techshop cnc techno router instruction

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u* m **,— Machining Level 3:

Techno Desktop Router

Safety and Basic Use

COURSE #CNC-101

Version 0.9 BETA

CNC Machining Level 3: Techno Desktop Router Safety & Basic Use

The Fine Print

Copyright © 2005 - 2009 TechShop Inc. All rights reserved

This manual is furnished under license and may be used or copied only in accordance with the terms of such license. The

content of this manual is furnished for informational use only, is subject to change without notice, and should not be

construed as a commitment by TechShop Inc. Except as permitted by such license, no part of this publication may be

reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording,

or otherwise, without the prior written permission of TechShop Inc.

TechShop and the TechShop logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of TechShop Inc in the United States

and/or other countries. Microsoft and Windows logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft

Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Apple, Mac and Macintosh are either registered trademarks or

trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Snagit is either registered trademarks or

trademarks of TechSmith Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. AD other registered trademarks or

trademarks are the property of the respective owners.

These class materials are the copyrighted property of TechShop and are intended for use in an instructional setting.

Successful completion of SBU's are REQUIRED for many of the products at TechShop, an instructor must sign off on this

requirement. It is NOT enough to just read and follow these materials.

Colophon

These materials were created electronically using Microsoft Word®. Art was produced using Adobe Illustrator®, Adobe

PhotoShop® and Snagit® for screen captures. The Arial® family of typefaces is used throughout these materials. These

materials were written by Randal Milota, Carson Hoyt, Matt Borgatti, and Lynne Angeloro.

Copyright © 2005 - 2009 TechShop. Inc All rights reserved Version 0.9 BETA Page 2 of 12


Course Synopsis

In this Safety and Basic Use class (SBU), you will learn to fabricate objects,

parts, and/or art with the CNC Techno Desktop Router. This is a powerful tool.

Even a small tabletop router can produce complex organic shapes and surfaces.

You will learn how to operate the CNC Desktop Router safely and efficiently. We

will discuss Stock Setup Methods, and how your CAD files can become CAM

files, which in turn become toolpaths for the Techno Desktop Router.

Time Required: 2 Hours

Tools Required

□ Safety Glasses

□ Ear Protection

□ Endmills with 1/8", 1/4" shank (provided)

D Calipers and tape measure (provided)

□ Small Piece of Thin Paper (provided)

□ Collet Wrenches (provided)

Materials Required

□ 4" by 7" by V£" polycarbonate sheet

Copyright © 2005 - 2009 TechShop, Inc All rights reserved Version 0.9 BETA Page 3 of 12


SAFETY

General Safety

0 Eye protection is required in all Mill, Machining and Hot Shops. Street

glasses are not considered eye protection

0 Closed-toe shoes must be worn at all times

0 Be sure to remove all dangly jewelry and wear a short sleeved shirt while

operating any Milling equipment

Shop Etiquette

0 Never talk to anyone while they are working on a piece of equipment

0 Leave the area you are working in cleaner than when you arrived

0 Never leave a machine running and unattended

0 Begin final clean-up and store your project no later than 11:30 pm

Equipment Specific Safety

0 Never wear gloves! The rotating parts of the machine can snag the tough

glove material and pull your hand and arm into the machinery

0 If you have long hair, you must tie it back so that is not hanging from your

head. This includes facial hair. Hair nets are available in the TechShop store.

0 Remove loose clothing and jewelry. We suggest that you remove rings

and watches too since they can become snagged by machinery

0 Chips can be hot, so be careful when you are cutting.

0 Never leave the mill unattended while it is running! It is tempting to let the

program run while you can go do something else, but please resist!

0 IMPORTANT: Carefully review the tool paths displayed in the Techno

software to make sure they will not crash into the table or fixtures during

the milling operation.

0 Take small cuts, and take them slowly. Cutting too much metal away at a

time can break the cutting tool or cause your work to become dislodged or

unbalanced, and can produce a poor surface on your part.

0 Know how to turn off the mill quickly if there is a problem or emergency

situation.

0 As you cut, you will see chips and ribbons come off your work piece. Avoid

the urge to brush or poke these chips and ribbons while you are making

your cut...just leave them alone. You should never grab these ribbons and

chips, even when the machine is turned off. Knock them off with a brush -

the edges are very sharp and can slice right through your fingers and

hand.

0 Always make sure you have the tool rotating in the right direction. The

teeth of the end mill should be cutting into the work, not glancing off. Make

sure that the stock and any part to be cut free are properly secured before



cutting. Be sure to put something behind the stock if you are cutting

through the stock so that you don't cut into the table below.

0 Make sure the cutting tool is securely fastened into the spindle collet

0 During operation use the Plexiglas shield to surround the mill.

0 Do not reach inside the shield unless the milling operation is paused or

completed and the spindle is stopped.

