Engraving Cnc Machines what kind of cnc engraving machine do i need?
we are manufacturer & exporter of sports garments. We often need rubber logos for our products and for this we first need a brass die. There are lot of cnc machine on various websites but i still don't know what kind of cnc machine do i need? people here in my city are using different cnc machines (which they don't expose to anyone) to make dies. It does not have to be a big cnc machine but must be precise enough to make best dies. So i want you guys to suggest me a suitable cnc machine for this task. Thanks
What you want is a small CNC milling machine or router.
Smaller machines will be in the $5000 to $8000 range and larger machines will go from $14000 to $25000.
From my perspective, for your application I would go with a milling machine because it is more suitable to this type of work. ( In a milling machine the table moves under the cutter. In a router the cutter moves over the table) A milling machine table will be better for holding the flat brass to create your molds.
The links below show 2 suitable small machines in the mid $6000 price range.
In addition to a CNC milling machine you will also need software to generate the designs and tool paths. For your purposes you can probably get away with 2D design. You will want your machining software to be capable of generating tool paths from grayscale scans. DeskProto and Delcam ArtCAM are 2 suitable products. ArtCAM combines design and toolpath generation. DeskProto only does tool paths. I have used both and while DeskProto is much less expensive support is non existant, you get great support from Delcam.
NOT INCLUDED - This is just the CNC machine with motors. You will need a 3 Axis Stepper Motor Driver to manage each motor, a spindle/cutter (a Dremel would work) and a DC power supply for the driver. You will also need a computer with a standard printer port and CNC software...
As the bigger brother to the original CNC Shark, the diversely capable CNC Shark Pro offers twice the workable area and increased strength, making it perfect for a wide variety of larger machining, routing, and engraving projects in wood, metal, or plastic...
Use your PC and your favorite graphic/drawing software, or the included NewlyDraw Software to Engrave almost anything on almost any surface.
Brand NEW ArtCut M40 Laser Engraving Machine. The ArtCut M40 is equipped with a precision 40W water cooled laser that will engrave almost anything on almost any surface ...
TB6560 3 axis CNC stepping motor controller with 1/16 stepping. Support Mach3, ArtCam, KCam.
Specification: * In/Out Interface port: Parallel * Built with a Spindle Relay control * High speed optical isolation coupling * Current: 2...
Engraving aluminum on DIY homemade CNC machine.
How To Work With CNC Equiment
A CNC machine is used in woodworking shops and some other industrial settings. They are very expensive, so most individuals do not buy them, although used ones can be obtained more cheaply. They are important for speed and accuracy in large, repetitive tasks.
There are many uses in industry for CNC machines. Routers drill holes, for example. Many CNC machines can perform a number of tasks at once, improving efficiency in the manufacturing process.
The technology behind these machines is Computer Numerated Control. This technology was developed in the seventies and it allows for a machine to be programmed in advance so the operations are set up to work almost automatically. The initial setup is a little complicated, but once that is done the machine is easy to operate.
A CNC router would be programmed to drill a hole repeatedly at certain intervals. This is much more efficient than manual calculation and drilling and eliminates inconsistency due to human error or fatigue.
A CNC lathe would be used to cut pieces of wood of uniform size and shape. Lathes can have horsepower ranging from 15 to 40 HP, and how much power is needed depends upon the job being done. A good CNC lathe will allow you to work at various levels of automation, so that you can work all manual, or all automated, or any combination in between.
The best mill available is the Bridgeport mill. Mills are designed to be used in both large industries and small milling shops, and the Bridgeport mill is built to last in any situation. The price is prohibitive, however, for individual use.
A CNC mill is considered specialty equipment. The concept is to use computer programming and robotic operation for speed and accuracy. This kind of speed and accuracy would be impossible to achieve for an individual. The airline industry frequently uses the CNC technology of Bridgetown mills; specifications are entered, and the mill automatically determines which functions to perform and how.
Engravers can also be CNC machines. Engraving can be done on many materials, including wood or wood composite, metal, stone or glass. These machines can do very exact engraving on materials from the smallest to the largest, and have the same result over and over.
Since CNC machines are so expensive most individuals cannot afford them, there may be individuals who do a lot of repetitive machine work and would like to obtain one. An option in this case is a used CNC machine, which can be as low as half the price of a new one. It is important to make sure the used machine is in good condition, so you may be better off looking for a rebuilt machine. This is one that has had the major components replaced so it is almost a new machine. Frequently, rebuilt machines have a warranty of at least one year, so that you can be assured that it will be working, or you can get it repaired if it does not.
About the Author
Linden Walhard wrote primarily for http://www.insidewoodworking.com , a web page on the topic of cnc machinery . You can find his comments on cnc machines and tools and woodworking tools on his site.
