The capabilities are endless. In this video a Tracker Pro Table plasma cutting system is cutting a logo and company name into 2″ square tubing.
These tubes will be used as fence posts components for a patio area. The posts are intended to be backlit with neon tubes when the project is complete. Very, very creative.

Tags: fence posts, neon tubes, plasma cutting system, table, Tracker, video

Here is another machine that we tested before we shipped out to our customer. We use 2×4’s for support so we don’t cut up their new grate table to pieces, I am sure you would appreciate the same. We love making these signs!

Tags: 2x4, customer, grate, machine, signs, support

Tags: aluminium, cnc machine, feed, plunge, rate

Computer Numerical Control or more commonly called as CNC’s are the new trend in machine shop manufacturing and practice. Any manufacturing environment owns one or is basically acquainted to this kind of device because of its capability to increase productivity as well as consistency on the products being produced.

Benchmarked from Numerical Control (NC) during the late 50’s, Computer Numerical Control incorporate the functionality of a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), meaning you could program it to execute different functions depending on the type of manufacturing that the industry needs.

Given this kind of quality what does the Computer Numerical Control do in the practical application concept? CNC can do a variety of things depending on how the machine operator would program the system. The more acquainted the machine operator is to the CNC machine the more complex applications as well as programming can be made. Practical applications of CNC range from drilling, lathes, multi-axis spindles, milling machines, laser cutting machines, and wire electrical discharge machines.

Let’s discuss some of these common applications further. In Metal fabrication, Computer Numerical controlled Lathe’s are used to fabricate metal sheet by shearing, flame or plasma cutting, punching, laser cutting, forming and welding. Most CNC Lathe’s are used for designing modern carbide tooling. The design could be created with the Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) process, and when done, the CNC could start creating the product automatically with little supervision from the machine operator.

Electrical discharge machining (EDM) is the process of removing metal with the use of electrical sparks to take away the metal. These Electrical Discharge Machine has two types, the vertical EDM and wire EDM. Vertical EDM uses an electrode that is the shape of the cavity to be machined into a work piece. Wire EDM is used to create punch and die combinations in the fabrication industry. Computer Numerical Control EDM’s are not usually known because it is mostly incorporated to other CNC process.

Drilling is the most common machine process. Computer Numerical Controlled Drilling is used to create precise right circular cylinders over a certain material, the CNC could be programmed to create holes on different standards, most of the time this is the gaps between these holes. Drilling is commonly used in wood working manufacturing process in which other process is also involved such as milling, turning and grinding.

Several tools for creating holes with CNC’s involve varied hole sizes as well as drill press for creating different depths on its holes. CNC drills are equipped depending on the type of hole that the machine operator is drilling.

Applications stated above are just a few examples on what the Computer Numerical Control could execute. Depending on how you want it to perform, more complex designs can be made and a lot of things can be made in a shorter period of time, therefore the key concept for the proper use of CNC’s is that the machine operator must know what he or she wants to do.

This makes the CNC an indispensable tool for the Manufacturing Industry nowadays.

Tags: cnc, cnc lathe, computer, computer numerical control, machine, programmable logic controller

Pad printing is used on a lot of industries that includes medical, automotive, promotional, apparel, electronics, appliances, sport equipment and toys. Pads are three dimensional objects typically molded of silicone rubber. They function as a transfer vehicle that picks up ink from the printing plate, and then transferring to the thing to be printed upon.

Examples of pad printing are the printing of labels on the keys on a keyboard or the logo of a toy manufacturer on a Frisbee. The unique properties of a silicone pad allow it to pick the image up in a variety of surfaces such as a flat, cylindrical, spherical, compound angle, textures, concave surfaces or a convex surface.

In presses that uses pad printing with Computer Numeric Control (CNC), the substrate or a material that can be printed on, such as paper, film, plastic, fabric, cellophane, or steel, is stationary and the silicone pads are programmed to print one image at a time.

With a press that uses Computer Numeric Control, the substrate is stationary and the pads are all programmed to one image at a time to achieve a multicolor print.

Though the robotic actions of these presses that uses Computer Numeric Control seems rather complicated, it allows simple setting procedures that enable several programs to be inputted into the machine. All actions are controlled by servo-motor drives giving a very smooth and highly controllable printing action, also giving stroke lengths to be infinitely variable to the dimensions of the machine. Manufacturers even claim that using presses with pad printing capability that uses Computer Numeric Control gives considerable energy savings to the industry.

The Computer Numeric system of control can be built on standard machines or modular assemblies that can be produced to suit any application. The degree of complexity is regulated only by the imagination of the designer of the product/s and the number of modules he wishes to use to complete his desired quota.

All of the elements of component manipulation can be achieved by combining with multiple closed cups, pad cleaning, varying pad-stroke lengths, alternative pad shapes and a lot more. This type of system is often used where items must be printed in line with other assembly processes, or for complex multiple prints on different surfaces.

The flexibility of a Computer Numeric Controlled press comes close to producing the ideal machine for a particular application. Although a CNC press is substantially more expensive than that of a conventional pneumatic press. If the workload can justify the use of a CNC press for the increase in investment, then the CNC press is well worth considering.

Although it is wise to not be carried away by the current technology at hand, it still must be a capable printer.

Tags: computer, computer numeric control, Pad, printing, silicone pad, silicone pads

A plasma reaper performs an economic yet a simple technique in cutting various shapes from metals. Using the plasma cutters, the cutting work can be carried out properly with increased speed and accuracy in cutting different shapes from various metals. They are now a threat towards traditional metalworking tools because of the low level skill possessed by the latter. Plasma is the foundation as to the breaking apart of gas molecules and atoms contained in the energy that these atoms tend to split.

