George is a well-known author who writes on the topics related with free CAD software, cnc machine shop and waterjet cutting for the site www.emachineshop.com.
Cnc Turning Process – an Overview
CNC Turning process is a simple method of shaping a metal or wood on a lathe. It is a machine tool that spins or turns a block of material to achieve rotational symmetry in a machine shop. Turning can be done manually or using a cnc machining. The computer numerically controls cnc machine. A typical cnc machining center is designed to remove material using a rotating cutter that moves laterally to a work piece mounted onto a table or fixture.
In the CNC turning process, a piece of material is rotated on the lathe and a cutting tool is traversed along two axis of motion, transverse or longitudinal. The process is done in a machine shop. The cutting tool is used until the required depth and dimension is achieved. Turning can be on both sides, inside or outside as per the needs and specifications. The rotation occurs at the turning center that enables control of tool motion through computer programs that use numeric data. Parts that are too large to balance and cause difficulty in rotating around one center point, can be worked on a machining center featuring a U axis. The turning length is about 1000mm between centers and has a drive power and speed range up to 46kW and 4,000 revolution/minute respectively.
CNC turning process cuts the metal into various different shapes ranging from plain surface, taper ends, contour, and filter to radius profiles and threaded surfaces. These cut and turned metal pieces are used to create shafts, rods, hubs, bushes, pulleys and much more. Many industries also use it for fabricating parts and materials that have circular cross section. The process applies well to the most rigid materials that can be controlled exclusively with the software program tooling. The process does reduce the cost of production but on the other end, it limits the design flexibility.
CNC turning machines are said to deliver components at a faster production rate with optimum manufacturing accuracy. The automation of the CNC turning process allows reaching tight dimensional tolerances in every piece. Other advantages are high level of parts consistency or uniformity, achievement of optimum cycle times for all components and faster execution of larger volume. As machines have brought a revolution in the industrial world, new technologies provided by emachineshop, boost the use of metal products.
Cnc Turning
To produce hubs, rods, bushes, pulleys and shafts, CNC turning is utilized where the lathe generates materials after inserting the single cutter point in to the material turning. The procedure of cutting is executed through a cutting tool which is applied either parallel or at right angle to the axis, of work piece. The tool may also be fitted at an angle relative to the work piece axis for the machining angles and tapers. The work piece may be of any cross section, but the machine surface should be straight and tapered.
There are various shapes available in CNC like pointed, simple, radius with profile added with threaded surface, curve and fillet. The cnc machining is more economical than the CNC milling for producing the actual form through CNC turning. The material used for CNC turning possesses various qualities like material of work piece should be firm and can be of solid plastics. For the short running procedure of the mill, arrangements or alternative machine should be kept. CNC turning reduces the cost by minimizing the design elements.
CNC turning procedure is done through applying pressure on the work piece or the weaker material to form the flexible shapes of the material. Sometimes through CNC, the cut surface is formed by applying the helical feed as it results in rotation. The cutting procedure through which the work piece is eliminated from a material block by the help of the rotation of the tool is known as CNC milling. The work piece can rotate in perpendicular or circular way to produce different shapes and sizes. The cutting tool generally rotates in the CNC milling at an axis in a perpendicular form on the podium to generate various structures.
Variety of shapes that can be formed through CNC milling is 3D or 2D and some compound structured material. CNC milling for short procedure is also very economical. It is utilized to make different parts of engine, multifaceted mechanisms, enclosures and mold and custom tooling.
Thus,CNC turning is a very effective procedure to make various machine parts of various shapes which is very significant for running the machine.
George is a well-known author who writes on the topics related with free CAD software, cnc machine shop and waterjet cutting for the site www.emachineshop.com.
The Home Made CNC Machine
Like I keep telling, it’s Google, “cnc at home” searchwords, and choose from a list of thousands!
Illustration 36A guy named V. Chan, at pathcom.com, created this drill-mill conversion
Software’s not a problem, you can find free software, cheap software, expensive software, you can even learn how to make your own CNC controlling software, what have you!
You can use your present PC to control it, use an old 386, buy the CNC, Computer, and all, but by now you’re just wondering:
“Yeah, right, but WHY DO I NEED A cnc machine?”
Well, in theory, if you have one of those, you will never have to build a Prototype, just “draw” the pieces in some 3D program, have the cnc mill them out of metal blocks, or other material, and assemble the Prototype like as much as some IKEA furniture!
In my Prototype building experience, tough, NOTHING is that simple, something always needs some extra work, but hey, Industrial Precision pieces, just as you imagined them, now that’s something not to snare at!
Illustration 37 This guy, Tom Gootee, at fullnet.com, built a cnc machine from an Epson printer!
So go have some fun, be it building, buying it all ready to mill, converting it from a drill press, Google it, choose what’s right for you, could not be the one that suits your neighbor, the CNC world’s yours!
HEY! IT GETS BETTER!
Now there’s?Fab@home.org, and all your problem’s over!
These guys are into Fabricating, or CNC home manufacturing, or buildin’ your 3D stuff with a home made Robot.
And not only that, they help you MAKE YOUR OWN cnc machine with only a fraction of the money you spend on Pro CNCs, but with a even more flexible machine! And you can even save more money, if you’ve got some old Printer around.
If you’re thinking you cannot do it, think again, ‘cos they teach every darn step, even WIRE CUTTING the right way, so there’s no excuse not to try!
Now that’s good news or what?
