A CNC machine allows Foam Fabricators produce the typical order of 20 sample models in two days compared to the five days needed to cut the foam pieces by hand. In addition to saving time, the CNC machine frees up engineers who previously had to pitch in and help cut foam pieces when a large quantity of samples were needed. With the exception of one person who loads the foam stock and removes finished pieces, the machine can run unattended around the clock if necessary to turn out a large order. Another benefit of automating the sample production process is that it enables the company to take on jobs it would have lost in the past. "When the shape of the customer's part was too complex to cut by hand, we had to turn away the work," says Nathan Musgrove, an applications engineer at Foam Fabricators' Jefferson, Georgia regional design and test center. "That hasn't happened since we installed the CNC machine. It can accurately cut even the most complex 3D shapes."

Foam Fabricators, headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, is a coast-to-coast network of 14 facilities providing shape molded foam products, packaging, and components. Its foam products are used in the packaging of items such as electronics equipment and appliances, but they can also be found in other applications such as inside bicycle helmets. The company, which has 250 employees, molds a full range of materials including expanded polystyrene (EPS), expanded polyethylene (EPE), expanded polypropylene (EPP), and copolymers such as GECET, ARCEL, and RMER. These raw materials are injected as beads into molds, then heated with steam which causes them to expand and solidify into the finished shape. Foam Fabricators also fabricates flexible materials such as polyethylenes, polyurethanes, polypropylenes, and EPS, both molded and extruded.

Samples for testing

Each of the company's regional design and test facilities is staffed with degreed packaging professionals and fully equipped with the latest in fabricating, drop testing, computerized data acquisition, and CAD systems. When a customer comes to Foam Fabricators with a new product that needs to be packaged, the first step is to work with one of the company's engineers to determine the appropriate material. Once this has been selected, the engineer uses the customer's specifications and CAD geometry to develop a rough design of the foam part. The Foam Fabricators engineer specifies the material, size, and performance characteristics for the product and uses the SolidWorks CAD system to create a 3D model of the initial concept. At this point, most customers request between 20 and 30 samples for drop testing. Some customers have this testing done by Foam Fabricators while others prefer to take the samples and do the testing in-house.

Previously, samples were produced by hand. An engineering assistant used a band saw, drill press, or hot wire to cut the foam, working from the specifications on the SolidWorks CAD drawing. This was a time-consuming process. A typical order for 20 samples took one person about one week to make. When a customer wanted an unusually large number of samples, the work was spread out over numerous people, including engineers. "This was not the best use of engineering time," says Musgrove. "But if we had to produce several hundred samples, that was how we got them done."

There was an additional drawback to producing samples by hand. Some of the shapes that customers needed were not possible to produce this way. For example, a jet ski manufacturer asked Foam Fabricators to make a bow flotation unit, a piece of foam that fits in the bow of a four-man jet ski to provide buoyancy. "This part had a lot of complex geometry and it was impossible to shape it by hand," says Musgrove. "We weren't able to make the sample, so we were unable to take on the job." A third drawback was that the handmade models were not highly accurate since the process of cutting them required some interpolation between surfaces. This was acceptable to some customers, but others wanted greater accuracy.

One of Foam Fabricators' larger customers, who typically requests a large number of samples for its extensive testing program, asked the company to consider using a CNC machine to cut the foam samples. As the company looked into this, they discovered two options: heavy and expensive machining centers primarily designed for metalworking, and inexpensive routers that could not provide the accuracy Foam Fabricators needed. Then they found the Techno Model 160 Production CNC router from Techno Isel, New Hyde Park, New York, which offered a perfect compromise. The machine was very accurate and robust which was designed for production routing and drilling on a wide variety of materials including wood, plastic, MDF, solid surfacing materials, and nonferrous metals. The price and the capabilities included in the Techno CNC system seemed perfect for Foam Fabricators' needs, so the company decided to purchase it. The technical specifications of the Techno machine they selected include a working area for the router of 59 inches by 50 inches and z-axis height of 12 inches, a vacuum hold-down table, 5 horsepower Columbo spindle and a raised gantry for large part clearance. The table features a rapid travel speed of 800 inches per minute, a z-axis cutting force of 200 pounds maximum, 0.0005-inch resolution and repeatability, and 0.003 inches/foot absolute accuracy.