0 In a public workshop like TechShop, you MUST assume responsibility for

ensuring that the machine you are going to work on and the surrounding

area is safe and configured in a manner you expect and are familiar with.

0 Because these machines are shared by beginners to experts, you can not

assume anything. You will need to become aware of the "typical" look and

feel of the machine and the work area, and train yourself to notice

changes since your last use. If changes are noticed, the must be

understood and accounted for before beginning or continuing your work at

the machine or workstation.

0 Never leave a machine running and unattended. Some CNC operations

may take literally hours to complete. YES, you do need to stay by the

machine and monitor the operation while it is cutting for the entire time. If

you need to leave the work area briefly, be sure to pause the machine and

find someone to monitor the area in your absence.

0 It is important to understand that a CNC Machine may begin movement at

any time and in unexpected directions. This may be due to incorrect

programming or perhaps a machine or software failure. You MUST always

remain aware of this possibility and be prepared for it. Know the location

of the Emergency Stop switch(es), also called estop or epo switches. Also

know the location to cut the power entirely off to the machine.

0 When operating CNC machinery, you do not have the tactile or kinesthetic

feedback inherent in manually operated tool use. You must therefore rely

on your other senses to keep you aware of the conditions of the operation.

Sight and sound, as well as smell and even taste, may bring important

information to you about the work and safety of what you are doing.

0 Be aware that some smells and tastes could signal potentially toxic

chemicals or gas release.

0 If it sounds or looks wrong, it probably is! Continually update your

experience to include the ever-growing sensory awareness you gain as

you use a given tool.

0 Switch off the spindle, or place the spindle control in a safe state when

changing spindle tooling, especially if a part of your body is within the

machine's working area.

0 Ensure that the spindle collet is in good condition and properly installed.

Be sure the cutter is secured but not overly tight. It should be neither to far

out, decreasing cutter stiffness, nor too far in, providing a path for chips

into the spindle and collet recesses.

0 If something "bad" does happen, and the machine is either working

incorrectly or you make a mistake that creates a problem, please inform a

TechShop staff member of the situation as soon as possible. The goal is



not to be punitive, but to understand the problem or mistake made and

repair it quickly and effectively.

0 Make sure that the stock and any part to be cut free are properly secured

before cutting. Be sure to put something behind the stock if you are cutting

through the stock so that you don't cut into the table below.


CNC Machining Level 3: Techno Desktop Router Safely & Basic Use

CNC Techno Desktop Router

A router is used to machine surfaces so they are flat and are precise dimensions,

cut slots and voids, and even drill holes to precise depths.

When you use a router for general operations, you clamp your work piece

securely to the table with the machinist's vise or special clamps, and as the end

mill is moved relative to your work piece, the end mill is being spun by the

router's spindle motor and cuts your piece as directed by the Toolpaths

generated by your drawing.

Equipment Controls

The primary controls you will use on the CNC Techno Desktop Router are:

Mach3 Control Software

Jog Controls:

X left and right

Y back and forth

Z up and down

Copyright © 2005 - 2009 TechShop, Inc All rights reserved Version 0 9 BETA Page 7 of 12


BASIC OPERATION

The CNC process for drawing in a drawing/drafting program thru cutting it intosteel, aluminum, stainless steel, or any other product is a fairly straightforwardprocess:

1. CAD -» Drawing (SketchUp, AutoCAD, CorelDraw, Solidworks, Adobe

Illustrator, etc., saved or exported to a .dxf file for Autocad R9.)

2. CAM -> ToolPath (Cut 2D, Cut 3D, LazyCam, VisualMill, SheetCam, etc.)3. CUT -> Motors (Mach 3, FlashCut, EMC, etc.)

Requirements for CNC Routing:

Secure Stock Fixtures

Maximum bed size is 12Bx18"x3"

Endmills with 1/8", 1/4" shank

Observance of Safety Precautions and Responsible use of CNC DesktopRouters

NON-FEROUS STOCK MATERIALS ONLY:plastics

copper

brass

wood

aluminum

delrin

Supported File Formats:

Input to Cut2D:

Drawing file - .eps, .ai, .pdf (.dxf files have scaling issues, so, best notto use them)

Photo VCarve - .pvc

Cut3D - .v3d

VA3D Machinist - .v3m

Output from Cut2D to Techno:

.ncd file (Technojsel Arc ATC (inch) (*.ncd))



PROJECT DESCRIPTION

For this class, you will be given 4" by 7" by %" polycarbonate sheet, and you will

perform a rough surfacing operation: cutting a wingspar into the surface of the

plastic. The same processes would be followed for different materials, like

aluminum or delrin, but, you would need to calculate the feeds and speeds based

on the material and the Endmill being used, or establish these options in your

CAM software.

If you have ANY questions about any operation or task, be sure to ask your

instructor or another TechShop staff member before proceeding.

Preparing for this Project

1. Check out the Techno tooling box from the front desk.

There is also a small box of various Endmills available from the front desk.

We HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you purchase and maintain your own set

of Endmills so that you know the condition of and care that has been taken

with them. There is a list of vendors available from the front desk, as well

as a list of online vendors at the end of this handout for quality endmills.

2. Check your environment.

Getting Started

When you first walk up to the Techno Desktop Router, be sure the configuration

is what you expect. Inspect everything before you begin your work:

0 Walk around the table to be sure there is nothing in the way of your feet.

0 Check that the floor around the Techno is clean and clear of debris.

0 Check to see if anyone else is working in the area. Are they being safe?

Will they impede you or your work on the Techno?

0 Check your Endmills, are they chipped or cracked? Replace any that are.

0 Make sure the collet and Endmill are free of debris.

There are several things you will need to do to get started cutting your part on the

Techno:

• Attach your work piece securely in the machine (Work Holding)

• Zero the X, Y, and Z axes

• Locate the edges of your work piece



Launching the Software

1. Launch the Techno software from the desktop.

Load your g-code file from your thumb drive:

2. From the File menu, choose Open.

3. Navigate to your thumb drive, select the .nod file you wish to open and

click Open.

Mounting Stock Pieces

We will be covering this exclusively as a subject in another class, as all stock

pieces require both improvisational and improvised methods to secure, there is

no one way to secure stock. Though there are a few general rules to mounting

stock:

1. Mark an origin point on your stock; if the piece is not square, add an arrow

on one of the edges with a label noting which axis it should be pointing at,

such as "+x" for x-axis positive direction.

2. Square your piece to the table

3. Clamp all loose pieces using the t-nuts and hold downs from the Techno

box.

4. If you are cutting thru a piece, BE SURE to place a sacrificial piece below

your piece to avoid damaging the table top of the Techno router.

There is also a box of tie downs on the table next to the Techno Desktop Router.

You may also wish to purchase or make your own set of tie downs if you use this

machine more than infrequently:

(http://www.Qienaravers.eom/Site/toolinq/Entries/2008/6/11 T-

Slot Clamping files/T-Slot%20Clamps.pdO. The T-Slot Table Clamps set from

Q1 Engravers is a good starter set for the Techno Desktop Router (Be sure to

specify the Techno to get the correct size t-nuts for our table).

In the Advanced CNC Milling classes, we will cover operational methods to cut all

the way through stock pieces, drilling operations, dual sided organic shapes, and

CAD to CAM Stock Importation.

Setting up to Cut your Piece

1. Move the Endmill to the back left corner of the piece using the arrow keys

on the keyboard.

2. Clear the X and Y axes by clicking the Zero X button and Zero Y button.

3.

Copyright ©2005- 2009 TechShop. Inc All rights reserved Version 0.9 BETA Page 10 of 12


4.

This is why this is labeled BETA handout. The final copy of this document will be

available at

http-y/www.TechShop.ws/docs/pdf/techshop_cnc_techno_desktop_router_sbu_v

1_O.pdf

Air Cut your Piece FIRST

1. Change the Z axis by adding 2" to the value for Z.

2. Click the Start button on the screen.

3. Watch your job as it moves through the whole cut, ensuring that it

will clear all work holders when you actually cut the piece.

Cutting your Piece

1.

Last Step: Cleanup

- Don't forget to completely clean up the area when you are finished

working, including vacuuming or sweeping the floor around the machine

you are working on.

- The broom and dustpan are located on the back wall of the vehicle bay.

There is usually a vacuum near the Router tables, otherwise, there is one

in the Tool Room.

- Trash is placed in any trash receptacle. Large trash items can be placed

outside the back door in the dumpsters. Recyclable items are placed in

the recycling cans in the Hot Shop. We recycle Aluminum, Steel, and

Stainless Steel.



COOL LINKS ^°

Downloadable User's Manuals and Demo Programs are available at

http://www.mecsoft.com

WHAT'S NEXT?

After completing this CNC Machining Level 3: Techno Desktop Router SBU

course you may be interesting in taking these other courses:

How To Machine Aluminum on the Large Bridgeport Milling Machine (MillingMachine SBU),

CNC Machining Level 1: Concepts of CNC

CNC Machining Level 2: Cut2D/Cut3D,

CNC Machining Level 3: ShopBot SBU

Introduction to SolidWorks

OTHER LEARNING RESOURCES

Wikipedia has a number of articles concerning CNC Milling, metal forming, and is

a good starting point to begin your research.

SUPPLIES

Dan-Mar Tool & Supply Co. is a great local place to get End Mills, Center Drills,taps and dies.

HartLauer Bits: http://www.hartlauer-bits.com/

Quality One Engravers: http.7/www.a1 enqravers.com/

Be sure to pick up a copy of the TechShop Vendors List for Stock Suppliers from

the front desk. A limited supply of end mills is available in the TechShop MAKERShed store.

*# -"-V1-*


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