September 2012 ~ CNC Infomation System

3D printed 2D printers

Sounds crazy, but it is done. UVA students 3d printed most of the parts for 2d printers.

6 Tips For Cutting Aluminium By China CNC Router

OMNI often receive the inquiry about China cnc router cut aluminium, and many of them used to cut wood, plastic, foam etc. We replied yes, but people may need more details about it.

There are some tips you may should notice before you start working on aluminium.

Aluminium or other metal is with less lower feed speed than wood or plastic. And the rpm for spindle also should be slower.

See following more details you should know about China cnc router cut aluminium.

1. Be patient
Considering Aluminium is harder than wood and plstic, after you work on aluninium, you better use lower rpm and feeding speed. So it will take longer time to finish the work. So you need be patient.

2. Use the China cnc router bits special for aluminium work.
For getting find cutting result, suggest you use china cnc router bits special for aluminium work. This bits is with carbide coated. This bits is rather strong enough for such hard work.

3. Use smaller diameter cutters

Smaller diameter China cnc router bits could make more force on the material according to force thory.

4. Watch cut depths and slotting–they make it harder to clear chips

The deeper you cut and the closer to a slot the cutter travels in, the harder it is to clear the chips out of the bottom of the hole. Make more passes to cut down to required depth and to open up the shallower depths for better access.

5. Use mist sprayer to cool down the China CNC router bits and sourrouding area temrature

Offering mist sprayer to China cnc router bits and its sourrouding air to cool down temprature, this could last the bits life time.

6. Don’t slow down the feedrate too much!

If you go too slow on your feedrate, you run the risk of making your tool rub rather than cutting.

Machining aluminum with China CNC Router requires strong cnc router capability. Suggest you use superior quality spare parts on the China cnc router for some key parts, such as spindle, transmission part etc.

New stereolithogaphy 3d printer - Form 1

Form 1 affordable prosumer stereolithograpy 3d printer by Formlabs. They got all the funding in one day ... and then some. Technology sure is advancing rapidly ...

Be sure to check their Kickstarter page for detailed specifications:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/formlabs/form-1-an-affordable-professional-3d-printer

China CNC Router Cut Plexiglass Or Acrylic

China CNC Router Cut Plexiglass or Acrylic

Firstly, you need to mount on single or double flute bit on China cnc router. This bit shape is special designed for plexiglass and acrylic cutting, because it can remove the powder efficiently after cutting, and it does not stick powder, in this way, it can ensure the cutting quality.
Then you design the program in CAD software. Then you input this program to China cnc router control system with the right format which control system could read.
Now put plexiglass or acrylic sheet on China cnc router, then turn on vacuum pump switch to absorbing material on the working table.
Then turn on China CNC router, give command to cnc router and ask it to start the work as the program file. Before do this, you need to fix the homepoint by the tool sensor offered by OMNI CNC router.
Suggest you use dust collection system, since it can take away the acrylic powder from acrylic or plexiglass sheet.

3d print farms - how to make money with your 3d printers?

Recently I saw large and small 3d printer farms on several sites, like this one with fleet of Ultimakers

I was wondering what was their purpose and it seems it is mostly commercial one. Owners use them to print parts for other 3d printers and sell them, print models for individual customers, print series of models for various entities and purposes (conferences, promotional material 3d objects etc.). I don't have the figures, but it seems like the sector is growing fast. Maybe I'm wrong. Do you know of someone running 3d print farm? What is their business model?

Laywoo - 3d printable wood

New advancement in 3d printing filament. This filament has wood added in it and has some interesting aesthetic and technical properties.

LAYWOO-3D is a printable wood for reprap 3D-printers (that lay down layers of molten material)
This new filament allows to print wood polymer composite (wpc) objects with annual rings - and that without warp !
features:
- zero warp
- rough or smooth surface possible during one print
- paintable-able, grindable - printable tree-rings
- print temp: from 185°C bright to 230°C dark appearence, stics well on print bed, no heated bed necessary

- the filament contains 40% recycled wood

Kamermaker - extra large 3d printer

Granite Stone CNC Wood Router

OMNI Granite Stone Cutting and Engraving CNC Wood Router Machine 1300*2500 Mm's Specifications,Features or Performance are as follow :
Application:
Carving on granite, marble, bluestone, sandstone, glass, stone, etc.
Hard stone such as Granite: Carvings can be layered to 3mm
Marble, bluestone, etc. Can be sculpture to 3mm

For marble, granite, artificial stone, tombstones, stone, tiles, glass and other materials

Features:
1. CNC Wood router adopt imported linear square orbit, double row four rank rolling ball slippers. Steady, smooth, accuracy, long service lifetime.
2. Seamless welded steel structure, not easy deformed. The work table sheet backing, the machine can bear 1MT weight at least.
3. Constant power spindle, highly cutting capability, high efficency
4. It is compatible with Type3/Artcam/Castmate/wentai and the other CAD/CAM designing software.
5. Dual direction cooling system can prolong the cnc wood router tool's service life-time.

