CNC Machining Blog

Posts Tagged ‘metal’

The advancement of technology allowed sheet metal designs to be more complicated. However, this level of complication has surpassed human capabilities (as far as mass production is concerned). The required accuracy for the intricacy of the designs can only be provided by Computer Numerical Controlled (CNC) machines.

The Punch press

An example of a CNC machine that is used in sheet metal manipulation is the punch press. This device uses hydraulic, pneumatic, or electrical power to exert immense pressure to shape the metal and cut it according to the designs. Being computer aided, this machine is capable of rapid positioning and therefore, fast production. Manual punch presses compromise speed for accuracy therefore lessening efficiency.

The punch press works by receiving instructions from a program in a computer. This allows the operator to sit back and relax once the cycle (rapid positioning, punching, and switching of tools) has been initiated. These machines perform operations with accuracy that is measured by the thousandth of an inch.

Introduction of these machines into the sheet metal industry sped up production significantly. And to stay competitive in the global market, such an edge would be needed. However, technology finds ways to improve on this.

New devices

Today, presses have newer versions. The turret punch press is capable of sorting sheet metal into their respective design classes. This means that the new punch presses can operate virtually unattended. Steel manufacturing companies invest in these machines should it mean streamlining of their jobs and increasing production capabilities.

Newer CNC machines can even alert operators who are not in the area if a problem crops up during the sheet metal punching process. This happens by enabling the CNC machine to keep track of the operators’ phones. Therefore, the workload of the operator is relaxed to the point that he/she does not even need to be in the area of operation.

The drawback

However, these machines do not come cheap. A lot of time, money, and effort have to be spent in order to operate the machine to its fullest capacity. Furthermore, there is a shortage of people who are skilled enough to operate such machines. An operator has to be knowledgeable with BASIC programming language, fundamental machining processes, design awareness, and accessory functions.

Furthermore, knowledge of Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) is a big factor in being able to control such machinery. So the capital that you have to spend on understanding these machines have to be justified with the caliber of the operator that you have.

Another drawback that is present is the compatibility of the machines with the current technology that the company has. If they are incompatible, it takes even more time and money to replace current facilities or to restructure the factory in order t accommodate such devices.

The Conclusion

so, if you’re a big company and you want to stay in the race, you have to consider and reconsider investing into these things. The investment may be worth itself a hundred times over but it is a rather risky choice to step into something new. You have to restructure your work schedules, change the requirements for operators, and provide proper training to operators that you want to keep.

These things will cost a lot and will take a while before they reflect what they really are worth.

Tags: manual punch, metal, metal manipulation, Punch, sheet, turret punch press

I want something beginner under 3,000, ideally 800 or less. Willing to pay up to 5,000 if necessary for a good one. Are there any that work with metal And Wood… and other stuff like stone or plastic? What other gear do I need? What’s the best training? I applied for machine tool technology at my local tech school. Will they tech me the manual stuff or are they focused on CBC software stuff? Are there any hobbysized CNC Lathes? Any simple man powered lathes still out there?
*sp CNC
I want to make pseudo-weapons, Geiger-esque sculptures, complex mandalas, useable art like vases. Detail heavy stuff.

How much are and where do I get raw material? Wood isn’t hard to find. What about metal? I’m even thinking about carving discarded scrap metal and plastic!
Would I be better off teaching myself off books? If so what titles and where do I find said books?