RepRap, another fabber
Here’s another Fabber, RepRap, notice the different steel rod approach, comes also with Software support, same as Fab@home…
Max’s, much more than a Little Robot shop
Max’s Little Robot shop, the title says…
But that’s not true: It’s a HUGE help for lots of projects you may have.
I’m just reading the tabs at the left of his page, Robots, Mechanical Fabbing, Injection Molding, the guy’s made a machine for it,
AND a download area!
There you’ll find lots of CAD files, don’t you just love the kewl CAD appearance…
Plus a Digital Electronics section that you have to see.
Be sure to give this Site a Look, you will learn a lot.
http://www.users.qwest.net/~kmaxon/index.html
The world’s easiest cnc machine
On Tom McWire’s Instructable, http://www.instructables.com/id/EG9RXG6F54HJ7SL/?ALLSTEPS
So now you, yes, I mean YOU, don’t ?have any more excuses for not building a cnc machine, it’s as easy as 1,2,3, see the frame:
Need I say more?
OK, how’bout,
the guy promises to teach you even to find the Software?
Name: Edgar Castelo
Prototype building how-to Site:
http://build.your.own.prototypes.googlepages.com/How-tos.html
Made this Site to help Inventors make their Prototypes, and it just grew and grew…
So go and visit the link above!
The Cnc Milling Process
CNC milling finds application making a wide range of custom parts. CNC milling is a cutting process in which material is removed from a block metal or plastic by a rotating tool. In CNC milling the cutting tool (called a ?mill?) is moved in all three dimensions to cut a desired shape from stock.
In this process, the material is usually removed by both the end and the side of the cutting tool. Unlike a drill which removes material only from the end, in CNC milling the cutting tool rotates about an axis that is perpendicular to the table that holds the work. Cutting tools of various profile shapes are available including square, rounded, and angled. A wide variety of part shapes and geometries are possible. The most common are the ?end mill? which finishes to a flat bottom surface while a ?ball mill? has a rounded end.
A wide variety of 2D and 3D shapes are possible in the process. Some of the examples of CNC milling are engine components, custom jigs and mold tooling, complex mechanisms, enclosures, etc.
The thing CNC Milling does especially well is create complex shapes block material. While CNC milling can be used on 2D projects, there are lots of other choices for thin stock. Waterjet cutting and plasma cutting, for example, come to mind. But thick stock, needing metal removed? That?s where CNC milling shines. The CNC Milling process proves to be cost effective for short runs.
In the event you run into large production quantities, then you might wish to consider cast or forged parts.
When you set about designing a new custom part, keep a wide range of cutting machines in mind. Depending upon the production quantity you can model the cost of Laser Cutting, Turret Punch or Fixed punches, and the cast or forge decision.
The easy way to get started making custom CNC parts is to design them in free 3D CAD software available from www.emachineshop.com, the world?s first online machine shop. Once a part is draw, it can be assigned to different machines and prices and deliveries compared. If you like your design, eMachineShop is only too happy to build it for you.
George is a well-known author who writes on topics related to machining, precision sheet metal fabrication, for the site www.emachineshop.com
Categories: CNC Plasma Tags: Milling, Process
Design Software For CNC
What I used to do…
Before I found design software I was in the stone ages. I would actually hand lay out a template on a piece of paper. Then cut it out. Next, I would tape the design onto a piece of steel and trace around it with a Sharpe Marker. Finally, I would cut out the piece I wanted.
No matter what, it was never exact. There would always be something wrong. Things like wavy lines, gouges and “unique parts” were the norm. Measurements were never as exact as I would have liked either. That usually caused some fit-up issues, followed by some grinding. If you know anything about fabrication, grinding is the enemy of your time.
Why use Design Software?
I knew there had to be a better way so I found some design software to try out. Yes, it does take some time to learn. Think about it, like anything else in life, something that is worth it takes some time. This is also the situation of taking one step backwards to move ten steps forward.
Here are some advantages of using Design Software:
Saved file you can use over and over
Transfer the design to others
Can use exact measurements
Repeatability in design
Here are some disadvantages of using Design Software:
Cost money
Takes time to learn
May not be the quickest way of making something if it is a “One Off”
My Definition of Design Software
If you are an engineer, you will probably consider CAD Software as design software. That is true. But what I am talking about here is “Creative” Design Software. These software packages are used by creative types for print, web design and logo design. This software is great for creating designs that flow and are artistic in some way.
Design software can be boiled down to what it is good at. If you want to make a square with a hole in it or a triangular gusset, then CAD type design software works great. If you want to cut out a Cowboy on a Horse, then “Creative” Design Software is the only way to go.
Here are some examples of work for “Creative” Design Software:
Plasma Art
Router Art
Signs
Engraving
Every cnc machine has quirks that you need to learn. Every cnc machine has a different working envelope. Every cnc machine is just a little bit different then the rest of them. It is in your best interest to learn your machine before you put it to work.
Generally, with a cnc machine, we are machining something. While machining, “chips” are being thrown off. Sometimes at a very rapid speed. Here is where safety glasses, face shields and material barriers come into play. Use them! The machine doesn’t know you are standing there. In the words of every boxing ref before a match, “protect yourself at all times!”
Every cnc machine has quirks that you need to learn. Every cnc machine has a different working envelope. Every cnc machine is just a little bit different then the rest of them. It is in your best interest to learn your machine before you put it to work.
Categories: CNC Plasma Tags: Design, Software