How To Make Program on CNC Wood Router

How To Make Program on CNC Wood Router
CNC Wood Router is rather popular in the morden instrument industry.
CNC wood router could allow woodworker to make out precise carving pieces quickly. Such as viloin makers, photo frame etc who need to produce a number of similar products.
There are several steps you need to do:
1. Input the dimentsion of work piece into the command console. X axis represents the length of the workpiece, Y is the width, and Z is the height.
2. Creat the milling program. Enter the depth and direction of each cut as well as the number of passes required to reach the finished cut depth. Repeated shallow cuts reduce the risk of tear-out.
3.Select the router path and speed. The path and direction of each pass is best determined by the piece's final shape. Adjust the cutter speed on CNC wood router for the properties of the wood. Fine-grained hardwoods like maple burn quickly. Fast, light passes work well with this type of material. Open-grain hardwoods like oak dissipate heat rapidly. Slower, slightly heavier cuts can be made safely with these woods.

4.Save the program and test it with scrap wood. Testing the initial program on a scrap piece allows you to correct mistakes in programming before you ruin an expensive piece of material.

MakerBot Replicator 2 is out!

Bigger printing, same size, metal box, 2199$, 100 micron resolution, MakerBotPLA ...

Update: It looks like it's moving away from open source, interesting debate on Hackaday.

How To Carve Wood On CNC Wood Router

Here is the instruction for you to guide you to carve wood on cnc wood router.

1. Firstly, please create program on the software, such as AutoCAD such software, then output the suitable program format with program edit software, such as Type3, ArtCAM, AlphaCam etc. Then set the tool path, choose cutter, set spinlde rpm in the program edit software. After this done, then output the program to the machine control unit

2. Now mount on cnc wood router bits or drill to the spindle collet, hold tightly, orelse it will come out may hurt operator if you do not make it tightly.

3. Now we lift the mateiral to working table, fixing it by clamp or vacuum system. Move it to see if it is fixed tightly. Then operate on cnc wood router control system to move the spindle head to the home point. This homepoint is the position that you want the spindle start working.

4. After setting home point for x, y and z, then turn on spindle, press start working. Please notice that when you start working, please start with lower feeding speed rate, then speed up slowly to see the right speed. In OMNI's cnc wood router control system, it can estimate the processing time and see the working path before start processing on cnc wood router. So you can have a plan and know very well for your work.

5. For wood carving, suggest you use dust collector system to collecting wood powder to cloth bag. In this way, the wood powder will not affect cnc wood router or operator or environment.

About CNC Wood Router G Code

About CNC Wood Router G code

CNC Router can read G code. Well, what is G code? General code is the programming language that CNC wood router read to cut a digitally created design into wood or another material. A basic code created by most computer-aided design and manufacturing software, G-code typically is written as a "g" followed by a two-digit code that indicates different aspects of the cutting job, such as cutting axis, motor speed or type of drilling. Similarly, M-codes are included in the programming language to operate external devices such as spindles or coolant systems, and to end the program.

What software can creat such G code? Many CAM software can do it. Such as type3, Artcam, Ucancam, UG, AlphaCAM etc.

What should I do after I get G code file? Please input it to cnc wood router machine control system, then the system could read it.

What Spare Parts Mainly On CNC Wood Router

The CNC Wood Router Control System
CNC control system just like the brain of person. This control system for cnc wood router can be PC with motion control card and software, also can be DSP handle box with USB interface, and also can be PC platform control system, which with ethernet and FC card interface. These control system for basic model could read program, give command to machine for move, stop, speed up, speed down, turn on and turn off spindle, spindle speed adjustment etc. The advanced control system could read the program, estimate the whole program processing time, read the processing position number, edit program etc.

CNC Wood Router Spindles
The CNC router spindles just like hands. It is with collets, which could hold cnc wood router bits for processing material. For cnc wood router spindle, it can be seperated to aircooling, watercooling, can be seperated as spindle with auto tool changing function, spindle with auto tool changing function, can be seperated as spindle for 3 axis, spindle for 4 axis, spindle for 5 axis. Spindles are from 800w to 12kw, so choosing right spindle is rather crucial for your processing work.

