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Hi guys,
Wondering if anyone could help me looking to produce loads of small components from thin sheet of tin and perspex possibly around 1mm possibly slightly more......
So could anyone recomment a machine that would suit this job.... can I write the programme on a laptop and connect it up...
Any help would be much appreciated
Steve
Depending upon what you mean by loads, a mill or router is not the solution for sheetmetal. At least not in the volume I would consider to be loads of parts.Quote:
Originally Posted by cncsteve777
You can write any program you want. A working program is another story.Quote:
So could anyone recomment a machine that would suit this job.... can I write the programme on a laptop and connect it up...
Details, detail, details. Honestly it doesn't sound like a milling or routing machine is what you need. I could be wrong but if you offer up more details you might get more replies.Quote:
Any help would be much appreciated
Steve
If you had a mill, you could make a die that would simplify the production of your sheet metal parts. Are you talking about pure tin sheet, or tinned steel? Tin is a lot softer, and wouldn't require as powerful a press.
As for the acrylic, that's best cut with a laser.
Yes would be made from a sheet of tin... how much could I get a lazer cutter from.... was only think of mini mill or router as thought I would beable to produce both with this and with the tin I can fold into shape after its been cut.......Attachment 238178
Attachment 238180
A mill or router would not be high on my list of machines for making those parts. I'd find a local shop that does laser or water jet cutting, and metal forming. They could knock out a ton of those in no time, for little money. You'd have to do a HUGE quantity of them to recoup the cost of buying any machine, and by the time you were done, you'd probably still have a couple of hours of your time in each one.
Regards,
Ray L.
I have to agree with Ray above you need to consider contracting those parts out. Now I'm not against building up a shop just that to get started commercial machines to cut out those parts would be a bit on the expensive side. This especially when it comes to the Lexan part which can be done a sheet at a time on a water jet, laser or even a router.Quote:
Originally Posted by cncsteve777
The tin object is a bit different but even then a good shop can knock those out pretty fast most likely using a couple of different machines.
You have not indicated quantities here but if it does become mass production ( for the lexan part) I'd look at a larger format machine, probably a laser, that can handle standard sheet goods. The tin part would require a bit more machinery to complete economically so you might want to keep contracting that out for some time.
It should be noted that doing the lexan part on a router type machine might be doable. It is a question of radiuses in the part and acceptable tool (cutter) diameters. The big problem with this sort of material and routers is work holding which is problematic with sheet goods.