Automated sample production

Now when a customer comes to Foam Fabricators with a request for a new product, the engineer creates the SolidWorks model, as he did in the past. But instead of creating a drawing, he exports the solid model directly into the Techno system's CAM program. Originally designed for metalworking, this CAM program is also well suited for foam because of its ability to generate the most complex contours with little programming effort. In the CAM program, the engineer gives the command and the software creates the toolpaths for cutting the sample. The only additional input required is information such as feed rates and cutting speeds. Total programming time, from when the SolidWorks model is imported into the CAM program until the system is ready to cut foam, ranges from 30 minutes to two hours depending on the complexity of the part.

After a piece of foam stock is fastened to the Techno machine, the operator hits the "start" button and the sample is then carved automatically. The machine does not require any supervision, except to remove the finished piece and attach a new foam block to repeat the process. With this machine, a typical order for 20 samples is completed in two days. Large sample orders no longer require the production assistance of engineers. The machine is simply kept supplied with stock and run until the order is finished.

Foam Fabricators has been very pleased with the reliability of the Techno machine. With just regular lubrication, it functions perfectly. Part of its reliability is due to the materials used in its construction. For example, the machine uses anti-backlash ball screws. These screws have excellent power transmission due to the rolling ball contact between the nut and screws, and this type of contact ensures low friction, low wear, and long life. The ball screws also make it possible to produce parts to the machine resolution of 0.0005 inch. In addition, the machine constructed on steel stress relieved bases with hardened steel linear ways, and ballscrews with servo Motors standard, which offer the best precision performance, speed capacity, and machine longevity. This shaft-and-bearing system produces very smooth, play-free motion and is an extremely rigid system that produces high-quality cuts.

Customers appreciate the faster turnaround on samples. Those who need a high degree of accuracy in their samples are noticing an improvement from the Techno machine here, too. More importantly, customers who come to Foam Fabricators seeking packaging components now have confidence the company can take on their jobs, no matter how complex the shape of their parts. Because the CNC machine imports CAD geometry and replicates that shape exactly, regardless of the complexity, Foam Fabricators is no longer limited to simpler shapes.

Having the Techno CNC machine has paid off for Foam Fabricators in a number of ways: faster turnaround on samples, more accurate samples, better satisfied customers, and the ability to take on more complex jobs. In addition, having a CNC machine helps the company compete against other injection foam molders. "Making samples on a CNC machine it becoming the norm in our industry," explains Musgrove. "With the Techno machine, we found a cost-effective way to meet this requirement."

An inexpensive but highly accurate and productive computerized numerical control (CNC) machine has helped a CNC programmer start a successful new production woodworking business. Brian Whitehurst previously worked for a reseller of leading high-end CNC programming software, helping customers solve difficult programming challenges. Then Whitehurst saw a market opportunity and decided to go off on his own, producing complicated architectural ornamentation that was up till now mostly made by skilled craftsmen working with power tools. Whitehurst has carved out a substantial market niche by producing decorative wood carvings much faster and at higher levels of accuracy on CNC machines. "CNC machining is taking the architectural ornamentation industry by storm by producing a better product at a lower price," Whitehurst said. "The key is the availability of low cost CNC machines that can accurately duplicate a computer aided design program in much less time than someone working by hand."

In his previous job, Whitehurst was a senior applications engineer representing Delcam, a leading international CAD/CAM software supplier to the mold, tool and die sector. His job was to work with manufacturing businesses that were having difficulty producing complicated parts, determine a software solution that would meet their needs and train their people in how to use it. When very difficult problems arose, Whitehurst would go in and write the CNC program himself. He enjoyed working for an industry leader but felt the urge to start a business of his own. He looked for an industry where he could apply his considerable programming skills. Even though the majority of his experience was in the metalworking industry, he was drawn to woodworking because so many companies in that business were using still using power tools to produce the increasingly complex parts being demanded by the architectural market. Another attraction of this industry is that woodworking machinery is much less expensive than metalworking machinery because it doesn’t have to be built to withstand the high forces often generated in cutting metal.

