4 Reasons A CNC Router May Benefit Your Shop

CNC machines can be used to drill/mill products and parts for small and large businesses. These computer-controlled machines are used in all different industries to perfect parts, molds, patterns, etc., of all different materials. A CNC Routing machine can change the way your business operates. Keep reading to find out why! Check out our featured brand, C.R. Onsrud Routers & CNC Machining Centers, to learn more.

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What are the benefits of a CNC routing machine?

Flexibility

The flexibility of CNC Routing machines is simply unmatched. CNC Routing machines are capable of drilling/milling all different types of material including different types of metals. These machines can be used to make furniture, moldings, signs, instruments, and many other products we use every day. The flexibility allows businesses to use their CNC Routing Machine for multiple applications that can bring in more business.

User Friendly

CNC Routing Machines are computer-controlled making them almost fully automated. This can benefit businesses who are struggling to fill labor positions within their shop or want to keep production going without an operator. 

Accuracy

Accuracy and speed go hand in hand in a busy shop. With CNC Routing machines, the computer control allows for an accurate cut each and every time. The ability to build programs for each material, part, cut, etc., allows the shop to drill/mill multiple projects all on the same machine with the same level of accuracy. This reduces waste, and increases time. 

Safety Features

Due to the computer control of the CNC Routing machines, the risk of human error is nearly completely removed. Once the program is created, there is no need to have human interaction with the machine. This helps remove risk of injury throughout the drilling/milling process, keeping both your production and employees up and running.

Mid Atlantic Machinery is a proud distributor of C.R. Onsrud CNC Routing Machines. C.R. Onsrud Routing and CNC Machining Centers specialize in 3 axis & 5 Axis CNC Machining Centers, CNC Routers, CNC Mills and Inverted Routers. For a machine shop thinking of investing in a CNC Machine to dill, mill, or mold, C.R. Onsrud will give you the most bang for your buck. 

C.R. Onsrud has been providing high-precision machining solutions for over 100 years. Starting their business in Chicago, IL in , C.R. Onsrud created the very first line of machines, Inverted Routers, which were used by many aircraft manufacturers building planes for WWI. Beginning as a woodworking drill and mill, C.R. Onsrud is leveling up on their competitors by expanding their capabilities to include aluminum, steel, plastics, composite, alloys, carbon fiber and other materials. Since their beginning, C.R. Onsrud machines have stood the test of time and technology by producing nearly 50 standard machines and custom machines.

C.R. Onsrud CNC Machining Centers are all built with the same detailed engineering, workmanship and quality of materials . From the Series M, the smallest machine in C.R. Onsrud’s line, to the G Series, the largest machine in the line, are all built to provide you with the most efficient and precise cuts each and every time. Along with the machines, C.R. Onsrud offers a full line of tooling, router bits, and other necessary parts to keep their machines up and running. 

Read below to learn more about C.R. Onsrud’s most popular models:

M Series | The M Series CNC router boasts rigid frame construction, highly responsive drive mechanisms, and many more of the top-end features you’d expect to find on our bigger models. Due to its slight footprint, the M Series is great for smaller shops looking  for an affordable solution.

T Series | T Series The Tech Series is bound to become the base of your production! This series offers a moving gantry design CNC, delivering outstanding performance and production output for shops needing more power than your average beginner CNC machine.

G Series | The G Series is the largest and most versatile machine in the line. With a stationary bed, moving  gantry, and a wide range of options, the G series will create incredible throughput for your business.

The versatility of C.R. Onsrud CNC Machining Center is simply unmatched. The flexibility, accuracy, safety features and easy to learn machine can handle different programs and different materials allows businesses to machine multiple products on one machine. Whether you run a smaller shop or a large part shop, there is a C.R. Onsrud CNC Machining Center is right for you. When deciding which machine is right for your shop, contact your local Mid Atlantic Machinery Sales representative! Our friendly and knowledgeable sales team will help you determine which will best fit your needs. 

Whether you currently use a CNC router or are just curious to see what the hype is all about, get ready to see some of the amazing capabilities a CNC can bring to your shop. This article provides recipes for success in making cuts in polycarbonate, brass, foam, cardboard and yes, wood. The "ingredients" for each operation include the material being machined, the cutters used, feed speed, depth of cut (DOC), and other variables.

You gotta obey the speed limits

For best results running a CNC, you must control the feed rate and rpm of the router. You do this all the time with handheld routers, probably without thinking about it. Handheld routers constantly provide tactile feedback and you respond by changing feed rate, reducing the depth of cut, changing the rpm, or all of the above. A CNC router can't respond like a human, so you need to tell the machine what to do. Otherwise, it will quickly dull or break bits, and produce poor-quality cuts. Check the machine's owner's manual to learn how to set rpm and feed rate.