The Linear Drive Systems
The three axes in the CNC Wood Router have a linear drive system. This system drives the router spindles in the direction of each axis. The CNC Router linear drive systems includes stepper or servo motors, a linear bearing system and some lead screw assembly. Power from the motor provides rotational power to the lead screw assembly and the motor also links the mechanics and the electronics systems of the CNC wood router. The linear drive systems have two types of motors: the stepper motors and the servo motors. Stepper motors offer good performance and are very reliable; however they do not offer a closed-loop system. Servo motors offer a closed-loop system. Each motor has its own controller system.

Vacuum Holding Down System

When people work on acrylic, wood, pvc etc, they use clamp or vacuum holding down system to fix workpiece. Vacuum holding down system includes vacuum table, vacuum pump, vacuum pipes, vacuum switches.

CNC Wood Router Operation Tips

CNC Wood Router Operation Tips
The CNC wood router is very sharp. In order to avoid the injury, do not touch the CNC wood router head with hands while operating.
Do not insert and pull out the serial cable linked with the computer with electricity.
Do not insert and pull out the serial cable of the control box with electricity.
In order to ensure safety and prevent interfering, the shell of the computer and the CNC wood routershould be connected to the earth wire.
Please turn off the power in time when the cnc wood router machine does not work..
Please pull out the plug if the cnc wood router machine does not work for a long time.
The life-span of main shaft motor bearings is inversely proportional to its rotational speed.

Choosing Location For CNC Wood Router

CNC Wood Router's system is a computer control system, has certain demands for the environment of the electric network. There should not exist welder, lathe frequently start, electric tool and radio station on the electric network. The strong interferes from the electric network will cause abnormal working of the system. The space around the machine should be reserved enough for operating and cleaning the cutting. Adjust four adjustable undercarriages till the machine is stable. The front of the operating platform should be higher than the back, and the right is level with the left. The Computer links the CNC wood router with the serial cable. The serial cable is unsuitable to extend and so as to ensure the dependability of the communication data. The computer can be placed on optional position where the length of the serial cable allows. Placing on the left of the CNC wood router is preferred.

How To Open CNC Wood Router Wooden Case

How To Open CNC Wood Router Wooden Box

The cnc wood router packing box comprises bottom, left / right frame and five wood boards (front, back,
left, right and top). First open the five wood boards, lift the bottom slightly. Pull out the
pins，then the cnc wood router machine can be lifted.
Take away the wooden pieces which fixed on the wooden bottom for fixing cnc wood router machine. Measure the four sides (front, back, left and right) of the operating platform by level instrument. Adjust height of the undercarriages till the left side and the right side of the operating platform are on a horizontal plane, the back is 5-10mm lower than the front to make for easier r

Create PCB On CNC Wood Router From JPG

Preparation For CNC Wood Router To Work On It

1Download the free Inkscape software.

2Import your JPG image of the circuit board design by clicking on "File" and "Import." Make sure you embed the image instead of linking to it
3Select your image by going to "Edit" and "Select All."Tracing Bitmap Path

4Go to "Path" and "Trace Bitmap."

5Click the "Edge Detection" button then click the "Update."

6Manipulate the settings until the image outline is complete, if a preview doesn't show a good outline.

7Click "OK" and close the "Trace Bitmap" dialog box.

8Delete the imported JPG image.Finishing the Image

9Look over the image to ensure your graphic was completed.

10Click "Object" and "Fill and Stroke" while the image is still selected.

11Click the "Stroke" paint tab, then the "Flat" color button. All paths should be outlined.

12Delete any paths you don't want by pressing "Select" and "Delete."

13Complete the graphic by making all of the paths into a single one by clicking "Edit," "Select All," "Path" and "Exclusion." Save the image into the needed format for your computer-aided design (CAD) program to cnc wood router.

Repair for converter motor on cnc wood router
1. It’s recommended that the bearings of the electric spindle on cnc wood router requiring replacement or other types of repairs should be returned to the manufacturer’s plant or submitted to the designated maintenance departments.
2. When self-replacement or dissembling is required, send for a specialized operator of cnc wood router, as well as use special dissembling tools. Forcible beating should be strictly prohibited to avoid the damage to parts.
3. During assembling, wash clean each part with highly graded gases to prevent the dirt from entering the shell and impacting the spindle’s precision and life, and blown it dry with clean compressed air.
4. Line the bearings in the consistent manner with the original ones, with both interior and exterior shock insulators in running-in. Press the bearing into the shaft and the shell, and the beating is strictly prohibited.
5. After the bearing is well fit, adjust the precision of the spindle radially, on its end face and in its inner hole, and make all its bounces less than 0.004 mm before putting into use.
6. For the partial or fatal damages due to the user’s own dissembling operation, the user should assume the costs in replacing or maintaining the part on cnc wood router. (For the demands in bearings, special greases, and so on, please feel free to contact our Company.)

