesday, May 10, 2017

How to Set the Origin Point for CNC Router

CNC Router Skills: Part One: All about Origin Points

For accurate woodworking operation, Origin Points are extremely critical. Never more so, than for digital woodworkers. The intersection of the X (red), the Y (green) and the Z (blue) axises is the origin point.

The Origin Point is your prime reference position

No matter what kind of woodworking you do, reference points and accurate measurements are critically important for woodworkers. This is particularly true when using any kind of woodworking machinery. For example, if you’re using a table saw to rip a board to 4” wide, set your fence to 4”. To set up that fence to a precise 4” distance from the blade, the critical reference point is the edge of your saw blade where the cut is made. It’s from that position that all measurements are made. It’s your “zero” point.

Assuming you’ve adjusted the fence properly — you’ll get perfect 4” cuts. The same is true if you were using stops from the edge of the cut on a crosscut sled, a miter saw station, a router table, bandsaw, planer or any other power tool that uses a fence, stops or some other position limiter. You get the idea — all measurements are made starting from the key reference point: zero.

The cut edge to the right of the saw blade is where all measurements start. From here you measure out to the fence.

As important as “zero” is for power tool woodworkers, it’s even more critical for digital woodworkers. Three reasons: First, we move between digital drawings, our tools and layout constantly and all have to agree. Second, we work in three dimensions – whereas almost every shop tool I mentioned earlier works in a single dimension. Third, it’s a world where everything is measured in thousands of inch or fractions of a millimeter.

With all that precision, you’d think it would be easy to find and set reference positions, but as it turns out, it’s not — it’s an ongoing challenge with techniques to learn and absorb in context because you’ll use them often. Why? There are several reasons. For one thing, you’re moving between the digital and real world. In the physical world, it can be a challenge to take precise measurements. In the pure digital world of CAD and CNC, everything is defined by crisp, clean and pure numbers. Plus, unlike a table saw or other fixed woodworking tools where you rarely adjust your setup, digital woodworkers need to change setups and make adjustments often. Digital woodworkers have to find, move and create new reference positions — called the origin or zero point, to different locations — all the time. As digital woodworkers, we need to be skilled, efficient, and accurate about finding, setting, and moving origin points.

On this workbench, the origin point is located straight down from the corner of the top where the red, green and blue lines intersect. Knowing where zero is, makes it possible to locate an object in three-dimensional space.

What is the origin point?

In the digital world, the origin point, or zero point is clearly defined. Think three dimensionally. The origin point is the intersection of the X, Y and Z axis. From where you’re sitting that would be left to right, up and down, in and out. And, because everything in digital is done by the numbers, this is described as X = 0 and Y = 0 and Z = 0. All dimensions either increase or decrease, positive or negative, from that position. If you know the origin point, you can find and locate an object’s position inside its three-dimensional world. There are plenty of reasons why this matters but here are four important ones…

Your drawing…

Your design resides inside the two or three-dimensional space of a CAD drawing and you need to know it’s location based on a reference point that you can match up with…

Your CNC…

The same defined position on your CNC’s bed that agrees with your drawing and…

Your material…

You need to position the blank material you’re cutting and finally…

Synchronize…

It all has to work together. Your CAD drawing, your CNC setup and your material have to match up. The place to do it is the intersection of X, Y, and Z. The origin point.

Three parts to be cut out of one board. How do you line up the material with your drawing? The lower left-hand corner is the origin point.

A four-part challenge

Working with origin points on a CNC is a four-part challenge. The first, it takes a bit of time to adjust to working at a very high level of accuracy. Most woodworking is about tape measures and rulers. These machines are very accurate —.001+ precision, which means you’re required to work methodically that way with software, set up your hardware, layout, and material at the same level. It’s not hard, but it takes a little time to learn different methods and techniques and to absorb the results. Working with this accuracy on a regular basis is the best way to learn. Second, to accommodate a range of digital woodworkings tasks, you need to change and set up different kinds of origin points quickly and efficiently. Third, you need to work in positions all over the CNC’s bed so you’ll move the zero point often. Fourth, once you put all this together, there’s much to be gained if you can set origin points up repeatably with speed and accuracy.

Much more to Come

As you can see, there’s a lot going on when it comes to origin points and reference positions — in fact, entire books have been written about this in the machinist world. This is about digital drawings. This is about setting up the machine. This is about what you’re machining. And, most of all, this is about methods of work and good practices. If that sounds dull, I can assure you that it’s not. There are some incredible benefits to using grids, jigs and fixtures based upon accurate zero points and reference positions. With much to cover, I’ll come back to the topic often in this first CNC Skills Popular Woodworking series: Origin Points. Below, I’ve already outlined several related topics that you should know about, so I’ll be back soon.

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A Tutorial Course About Building a CNC Router

What does the word CNC mean? CNC actually means Computer Numerical Control. This means a computer converts the design produced by Computer Aided Design software (CAD), into numbers. The numbers can be considered as the coordinates of a graph and then they will be used to control the movement of the cutter. This way the computer controls the cutting and shaping of the material.