Better quality at lower prices

"I was confident that I could provide far better quality and lower prices by using a CNC machine to compete with companies and individuals that were producing carvings by hand," Whitehurst said. Producing complicated pieces such as carved moldings and friezes is a very slow process by hand. The job of producing the first piece is typically assigned to a very experienced and highly paid craftsman who cuts it out with hand and power tools. Then less experienced workers typically duplicate the piece using a tracer. One problem with this approach is that even the most skilled woodworker has difficulty accurately producing three-dimensional contours. The result is a piece that requires extensive finishing by hand, to chisel and sand the piece the way a customer wants it.

"The beauty of a CNC machine is that you can define every detail of the piece to absolute perfection in your CAD/CAM software and then do something else while the machine produces the part," Whitehurst said. "While the CNC machine isn’t perfect, the accuracy of the better machines is far, far beyond what can be achieved by hand. And every piece that you make will be just as good as the first one, such that each piece coming off will need little hand finishing. While programming is a labor-intensive process akin to cutting out the first piece by hand, once it is completed other pieces can be produced without the attention of a person except for loading raw wood and unloading finished pieces on the machine and occasionally checking to be sure the tool hasn’t worn out or broken. The result is that architectural ornamentation can be produced at a much more competitive price on CNC machines."

Designed to improve milling, drilling, and tapping capabilities for CNC lathes in turning operations, live tools feature lifetime-lubricated bearings and optimized gears for smooth operation. Precise, rigid tools also offer internal coolant up to 70 bar and length adjustment. Series includes high-speed tooling as well as coolant feed thru, axial, radial, dual output radial, and universal tools. Straight and offset units as well as modular quick-change systems are also available.

Mundelein, IL - (August 30, 2006) Designed to enhance the performance of a CNC lathe, Lyndex-Nikken offers a wide variety of live tools. These highly precise and rigid tools effectively improve milling, drilling and tapping capabilities in turning operations.

Lyndex-Nikken stocks a range of standardized live tools for CNC turning centers from Okuma, Mazak, Mori Seiki, Nakamura, Sauter and all other major builders.

Lyndex-Nikken's live tool offering includes high-speed tooling, coolant feed thru tools, axial tools, radial tools, dual output radial tools and universal tools. Straight and offset units, modular quick-change systems and tapping quick-change holders are also available. Many models are lightweight and compact.

Lyndex-Nikken live tools include optimized gears for ultra smooth operation. Other advantages include lifetime lubrication of bearings, high torque transmission, internal coolant up to 70 bar and length adjustment.

Distributed by Precision International Corp., the Coborn RG8 is equipped with a reciprocating wheelhead and six CNC axes for machining applications such as rotary tools. To grind rotary cutters, helical cutters and multi-toothed saw blades, further axes can be added.

Two mirrored hard drives for "fail-safe" program and software protection are included. The machine incorporates the VS4 in-process vision inspection system, which is said to be more accurate than the previous VS3 system.

Available for use in conjunction with the machine is a range of rotary modules, which can be fitted with adaptors including hydraulic, HSK and ISO types.

Precision International Corp. is the sole distributor of Coborn products in North America.

The ability to make complex parts in one setup, with greater flexibility and faster turnaround on short run work, is a major advantage over cam-driven Swiss machines.

Instead of sacrificing its future growth to conventional technology, one precision machine shop has profited from new CNC (Computer Numerical Control) Swiss machines. Devon Precision Industries (Wolcott, CT) has expanded its capabilities by acquiring three Conquest® ST220 six-axis Swiss-turn CNC lathes from Hardinge Inc. (Elmira, NY). All purchased within the past three years, the CNC Swiss machines have enabled Devon to generate more profit on short run jobs. These demanding precision jobs for medical, automotive, telecommunications, and aerospace customers now represent about 5% of Devon’s business, and their share is increasing.

