Re: CNC Software and machine
You can use Fusion 360 for CAD/CAM, which is free if you make less than $100,000/year.
When you say small quantities, can you clarify?
Define cost effective? The more you spend, the faster you'll be able to make them. But if you want to make them fairly quickly, with consistent quality, I'm guessing you'd need to spend $10K-$15K, maybe more?
Re: CNC Software and machine
It's hard to say from your picture, but it looks like that clamp has at least 7 parts: a base and floating block in aluminum, a hook and shaft in steel, an insert and bushing in brass, and that handle. Are you planning to make it all from scratch? What do you need these things for? It's hard to believe that it would be cheaper to make them than to buy them ready-made, if you only need a small quantity (3 per day, or even 15 of them). Leaving aside the cost of machinery and tooling, what's a day of your time worth? How much does a clamp like that cost, wholesale?
Re: CNC Software and machine
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The products will have to be of good fit and finish, no rough machining, no burrs.
The parts in the picture are not straight off of the machine. They have undergone a secondary finishing process.
Re: CNC Software and machine
You download and install the free trial. When your 30 days are up, you can sign up for a hobbyist/startup license, which is free. There's a list of the license types here:
https://knowledge.autodesk.com/suppo...mber-2016.html
Re: CNC Software and machine
Quote:
Originally Posted by
McCarthy
Thank you for your reply. I just checked the website of AutoDesk. Are you talking about the 3 year educational version? Won't I have to prove my registration with school or college paperwork?
They also have a ''start up'' registration that is also free. But no, you don't have to have any educational paperwork, AutoDesk just wants it out in the world.
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In the beginning it will be about 3 products a day. A clamp like that consists out of about 4 parts, so we are talking 12 parts altogether. The other parts I will have to source.
Later on I should be able to make maybe 15 products a day (60 parts) with the same, initial setup.
The products will have to be of good fit and finish, no rough machining, no burrs.
I would be looking for a Tormach 1100 or better yet a Haas TM-1P or TM-2P. Those parts would palletize really well so once the fixturing was built you could make a bunch of them in a hurry.
Burr control is a matter of using sharp tools and order of operation. Then tumble or vibratory deburr before sending out to anodize.