CNC milling

[qatmix]

Hi Guys,

I'm after somewhere that can make a few test parts that I have designed out of aluminium. They are not that big.

Any ideas?

Ta

[f888fhw]

I might be able to help, I work in engineering, depends what they are and how much detail is in them.

Most of my stuff for rc is done as a "govie job"

Send me details of what it is and ill see what can be done.

[Clive Loynes]

The milling itself is usually quite quick and hopefully painless.

It's the hours of programming and working out how the hell you are going to hold it that is the issue! Not to mention manufacturing complicated fixtures to make one-offs!

If all else fails then give me a shout but I'm not actually a charity. But nearly!

[LongRat]

Size is pretty much irrelevant, assuming they are RC parts they are never going to be huge. What Clive said above is very much relevant though. Post pics/drawings.

[qatmix]

Sorry for the late reply, I had to go abroad for work.

Anyway, it is an inner servo mount. 6mm thick. 23mm high and 33mm long

Here is a 3D image of it from the Cad package

[Clive Loynes]

Looks like it needs machining from five sides.

Front and back can be done from the plate material, making it easy to hold. The drillings from the other three faces will require at least two fixtures to be made to present the job in the right attitude.

It ain't five minutes.


PS Another hole on the front face might help, so that it can be used as a tooling hole to align the workpiece on the fixtures.

[LongRat]

I wouldn't make any fixtures for that. It has enough flat surfaces to be held in a vice in every necessary orientation. Guess there are a number of ways to skin that cat though.

[Clive Loynes]

Originally Posted by LongRat

I wouldn't make any fixtures for that. It has enough flat surfaces to be held in a vice in every necessary orientation. Guess there are a number of ways to skin that cat though.

That's true if you have a proper sized milling machine. On my little Novamill there isn't enough head room to get a 3mm drill over it once it is up in a vice.

But if you only want one then I agree that fixtures are overkill. I just hate spending all my time setting the machine up for thirty seconds of machining.

[qatmix]

thanks for the info guys

[Clive Loynes]

Originally Posted by qatmix

thanks for the info guys

It really only needs CNC milling on the front/back faces and on the bottom. The latter because of the round ended bulge on that face.

Depending on the accuracy required the other holes could be done on a pillar drill or a non-CNC mill if accuracy is paramount.

BTW, you haven't shown any threads. Is that correct?

[qatmix]

The holes are all threaded. (Just doesn't come up on the render)