Operation Instructions for CoolingWater Pump on cnc wood router
The engraving machine can be supplied with one to two water pumps, one for spraying cutting fluid in cooling cutters, and the other for the cooling of the water-cooling spindle motor of cnc wood router. The air cooling motor doesn’t require cooling the water pump.
When the water pump of cnc wood router is used for the first time or after being placed for a period of 6 time, the pipe will be filled with air. So there will be the phenomenon that the cooling water does not cycle or the cutting fluid nozzle does not spray after the water pump is powered on. In case that there is air in the cooling pipe in the spindle motor for cnc wood router, pulled off the cooling backwater hose from the 6mm connector on the water pumping station with the spindle switch turned on. Use the aspirator pump or mouth to exhale the air inside it until water comes into the backwater hose and the normal water back flows. Then plug back the connector onto the hose and resume operation. In case that the cutting fluid nozzle does not spray, pull off the water outflow hose from the nozzle with the water pump switch turned on. Use the aspirator pump or mouth to exhale the air inside in until water flows out. To prevent the air from reentering the cutting fluid pipe after the pump is powered off, turn off the discharge valve over the nozzle before powering off the pump of cnc wood router. This way, when the pump is switched on again, the water can flow out after the discharge valve is o

CNC Wood Router Routine Maintenance

CNC Wood Router Routine maintenance
After the work of cnc wood router is completed each day, the mains switch on cnc wood router should be powered off and timely measures should be taken to clear the cutting scraps on the workbench and the return water conduit at two sides of the workbench. Particularly when the cutting fluid is applied, the timely measures should be taken to clear the cutting scraps on the copper wire mesh at the back end of the return water conduit of the workbench
(There is one hole in the middle of the copper wire mesh, which can be hooked up with iron wire), to avoid clogging.

Troubleshooting for error engraving on cnc wood router
1. The engraved letters and graphs on cnc wood router are inconsistent with the typesetting sizes. Solution: In the disposition procession settings, set the resolution of the machine tool at: 80
2. Troubleshooting for step losses in any direction at X, Y and Z:
a. Check whether the guide rail in the direction is too tight, which causes step losses.
b. Check whether the step motor on cnc wood router in the direction is fast connected.
c. Check whether the special cables in the maneuvering box is properly connected, whether there is a pin retraction or disconnection. Replace it with a backup cable line and test it.
3. Troubleshooting for unsmooth engraved letter or graph contour:
a. Unscrew the cutter holder head, and turn around the cutter before reclamping, thus ensuring that the blades particpate in the cutting process.
b. Replace with new cutters.
c. Increase or decrease the speed of spindle of cnc wood router to adapt to different materials.
4. Troubleshooting for frequent breaking
a. Mount the cutter properly for its wide-range nose swinging movement can easily cause breaking.
b. Eliminate the clearances between slipways on X, Y and Z directional coordinates.
c. Increase of decrease the speed of spindle to adapt to different materials.
d. Decrease the cutting depth of one cut and separate the cutting into twice or several times.
e. Select the engraving knife with comparably large cutter angles.
f. Select the cutter with high quality for cnc wood router.

Misplacement Occurs On CNC Wood Router

Why will the phenomenon of misplacement (step loss) occur on cnc wood router?

1. During graphic typesetting, the maximum size of the output graphs must be smaller than the cnc wood router machine’s actual working travel, or else such problems as misplacement or graffito will occur.
2. During graphic typesetting, be noted that no parts should be placed outside X and Y axes (shifting to

Why Will The Phenomenon of CNC Wood Rotuer Tool Occur?

Why will the phenomenon of tool bound occur?

1. For the curved surface of cnc wood router with comparably large height difference of engraving, you must firstly try to move the spindle motor up and down. Ensure that there will be still a certain allowance from Z-directional guide rail to the maximum limit location when the tool is at the maximum point of the curved surface, or else, it will probably be withheld for the upward movement of Z-directional guide rail has exceeded the maximum movement range, and after that, all the graphs will be moved down for some distances, causing the tool of cnc wood router to be bound.
2. After the workpiece engraving completes, it should automatically execute the end directive for the file output. The tool nose will be raised to 3.75 mm above the surface of the workpiece, when the Z coordinate of the tool nose is at –100. If it 10 sends the directive for the next graph, the tool nose will conduct deep cutting according to the correct depth. If the maneuver control box of cnc wood router locate the tool hose at the workpiece’s surface, please be sure to reset once before again outputting graphs, or else the tool hose will firstly lower 3.75 mm for the current location (The software believes that it currently only reaches Z = 0, i.e. the workpiece surface.) before setting to the defined depth to engrave, thus causing the tool of cnc wood router to be bound.

CNC Infomation System

Source of knowledge CNC system and information technology.

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