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IndustryArena Forum > MetalWorking > MetalWork Discussion > Advantages to CNCing uneconomically
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Posts
    12

    Advantages to CNCing uneconomically

    New to the world of CNC I see everything as (potentially) being CNC-able, why not !

    However, subtractive manufacturing is costly, as with the example below, if it ever were to be made:

    https://imgur.com/a/mcb45PV


    That aside, what genuine advantage would there be to CNC manufacturing this that anybody could think of ?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Posts
    5728

    Re: Advantages to CNCing uneconomically

    Some projects are better suited to CNC production than others. But as you point out, it can be expensive to make things that way. For the items you point at, which seem to be made from cut-out metal sheet, it wouldn't necessarily be cost-effective to make them on a CNC mill. But a CNC laser could do it if you only needed to make a few of them. For mass-production, though, you'd probably use a CNC mill to make dies that stamped out the sheet, after which other processes would be used to roll them into cylinders and attach the fittings.
    Andrew Werby
    Website

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Posts
    4282

    Re: Advantages to CNCing uneconomically

    Hi,

    However, subtractive manufacturing is costly, as with the example below, if it ever were to be made:
    I'm not sure I agree with that. Have you noticed that the plastic mass from 3D printers is often just plain rubbish? Despite being 'acryllic' or whatever, if you compare its
    mechanical properties to a piece of solid acryllic.....there is just no comparison. The 3D printed stuff is porous and has substandard strength.

    You can print metals .......at huge cost.

    About the only time that I would say that additive manufacture is advantageous is something like a re-entrant section, or some other physical shape that milling cannot
    do, or at least without the complication of making in two parts.

    Craig

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Posts
    12

    Re: Advantages to CNCing uneconomically

    The only role for CNC to play here is to create the template for the stamping process then.

    I was just wondering if further embellishments or patterns could be made that stamping would find challenging.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Posts
    12

    Re: Advantages to CNCing uneconomically

    Here is another lamp shade, only smaller and clearly with a joining that would surely be a job better done by CNC:

    https://imgur.com/a/mA4qV8t

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Posts
    4282

    Re: Advantages to CNCing uneconomically

    Hi,
    I use a process called 'isolation routing' to make PCBs. Normally a circuit board is made by sending the computer design files to a board house, and they use
    a photo-etching process to make the PCB. Its a good and economical method. It does take some time though. At the current time Chinese companies dominate
    because of price. So I can get a board made cheap, and then they post it to New Zealand....three weeks if everything goes well!

    Isolation routing means that I can design my board, apply CAM software to generate Gcode and have my CNC mill make the board. Its slower and less cost effective
    as a production process, but no shipping delays. As I type this I am making a small PCB for a customer. I designed the PCB this morning, then made the PCB by isolation routing
    and my machine has just stopped, so about an hour or so, and now I can populate and program the board. It'll be done by this afternoon and my customer will pay
    cash for it today. No waiting around.

    This is where a CNC process can be extremely useful......'Time to market'.

    Craig

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