They are extensively used by car manufacturers and in auto shops to modify and set up chassis as well as frames. Construction companies also utilize plasma cutters during large-scale projects in cutting and fabricating metal-sheet goods or huge beams. Locksmiths also utilize plasma reaper to get in to vaults and safes when clients may have been locked out of it.

One major advantage of using a plasma reaper is tending to allow the surface of the metal to still be relatively cool even if it is outside the cutting area. This can prevent any distortion and paint damage which can occur with some flame cutters. A slim heat influenced zone permits the utilization of templates for exact curved line cutting. They are also doing well as gougers as well as piercing metal accurately and quickly.

A plasma reaper can also be utilized in CNC machinery. Today, CNC plasma equipment is able to cut on broad material that gives opportunity for intricate welding ridges on CNC welding equipment which is not likely otherwise.

Tags: plasma, plasma arc, plasma cutters, plasma torch, reaper, welding

HOW TO PROGRAM A CNC MACHINE

CNC programming uses a code similar in structure to BASIC. So, if you know how to construct a simple counting program, chances are, you already know what a G-Code looks like. However, there a few other things you have to consider before you start encoding instructions.

The first thing that you have to do is to assign values for each of the variables. These variables include the programmable motion directions (axes), and the reference point for the axes. The values that you assign to these variables dictate the movement of the machine.

The next thing that you have to do is to take into account the accessories of the machine. Many machines have accessories that are designed to enhance the capabilities of the basic device. However, using these accessories requires you to include them in the coding system. This means that if you want a more efficient machine, you will have to know the machine inside out.

READING CODES

After those steps, you have to create a subprogram that will deal with the math. This step will then allow your machine to compute the necessary variables and effectively operate without stopping to ask the operator what the limitations are.

To show you what these codes look like, here’s an example from Wikipedia:

#100=3   (bolt circle radius)
#101=10  (how many holes)
#102=0   (x position of ctr of bolthole)
#103=0   (y position of ctr of bolthole)
#104=0   (angle of first hole
Tool call,
spindle speed,and offset pickup,etc
G43 in some cases (tool length pickup)
G81(drill cycle)
call sub program
N50
G80
M30

Subprogram
N100
#105=((COS#104)*#100)    (x location)
#106=((SIN#104)*#100)    (y location)
x#105 y#106   (remember your G81 code is modal)
If #100 GT 360 goto N50
#100=(#100+(360/#101))
Goto 100

In the code above, the machine is a drill. The operator utilized a loop in order to keep the machine from stopping. The subprogram then governs the cycle of the machine. This code is still quite a simple code. Other machines require the inclusion of the maximum RPM in the coding.

An easier way of programming CNC machines would be the use of Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM). This system takes on the brunt of programming so that it doesn’t seem so tedious and frustrating. It is still similar to BASIC.

Another programming enhancement that was developed was the parametric programs or the logical commands. These programs were designed to shorten lengthy codes in order to make them user friendly. However, these codes do not always use the same language with every machine. The language and sequence often varies depending on the typ of machine you will be working on.

The operator has to know what the machine can do or what it was made to do before attempting to program it. You should be able to visualize the machine doing what you want it to do.

But, you don’t have to be a math wizard or a programming genius. You just have to know what your machine does and what you want it to do.

Tags: code, computer numerical control, machine, necessary variables, programming, spindle speed

Though you will need more people without the CNC technology, you will need only three very, very skilled people. Call these people your friends, your team, whatever. In the long run, they might be just all you need to keep the shop in good shape.

THE PROGRAMMER

The first person is the CNC programmer. S/he is like the “playmaker”.  S/he will create the programs that the CNC machines are intended to execute. Since the programs are in the form of CNC codes fabricated like sentences, he should have mastered these codes because they work like a different language. The regular CNC machine can use up to 50 codes, so that’s like learning 50 new words for the newbie.

Also, the programmer should have at least and engineering or machining degree. Remember that the CNC machine will only execute WHAT IT IS PROGRAMMED TO DO. If the program is wrong, the whole operation goes down the drain with it. Moreover,s/he should also be flexible and have a fast turn-around because a CNC machine is often used to machine a huge selection of different work-pieces.

THE OPERATOR

The second person that you need is the CNC operator. S/he will simply recheck the programs loaded to the machine and push the right buttons to get the work done. However, thinking that a CNC operator can have little or NO SKILL AT ALL is wrong. A CNC machine operator must have at least basic machining skills and s/he should have undergone some form of training to run a CNC machine.

These machines can produce very intricate motions, making it possible to make shapes that cannot be created on conventional machine tools. So, the operator should foresee this complexity and know how to cruise with it. The skills that an operator must have though, are lesser compared to the operators of conventional machine tools.

THE TECHNICIAN

The third person that will need is the CNC technician. Although this may still be the programmer, it’s more convenient to always have a technical expert on-call because in the long run, you may have more than one CNC machine and you may need to prioritize over the other in case both gets crippled at the same time. Just like the programmer, the technician should also be flexible and articulate. CNC offers a lot of complexity when it’s running right, how much more if it’s behaving badly?

So, if you are having job openings for positions that need to be handling a CNC machine, ask the applicants first to do a demo for you and make sure that during the demo, they know what they’re doing. An exam may also do wonders too. If they have no experience with any kind of CNC machine, it is advisable that you encourage them to take short courses on CNC.

Eighty-hour courses are available online and hey, it’s better than nothing.  Experts even encourage employers to hire CNC machinists who have finished AND PASSED the National Occupational Competency Testing Institute (NOCTI) assessment just so they could be sure that their CNC machines will go to good hands. After all, a CNC machine is still an asset.

Tags: cnc, cnc machine operator, cnc programmer, conventional machine tools, machine, operator