This article serves as a starting point rather than a comprehensive feed and speed guide. If you use different router bits or materials (such as aluminum instead of brass), you'll need to experiment, and possibly change the listed parameters. Some CNC routers yield good cut quality at faster feeds; others require slower feed rates. Good cut quality and router bit longevity depend on chip load—the size of the chip the router bit makes. If you see dust, not chips, the setup needs tweaking. Find chip-load calculators on the web; router-bit manufacturers also can help.

Wood sign: Incised letters

Find lots of options to experiment with in the Quick Engrave toolpath. Stepover controls line spacing within the engraving. A small number places the lines close together making the final result appear more opaque. Hatch Angle is the angle at which the lines are engraved. I commonly use 45°—experiment to see what you like.

When people first consider what they'll make with a CNC router, making wood signs tops the list. Master this simple process and earn back some of the money you invested in the machine, or just knock out some cool gifts.

For the letters and cup:

■  Router bit: 60° 1⁄2 " V-bit
■  RPM: 12,000
■  Feed speed: 100"/min

An engraving toolpath requires no depth of cut. The software automatically "fills" each letter based on the angle and diameter of the V-bit.

For the rectangle border:

■  Router bit: 60° 1⁄2 " V-bit
■  RPM: 12,000
■  Feed speed: 100"/min

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This toolpath requires Cut Depth as it "traces" a single line, not a letter with boundaries. The .06" (about 1⁄16 ") creates a visible detail. Don't worry about the image under Cutting Depths that shows a square profile rather than a V. This is a standard image for this toolpath, regardless of the bit being used.

For cutting the exterior:

■  Router bit: 1⁄4 " upcut spiral
■  RPM: 12,000
■  Feed speed: 100"/min

VCarve Pro automatically chooses

the number of passes based on bit diameter and material thickness. You can modify this as needed, with harder material requiring more passes.

Wood sign: Raised letters

These first two projects show how using different toolpaths on the same design can dramatically affect the final look. This shows the versatility of CNC router work.

For the letters, coffee cup, and border:

■  Router bit:1⁄4 " upcut spiral
■  RPM: 12,000
■  Feed speed: 100"/min

■  Router bit: 60° 1⁄2" V-bit
■  RPM: 12,000
■  Feed speed: 100"/min

Flat Depth tells you how much the letters and cup will project beyond the background. The 1⁄4 " bit serves as a Flat Area Clearance Tool, removing waste faster than a V-bit, which routs the finish details. This one toolpath shows both bits but they will, of course, be used separately.

For cutting the exterior:

■  Router bit: upcut spiral
■  RPM: 12,000
■  Feed speed: 100"/min

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You can cut Outside, Inside, or On the line you've created. This controls where the router bit cuts relative to the design.

Cardboard templates

Notes: This tool comes with great setup instructions. To create the toolpath within VCarve Pro, use the Dragknife Toolpath Gadget. The knife cuts materials up to 1⁄4 " thick, such as cardboard, styrene, and vinyl-letter material.

Create shapes in drawing software, such as SketchUp, then turn them into templates you can trace onto your project parts. Instead of a router bit, cut with a utility-knife blade.

■ Tool: Donek D4 drag knife
■  RPM: 0
■  Feed speed: 100"/min

Although VCarve Pro has an on-board dragknife gadget built into the software, it shows up here as an imported toolpath.

360-brass bowtie

Yes, a CNC router can cut non-ferrous metals. Add aluminum, copper, or brass inlays and other decorative items to your projects.

■  Router bit: 1⁄8 " spiral "O" single flute
■  RPM: 18,000
■  Feed speed: 40"/min

Cutting non-ferrous metal requires light cuts, so the machine makes many passes.

Notes: In addition to controlling feed rate and rpm, be careful about DOC when machining non-ferrous metals. Dividing the .27 Cut Depth by the 10 passes results in a light .027" DOC with each pass. You can use a similar setup to cut aluminum or copper, but different materials dictate slight changes in these settings.

Engraving granite

Diamonds are a CNC's best friend, especially for engraving glass, granite, or steel. A diamond-tipped stylus etches amazing detail on these materials, and others.

■  Tool: Diamond drag engraving bit
■  RPM: 0
■  Feed speed: 30"/min

Find lots of options to experiment with in the Quick Engrave toolpath. Stepover controls line spacing within the engraving. A small number places the lines close together making the final result appear more opaque. Hatch Angle is the angle at which the lines are engraved. I commonly use 45°—experiment to see what you like.