Thread: Advice on Small CNC Machine for making packers

Do not know how many you would be making say per week, There sound simple enough to make.
It might be easier to find a hobbyist with a cnc nearby that could run some up on short notice then learn the ins and outs of CNCing.
I make odds and ends for a few companies near me, works out good all round.
My 2 cent worth

Russell

Hi Russel,
Maybe 10 or 20 pieces a week, having something on site i guess opens more options to us and would also help with product development.

Originally Posted by tonycrh

HI Guys,
Apologies in advance CNC machines are not field however i find my self requiring one for work.
What we want to be able to do is machine packers for our hardware products, example a customer might require a packer to pack out a coolroom hinge etc so it would only be simple shapes. My hope was to have a small unit where we could keep a file of available packers on a computer then just produce to order.

material would be Delrin.
Max thickness would be 25mm
Max material size 150 x 250, but there would be 20 or 30 smaller sizes.
Design Program thats easy to use, we run PC & Mac's.

If its ok i can send a link to our web site showing what products need to have a packer available.

Thanks all

Hi Tony

hopefully one of the members who uses a CNC at their work will see this and respond.

However, from my perspective what you're looking for is a big ask.
You're buying for a business so the boss is unlikely to want to pay someone to tinker for weeks with "free" software and a kit of parts to get a hobby machine up and running.
so you'll want a CNC solution that's ready to go out of the box. one with true 3D ability and possibility 5 or 6 axis milling.
Even a small 600 x 600 unit with a good vacuum table will cost serious money, as along with the CNC, you will also need proper dust extraction and low quality vacuum tables allow parts to move while they are being milled.

Software
I have yet to see a 3D design program that is "easy to use"
I have some experience with Solidworks which is relatively easy to use for creating simple 3D solid objects. Maybe "relatively easy" is not the correct term for someone new to CAD.
However, it has a relative steep learning curve.



Personally I think you have two realistic options
1. find a hobbyist who lives nearby who can mill the spacers for you.
2. make your spacers with a combination of hand and power tools

OH

another option is a 3D printer.
However you would need to confirm that the material used by the printer is suitable for your packers

What Ian said is what I was thinking.
For that many I do not think 3d printing will work besides the strength of 3d printing is not great.
Can you tell us where your are?

Russell

HI Ian,
yes its a bit of a big ask, when you say serious money what are we talking about, I would be looking to spend around $2000-$5000. I am happy to take on a learning curve in regards to the software. Please keep in mind the shapes are not complex.

I guess another option would be to look at doing it by hand maybe using some router table jigs?

hi Russell

it appears that a 3D printer can be configured to print with Delrin

However, inexpensive desktop printers would be too slow -- like hours per packer. which puts Tony back in the really serious money realm

Originally Posted by tonycrh

HI Ian,
yes its a bit of a big ask, when you say serious money what are we talking about, I would be looking to spend around $2000-$5000. I am happy to take on a learning curve in regards to the software. Please keep in mind the shapes are not complex.

When I mentioned "serious money" I'm thinking you would have to add at least a ZERO to your price range and maybe a TWO or THREE at the front.

I'm thinking that $2000 might get you a kit of parts for a 3D engraver which you'd have to assemble and debug yourself, while $5000 should get you a working CNC which uses 1/8" tooling. For what you want to do I'm thinking you'd be looking to use tooling with 1/2" or bigger shanks.

A Solidworks licence -- with proper end user support -- might set you back $5000 per annum.

I guess another option would be to look at doing it by hand maybe using some router table jigs?

for 10 to 20 pieces per week and 20 to 30 shapes my suggestion would be to contract someone to make you a set of table saw and router jigs. That is unless you are confident that you can build efficient jigs yourself.

If you want to have a look a t the cad/cam side have a look at fusion 360. Depending on the complexity of your parts you might getaway with other free software, but there do have limitation that will later become a frustration as you get more into making your own parts.
Router jigs do not let you change the design and do one off quickly.
Do your have a drawing/photo of what we are talking about?
Russell

thanks guy, my budget seems well and truly blown, i think i might head down the track of a router jig, something i feel that i might be able to handle.
Dam was hoping to get a new toy in the office

if it's a new toy you should investigate 3D printing which might be an option for smaller spacers.

this one is within your budget https://ultimaker.com/en/products/ul...specifications and might be able to produce some of your smaller spacers within a reasonable time, say less than 10 minutes


I don't think I've ever used Delrin, but before you attack a piece with a router you might like to investigate how well it cuts and shapes with hand tools.
If it's like many plastics, it will cut easily with the right tools (saws, chisels, planes, rasps, files) and given your small number per week and many different sizes / shapes, hand machining is likely to be much faster than using a router

Originally Posted by ian

one with true 3D ability and possibility 5 or 6 axis milling.

Why on earth would you need 5 axis machining to cut hinge packers??

A simple 3 axis benchtop machine should have no trouble cutting out shapes and making holes in them.

Dust extraction is a non-issue - Delrin makes chips, not dust, so a shop vac and some cable ties to get the hose where it needs to be will do. Or don't bother with it and just vacuum the area at the end of each cutting cycle.

we don't know the actual shape of the packer -- I would have thought that a simple packer could be made in 2 or 3 passes through a band saw.
so unless the shape is complex -- with right angles required where a vertically mounter router cutter would leave a quarter circle -- I can't see why you'd consider CNC manufacture

Because it's fast, repeatable, accurate, customisable and produces a deliverable product in one go.
Also, a 2 or 3mm bit will leave an internal corner that's near enough to square.