A CNC Router is a machine tool also known as a milling machine that serves to perform cutting and engraving in a vast variety of metallic and non-metallic materials.
Among the most popular materials for cutting and engraving with a CNC router we find:
Wood, MDF, and Plywood
Acrylic, Plexiglas and other plastics
Aluminum, brass and other metals
Cutting and engraving of wood and MDF with a CNC Router: All types of wood and its derivatives such as MDF and plywood can be cut and engraved efficiently by a CNC router machine, in fact, it is one of the most popular uses for computerized milling machines. They are used for diverse industries such as:
Manufacture of wooden furniture, plywood, and MDF
Manufacture of signs and announcements made of plywood and MDF
Manufacture of molds for thermoforming of plywood and MDF
Manufacture of molds for wooden plywood and MDF moldings
Manufacture of industrial pieces of plywood and MDF
Manufacture of diverse articles in general of wood, plywood, and MDF
One of the main advantages of cutting and engraving with a CNC router is that you can make deep cuts of much more than one inch 1″ inch or 25mm of wood without mistreating or burning the material, and it does not matter if the wood is hard or soft, same can be processed. Regarding engraving, the advantages of a CNC router type machine are even more noticeable; full 3D engravings can be made even in 360°, this is impossible to achieve in other technologies, in addition to the same way does not damage or burn wood or MDF.
Cutting and engraving acrylic and Plexiglas with a CNC Router: Router machines with CNC technology are widely used in industries that cut and engrave acrylic, Plexiglas and other plastics. There are various applications for various industries, but the most common are:
Production of advertisements and acrylic and plexiglass signage
Manufacture of souvenirs or advertising articles of acrylic and plexiglass
Manufacturing of parts for the acrylic and plexiglass LED lighting industry
Manufacture of industrial parts of acrylic and plexiglass
Manufacture of diverse articles in general of acrylic and plexiglass
There are several advantages to use with CNC router or milling machine in the industrial acrylic and plexiglass, but the main one is the depth capacity when making cuts, there is really no limit, being able to make cuts and engravings of more than 1 “inch or 25mm thickness, another advantage is that it cuts and records on any acrylic or plexiglass no matter the hardness of these.
Cutting and engraving of aluminum and brass with a CNC Router: The power of the motors or spindles and the diversity of bits or blades available for the CNC router machines allow you to cut and engrave aluminum, brass, and even steel when the power is higher, or capacity is older. It can be used for some applications, but the most common are:
Manufacture of advertisements or signs of aluminum, steel or brass
Manufacture of aluminum, steel or brass doors and windows
Manufacture of souvenirs made of aluminum, steel or brass
Manufacturing of parts for the aluminum or brass LED lighting industry
Manufacturing of industrial parts made of aluminum, steel or brass
Manufacture of various articles of aluminum, steel or brass
Enter the advantages of using a router-type computerized router for cutting and engraving aluminum, brass and steel are the economy of supply, only use bits or blades that can be recycled and also the thickness of the metal that can be worked, of course It also depends on the motor power or spindle is your CNC router.
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Wood
A CNC wood router is a computer-controlled router tool that carves/etches objects or images into the face of a piece of wood. The CNC Router is ideal for hobbies, engineering prototyping, product development, art, and production works. The CNC works on the Cartesian coordinate system (X, Y, Z) for 3D motion control; however, typical CNC operated systems can only make carvings on flat planes. The machine sits on a track and is not capable of making round or spherical cuts. Parts of a project can be designed in the computer with a CAD/CAM program, and then cut automatically using a router or other cutters to produce a finished part. In some instances, the table will not come with a router included. This allows the user to change out routers for different applications. For lighter strained cuts, they could use a lower grade router but for more intensive applications.
Metal
Milling is the machining process of using rotary cutters to remove material from a workpiece advancing (or feeding) in a direction at an angle with the axis of the tool.It covers a wide variety of operations and machines, on scales from small individual parts to large, heavy-duty gang milling operations. It is one of the most commonly used processes in industry and machine shops today for machining parts to precise sizes and shapes.
Stone
A stone CNC router is a type of CNC router machine designed for marble, granite, artificial stone, tombstone, ceramic tiles, glass machining, polishing for arts and crafts, etc. Wood, metal and stone require different “bits” or “inserts”. There is bit call as diamond tools with different diameter 4mm,6mm,8mm mainly used. For wood CNC-ing, bits with sharp cutting edges are used, while for Stone CNC-ing, the bits are made of a metal bar with a sintered layer of extremely hard but roughly shaped particles. Routing CNC is more like grinding than cutting.
Because stone dust is very abrasive, these routers also have much better protection for the guide rails. With "wood" routers the guide rails are often visible from the outside & unprotected, while stone routers are fully covered.
Stone routers also have a water recirculation system. A small jet of water is pointed at the router bit and this captures almost all fine stone dust in the water, which then flows to a collection reservoir where the stone particles settle on the bottom.
Polyurethane foam
Polyurethane foam can also be cut using a CNC router in order to produce complex shapes which would otherwise be difficult or impossible to replicate by hand. Depending on the type of foam being converted, a CNC router would be able to cut through up to an 8lb density. By converting a CAD design file into a CAM file, the CNC Router is able to read relevant information and produce a highly accurate finished product.