Our Build a CNC Router course is coming up again in April, and I’m really excited about it. I love building, programming and using CNC routers, but seeing the photos from students in this class is even more fun. So many people have built their own machines over the past year, and they’ve shared photos of the process and their finished projects in the course galleries.

The project is fairly straightforward, and anyone with a few basic tools and woodworking skills can build it. In previous sessions, some people followed the plans exactly. But a few students made some simple modifications and improvements. One of the first tweaks to the design was the drag chain shown above that keeps the wires organized and out of the way. For just a few dollars, the student who built this machine was able to make a huge improvement to the look and performance.

There are several mechanical components in the project, and I’ve linked to a website where students can purchase them. But it’s possible to save a few bucks by making some of those components, which is exactly what Kevin R. did to the machine shown above. There are four metal collars on each axis that hold the shafts in place, but they could be made out of MDF. That’s a good way to save about $50, and you can see how this works in the photo.

Workholding is one of the biggest challenges in CNC routing. Big commercial machines use vacuum systems to keep parts in place, but smaller machines can make use of mechanical clamps. Tony S. routed a couple of dados into the X-axis of his router and installed t-tracks. Now he can use clamps and feather boards to hold workpieces during routing. Tony’s build should be encouraging for people who think they’re too set in their ways to try this new technology. He’s getting into CNC at 70 years old.

My favorite modification is from a student named Ray S. I included two SketchUp models in the course: one for a fixed-gantry machine and another for a moving-gantry version. Most students have opted to build the fixed-gantry machine because the course focuses on that one. But Ray built the moving-gantry CNC. He also made a few sweet upgrades. To provide additional support for the X-axis, he set two pieces of tube steel into notches in the front and back of the machine. He added an emergency stop button, which any experienced CNC operator can tell you will come in handy sooner or later. In addition, his machine is light and strong because he built it with 3/4” plywood instead of MDF.

As much as I love these modifications, I was thrilled when I saw the first student photos of the machine exactly, or in some cases, almost exactly as I designed it. Kent D. was one of the first students to finish the project. That’s Kent’s CNC router in the photo above.

Build a CNC Router is always a fun course, and I think that’s because there’s so much interaction between students. When someone asks a question in the discussion, other students often reply before I have a chance to put in my two cents. I’ve had mechanical engineers, electricians and machinists in the course, and they’ve all helped out with valuable input. Now this is why we do online courses at Popular Woodworking!

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Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Final Exercise for CNC Router Learning

The vinyl cutter is a versatile piece of equipment. It can be used for a range of work including cutting out packaging nets / developments. It will cut or perforate card making it easy to fold packages accurately. Craft Robo and Stika Machines are examples of vinyl cutters.

Complete the exercise below.

Graphics Examination Questions about CNC Router Learning

This question is related to Computer Aidedmanufacture (CAM)

In a typical school graphics room the machine seen below can manufacture ‘‘sticky’ symbols and text for labelling packaging and displays.

What is the correct name for the device: _________________________________________

Name the material that it normally cuts: _________________________________________

When in use the cutter moves along two axis. The ‘X’ axis is already labelled. Label the ‘Y’ axis on the drawing.

When manufacturing a product many times, computer aided manufacture (CAM) can be an advantage. List three advantages of using CAM.

ADVANTAGE 1:


ADVANTAGE 2:


ADVANTAGE 3:


When designing a product many times computer aided design (CAD) can be an advantage. List three advantages of using CAD.

ADVANTAGE 1:


ADVANTAGE 2:


ADVANTAGE 3:

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Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Try Small Scale Production, Manufacturing Nets / Developments in Industry

In actual industry, packages are manufactured by industrial machines. They are first designed on a computer system using COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN software (CAD). A net / development can be drawn more accurately by CAD software and also checked, with faults can be corrected before any material is cut, Small companies use software such as Techsoft 2D design, Coral Draw or other specialist software.

The software is used to control the cutting equipment.

A company called ‘Roland’ manufacture a range of machines that are computer controlled. They are capable of cutting out accurate nets and even scoring the fold lines, making it easy to fold the net together. A simplified version of one of these machines is seen below.

Roland produce a series of machines called STIKA machines. These are basically used for cutting out adhesive backed lettering for signs and logos (Material called 'sticky backed vinyl'). However, larger versions can be used to cut out nets / developments from a range of card. The small hardened steel cutter is held firmly in a tool holder. The tool holder moves up and down a slide, following the design. The paper/adhesive laminate is fed into the machine automatically. As the tool holder moves the cutting tool is pressed into the material, cutting the desired shape.
These machines are suitable for cutting small numbers of developments/ nets.

4. The computer (including software), vinyl cutter and manufactured package, can be viewed as a Systems Diagram, see below. Systems diagrams are divided into three aspects/stages - INPUT - PROCESS - OUTPUT. The systems diagram below, describes what happens at each stage, from the design to manufacture of a simple package.

QUESTIONS:
1. Use Computer Aided Design (CAD) to design a small packaging net / development to hold a piece of jewellery.
2. Print out the net and cut out the shape using scissors or craft knife. OR use a computer control cutter such as a STIKA Machine.
3. Add suitable colour, shade, printing styles etc......