Personalise Your Home With CNC Milling
The first digital artisan vocational qualification studies began at Raseko in the fall of 2021. Along the first year, one of the digital manufacturing skills they have been learning is the use of CNC machine. Basic use of the machine isn’t very difficult as such, but the students need a firm grasp of the theory before beginning the actual manufacturing. The class was taught by Jouni Suvala from the woodworking department.
The first digital artisan vocational qualification studies began at Raseko in the fall of 2021. Along the first year, one of the digital manufacturing skills they have been learning is the use of CNC machine. Basic use of the machine isn’t very difficult as such, but the students need a firm grasp of the theory before beginning the actual manufacturing. The class was taught by Jouni Suvala from the woodworking department.
You can use many different programs to prepare the files for CNC. Digital fabrication students used Rhino 7 to create their first practice projects – Wooden coat hangers. This first project was done based on 2D drawings. Later in the course 3D files were used to try out different methods of production.
In addition to a modelling program, a routing program is needed to prepare the file for the machine. At the class we used a program called Surfcam. You need to tell the program which drillbits you are using, thickness of the material, and define the lines used by the machine. Once you have made sure the values are correct, you are ready to start working with the actual CNC machine.
At the machine, you begin by manually defining the origin point for the milling job. That is, you need to tell the machine the X, Y and Z coordinates related to the piece of material you are working on. The CNC machine we have at Fab Lab Raseko uses a vacuum pump to attach the material to the work surface. It’s also possible to manually fix the material in place if needed.
Like with every machine, it’s very important to be mindful of the safety practices. Hearing and eye protection are a must. Any clothing worn must also be suitable. Loose sleeves, scarves, key lanyards, or any other equipment that is in danger of getting tangled onto a spinning drillbit need to be removed or properly secured. The workspace is also off-limits for anyone not operating the machine while on use. The CNC machine also needs constant supervision when it’s running. Something unexpected can always happen, and you must be ready to stop the machine if necessary.
After the initial preparations and safety precautions, you are now ready to start milling! If the settings are correct, the drillbit begins spinning and is off to cut the desired shape on the material used. For more complicated jobs, you might need to switch drillbits at various stages of milling. In easier projects the machine will complete the milling without any swapping required.
The big benefit of digital manufacture is the ability to make series of products with relative ease. If you deem the product functional, CNC machine can be used to quickly create multiples. On another hand, it’s also the perfect machine for creating something custom made and unique in design.
Fab Lab Raseko is a good place for making your ideas a reality, from prototype to a finished product. With the CNC machine you can make your own furniture, decorative items, or in this case – Coat hangers!
Get to know Fab Lab Raseko and different machines you can use here from our web page:
