PROJECT 8: CNC machining and moulding and casting

Click here to see the weeks post

This project ill be looking into CNC Machining. CNC (Computer numerical control) is the automated control of machining tools to make a material meet the specifications set by a coded programmes instructions.

CNC Milling 

Milling is One CNC method of removing material from the surface of a metal or wood piece and a milling tool is a generic term for tools with multiple cutting edges that cut the workpiece while rotating.There are many cutter types which can be used depending on the type of cut wanted.

http://mindworks.shoutwiki.com/wiki/Cutter_Types_(Mill)

Moulding & Casting

Moulding is the process of shaping liquid or pliable raw materials using a mould, which has been made using a pattern or model of final object.
Casting on the other hand uses molten metal which is injected or poured into a mould to form an object of the desired shape.

Chocolate Tile 

The task for this project is to create a 30x30x5 mini tile part in Fusion 360 and generate the toolpath to cut it out of a solid block (50x50x10mm) using a 3mm flat or ball-nose end mill (ideally include 3deg of draft angle on all vertical surfaces). It’s best to be oriented with the front view being the top of your part. All stepdowns should be 1mm and stepovers should be 1.5mm.

I mocked up a simple tile design to help know what i was doing when making it in fusion.

chocolate tile sketch plan

The tile was mocked up in fusion with the aim of making a milling simulation to make the mould.

fusion tile step 1: sketch 

Step 1 was making the sketches. The tile was was a square 30x30mm centred on the origin it was then extruded by 5mm  so i could add another sketch to the top of the tile and remove the circles from the tile. the lager 25mm tile was centred in the square on origin then the second 10mm smaller circle was centred on the outline of the larger one.

fusion tile step 2: Cut

Step 2 was cutting those circles from the tile using the extrude feature and using a negative value rather then a positive one so they cut from the tile instead of addeing to it. selecting the lager one fist add setting it to -1.5mm then the smaller one to -2.5 to add this simple design into the face of the tile.

Manufacture Simulation

fusion tile step 3 milling setup

Step 3 setting the setup as des’s outlined on his blog (full guide). First was making the stock material a solid block 50x50x10mm by adding 10mm to the sides of the original 30x30x5 tile and 2mm to the bottom and 3mm to the top.

fusion tile step 4 tool 

fusion tile step 4 tool & tool paths

fusion tile step 4 slot tool paths

Simulation