I would expect that tech schools teach what is requested from businesses in the area, so you need to ask what is offered.
Metal requires a much stronger lathe than wood with stronger motors gears and bearings. Tools on a wood lathe are hand held on a rest while metal tools must be mounted to withstand the forces involved. Most metal lathes are much more complicated than wood lathes and involve screw positioning and drives for the tool mounts so precision can be held. You could work wood on a metal lathe, but messy as wood chips and oil required for machining mix.
But from what you say you want to make, a lathe is pretty much worthless. Lathes make round things, the only thing you mention that is naturally round is vases and those are not normally turned from metal on a lathe from a solid block. Even if I have missed something, do you really want to put unknown metal chunks in your expensive lathe?
I think you need to do more research because what you may want is metal forming, which can involve lathe forming but the lathe is more like a wood lathe, but also includes a lot of other metal handling skills, most of which are not done specifically by hand (like fenders are shaped with an English wheel, not hammered to shape)
You might contact some of the people involved in Renaissance faire re-enactors and making armor, decorations, and costumes for them as the skills they use are more in line with your desires. If you search on line for "making armor" "making helmets" you will encounter terms like raising and sinking metal and repousse http://users.ticnet.com/mikefirth/repousse.htm Many of these skills are discussed more in silversmithing books (or under whitesmithing) rather than machining metal.
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the Society for Creative Anachronism is people devoted to being really, really accurate about old details, including making stuff the old fashioned way. They do intense research and write papers on what they found – and set up web sites to talk about it.

Tags: lathe, machine tool technology, metal, metal lathes, Wood, wood lathe

Micar – The company business is mechanical processing and part performance upon client’s request.

Duration : 0:2:46

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Tags: CNC, fabricating, fabricators, lathes, machine, Machining, metal, milling, processing, products, shop, steel, tools

The Precision Machining class at BAVTS.

Duration : 0:2:58

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Tags: BAVTS, Bethlehem, CNC, Education, Machining, machinist, metal, milling, Precision, school, vocational

C Machining Services in Chino California provides CNC and conventional machining services.

13503 Vintage Pl # C
Chino, CA 91710
(909) 465-9980

Created by:
http://www.i-spots.net

Duration : 0:5:18

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Tags: CNC, drill, lathe, machine, Machining, manufacturing, metal, mill, press, shop, steel

Rotary Tool Holder For Complete Machining on Turning And Milling Centers. The First and Only Tooling
System using a Single Base
Holder for Collet and Multiple
other Tooling Adapters including Shell Mill, Weldon Shank, Whistle Notch, Weldon Extended, Collet Chuck Extended and many more. This is the Flexible Tooling System that will put you ahead of your competion with better finishes and more in return.

Duration : 0:2:55

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Tags: CNC, Cut, doosan, eppinger, exsys, flex, haas, lathe, live, mazak, metal, mori, okuma, preci, preci-flex, seiki, toolholder, tooling

A video tour of my NYC apartment machine shop and fabrication shop. This is my hobby shop which features a CNC TAIG mill, a 7×14 manual mini-lathe, a Di-acro shear, finger brake and notcher, and various other equipment (bandsaw, grinder, buffer, etc).

I have always learned a lot while touring other people’s shops and hope that folks might see and learn something from this.

Visit http://www.nyccnc.com for more!

Duration : 0:8:28

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Tags: CNC, fab, fabrication, lathe, machine, Machining, metal, metalworking, mill, nyccnc, shop, taig, Tour, Turning

Watch the Centurn CNC lathe demonstration from Industrial Machinery. This machine is for sale and is sold and serviced by Industrial Machinery. For more info call 614-464-4376.

Duration : 0:3:12

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Tags: CNC, cutting, lathe, machinery, Machining, metal, Turning

http://www.glacern.com
http://twitter.com/glacern
Glacern Machine Tools

Mass production turning of an aerospace part. Material is 1.0″ diameter alloy steel. The machine is a Mori Seiki NL2500SY-700 CNC Turning Center with a Y-axis, C-axis on both spindles, live tooling, and a subspindle.

Duration : 0:4:23

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Tags: 6061, aluminum, automation, bishop, Center, chess, CNC, coromant, dnmg, endmill, engraving, fanuc, garr, Glacern, GMT, hanita, kennametal, king, kitagawa, knight, lathe, live, machine, Machining, manufacturing, metal, metalworking, milling, mitsubishi, mori, NL2500, NL2500SY, pawn, queen, Robotics, rook, sandvik, seiki, subspindle, T6, tool, tooling, tools, Turning, VMC

The laser machining process at Metalcraft.

Duration : 0:1:28

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Tags: laser, metal, metalcraft