Devon brought in their first Hardinge lathe after trials comparing its performance with three other CNC Swiss machine manufacturers. The company sent blueprints for the same trial part to each potential supplier. After the parts were delivered, Devon’s representatives visited the manufacturers’ facilities, verified the data, and conducted a spares availability test. Because Hardinge outperformed the other suppliers in the performance testing and support evaluations, Devon placed the order with them.

Devon’s migration to CNC machines from conventional cam-driven Swiss machines reflects the changing nature of today’s workforce. Currently, more workers are experienced in CNC machine operation, with programs stored in computers and downloaded to the machines. In addition, Hardinge was included in Devon’s initial short list because they were already a reliable supplier of collets for Devon’s conventional Swiss machines. According to Devon president Yvon Desaulniers, Hardinge is the only U.S. manufacturer of this type of machine. "We had negative downtime experiences in the past because we had to wait for parts," he says. "So we made spares availability a part of our vendor evaluation."

Used CNC electronics are much like other second hand products: they work quite well, often as well as new items, but at a fraction of the price. Software, computers and even other machine parts can be purchased as used CNC parts from a variety of sources. While CNC manufacturing can prove efficient and cost effective, it can be very expensive up front to purchase all of the needed equipment. Specialized computers run in the thousands of dollars. Software can cost hundreds of dollars, and sometimes thousands. Additionally, the CNC machines themselves carry hefty price tags. The start up costs of any business can be daunting, and adding CNC components makes the initial investment even larger. Used equipment can reduce the cost of starting a business, no matter the area it is in. Buying used CNC electronics can be particularly beneficial.

The benefits of used CNC parts

There are many benefits of used CNC parts. Many companies produce high tech and cutting edge parts. Even when they are two or three years old, and used, many of them still produce high quality work. Because the quality of the product will not suffer as a consequence of using electronic parts, like computers, that have already been used, it makes sense to buy used parts. This way the initial overhead costs are lower. Also, because many companies offer customer support, buying the parts used can get you into the system. Even though you may not have the newest and latest equipment, you’ll still has access to customer service. Buying used gives a business owner the best bang for his or her buck.

A used SCM CNC router

The router is one of the most important pieces of CNC equipment. This is what actually receives the instructions from the computer and fulfils them on the material. SCM is one of the first companies to use the technology associated with CNC manufacturing. The SCM router is one of the best CNC pieces of equipment around. Additionally, SCM is renowned for its customer service and support. The purchase of a used SCM router can allow the business owner to receive top-notch support and service without paying the full price of a new router.

No matter what your CNC manufacturing needs, you won’t be disappointed with CNC electronics.

A CNC wood lathe can greatly improve your efficiency and accuracy on projects which require a number of lathed pieces. This is because CNC technology allows you to program your pattern right into the machine and then let the machine to do all the work of producing your pieces for you. CNC wood lathes come in a variety of sizes, and may involve several different levels of complexity: the most advanced machines feature four axis computer control and automatic tool switching and selection. While these sophisticated machines can come with a hefty price tag, there are many machines that are priced reasonably enough for the serious do it yourselfer.

CNC woodworking machines

CNC woodworking machines are serious equipment, and even the most reasonably priced units can reach thousands of dollars. For this reason it is important to realize that CNC machines are not for everyone – you need to have the temperament to accept that your very expensive machine will sit idle for much of its lifetime. If you are serious about your woodworking, however, you will be amazed at what CNC machines can do for you.

Choosing CNC lathes

CNC lathes offer you the power to produce perfectly identical pieces for your projects (within the quality limits of the lumber you are using, of course). When you put the computer in charge of the depth of cut and tool choice you take the chances of human error out of the equation. As long as you have entered your project specifications correctly and clamped your materials in place you can be assured of absolute accuracy.

The project range

CNC lathes are great for many different projects, from furniture making to decorations and even built in fixtures for your home. One of the best uses for CNC lathes is in producing spindles for chairs, stair cases, and many other woodworking projects. With a CNC lathe you can quickly produce enough spindles for several chairs, for example, leaving you more time to focus on shaping other parts and on assembly. If you have a large enough lathe you can also produce projects like decorative fence posts or outdoor furniture; these are just a few of the many uses for a CNC wood lathe.