Hopefully this is an appropriate section to post this! However if it would fit better in another sub forum please feel free to move.

I am looking to design(and hopefully build) a completely custom CNC vertical machining center that would have very specific and specialized purpose. This machine would be used in a production environment and be running at least 10 hours a day 5 days a week if not more and would optimally need to be operable via a few basic control buttons(i.e. Start, Stop, E-Stop). Obviously it would need standard CNC controls/interface for machine setup, switching from one part to another and maintenance, but my point is that it would need to be able to basically run the current program over and over at the push of a button. So the operator would open machine, remove last part, clamp new part, close machine, hit run, maybe work on secondary operation while program runs and when program finishes, inspect part and repeat.

I am leaning toward a VMC because for me it is what I am most familiar with and seems like it would be the best fit but I would be open to something like water jet etc. if it was cost effective and meets the needs of the operation.

The basic operation that I am trying to automate is the rough cleanup and removal of Non-ferrous sand castings from the 'tree"(all of the parts of the casting that are not the actual part).

In the sand casting process, after the mold has cooled and the 'tree' has been removed from the sand mold, it is run through a Wheelabrator/shotblaster to remove most of the sand and then the individual parts are manually cut from the tree using an abrasive disk. After that, the individual castings are ground by hand to remove the 'gate' (part that connects the individual part casting to the rest of the casting tree) and any flashing or casting defects. Last, the cast parts are run through a vibratory tumbler and polisher before they go to machining or assembly.

Because this process is so labor intensive I would like to design a CNC that one would basically clamp the casting tree into and the tool would go around the part cleaning up any flashing, then cutting the gate off, removing the part from the tree. My thought is that any holes that need to be drilled could also be drilled at this time and in fact almost any rough machining needed could be done at this time as long as the part is oriented properly.

The reason I am posting this here is that I would like any advice on the general design and layout of the machine, any suggestions as far as what components to use and in general, how realistic this would be to build?

Also just for a sense of scale, the mold size is roughly 2'x3' and 6" to 8" deep at extreme so that should give an idea of the size of the table and movement of the Z.

Thanks in advance for any reply's!!!!!!