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Introduction Safety and Hazard Prepare your CNC router Prepare your Design Start Cutting Emergency STOP! References
Introduction
Rania Zarandah | Fab Engineer 06 | 10 | 2018
Q1_STATIONARY MACHINES| Q1-3| CNC Router PRSalpha| Cutting Machine DESIGN SOFTWARES (LICENCES) : VCarvePro ShopBot Edition (http://www.shopbottools.com/mProducts/software_vcarve.htm) PLATFORMS:FAB FOUNDATION REFERENCES: Pending
MACHINE DESCRIPTION A computer numerical control (CNC) router is a computer-controlled cutting machine related to the hand-held router used for cutting various hard materials, such as wood, composites, aluminum, steel, plastic, and foams. A CNC router is very similar in concept to a CNC milling machines. Instead of routing by hand, tool paths are controlled via computer numerical control. The CNC router is one of many kinds of tools that have CNC variants. A CNC router typically produces consistent and high quality work and improves factory productivity. This kind of routers can produce a one-off as effectively as repeated identical production. Automation and precision are the key beneďŹ ts of CNC router tables. A CNC router can be used in the production of many different items, such as door carvings, interior and exterior decorations, wood panels, sign boards, wooden frames, modeling, musical instruments, and furniture. In addition, the CNC router helps in the thermoforming of plastics by automating the trimming process. CNC routers can help ensure part repeatability and sufďŹ cient factory output.
INTRODUCTION TO: ShopBot 3D cutting, machining and sculpurting can be used in many different types of projects. ShopBot CNC tools are fully 3D capable, as are most CNC routers(this capability is technically described as 3-axis interpolation, which means that moves are made smoothly in 3D space using diagonals and curves). Full 3D CNC involves both designing in 3D and during cutting simultaneous CNC motion in x, y, and z axes. In 3D shaping, the CNC cutter tip follows paths at 3D angles or in 3D curves in order to mill or curve complex shapes into the materials. This tutorial covers topics required to get started with a ShopBot PRS, safety, how to start the machine, how to use the software, and how to start cutting your 3D model. Read more: ShopBot CNC products: http://www.shopbottools.com/index.htm ShopBot software: http://www.shopbottools.com/mProducts/software_vcarve.htm ShopBot PRSalpha CNC router: http://www.shopbottools.com/mProducts/prSalpha.htm#
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Rania Zarandah | Fab Engineer 06 | 10 | 2018
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Safety and Hazard
Rania Zarandah | Fab Engineer 06 | 10 | 2018
This safety summary contains general safety warnings that should be understood during operation of this machine. Failure to observe these precautions could result in injury:
1.
Learn and understand safe use of the machine. Do not allow untrained individuals to operate the machine without supervision. Be aware of the location of the Emergency Stop switches at all times.
2.
Eye and ear protection MUST be worn by the machine operator as well as any bystanders or observers. Flying sawdust, material chips, and other debris can cause serious eye injury.
3.
Wear closed-toe shoes at all times.
4.
Make sure that your material is properly secured before cutting, and be aware of any small parts that may come loose after being cut. If a small part catches the edge of a spinning bit, it can be thrown forcefully in any direction, causing injury or damage.
5.
Never place your hands on the rails of the ShopBot. Be aware that the machine may move unexpectedly in any direction, which can cause serious injury if your hands are in the path of movement.
6.
Never wear gloves while operating the machine. As with any power tool, a glove can get caught in moving or spinning parts and pull your hand into the machinery.
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Rania Zarandah | Fab Engineer 06 | 10 | 2018
7. Never leave a machine running and unattended. Understand that a spinning tool generates friction and heat, creating a risk of fire. This risk is minimized by using correct chip load, using sharp bits, and by always double-checking your files before cutting. Be prepared to pause or stop the cut if something seems incorrect or unsafe.
8.
Keep a working fire extinguisher within reach of the machine, for the reasons listed above.
More safety instructions will be provided in each section if needed.
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Prepare your CNC router
Rania Zarandah | Fab Engineer 06 | 10 | 2018
The first step you have to do before designing and CNC cutting is prepare your ShopBot. There are few thing you need to check or adjust before starting: 1.
Material, you need to fix or insert the material you want to use on the spoil board.
2.
Bit, you need to check whether the bit inserted in the spindle is actually the one that fit your cutting purposes. If not you need to change it.
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Rania Zarandah | Fab Engineer 06 | 10 | 2018
For placing or removing your material prepare your drill and drill bits.
First remove the old material inserted in the spoil board. By drilling out the screws used to ďŹ x the material
Prepare your new material, that you need to use for the CNC cutting job.
Also, you will need some screws and screws washer to adjust your material on the spoil board.
Adjust your material on the spoil board as shown in the above picture.
Now your material is ready!
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Rania Zarandah | Fab Engineer 06 | 10 | 2018
To change or replace the cutting bit, ďŹ rst choose the bit for your project from the bit toolbox.
Move the spindle into an easily accessible position.
Remove the collect from the spindle by rotating both wrenches in the opposite direction.
Note that if the collect pieces is the one ďŹ tting your bit no need to change the collect just untighted it and put the new bit you want to use.
Re-tight the collect into your new bit using wrenches again by rotating them in the opposite direction.
Now your new bit is adjusted and you can start designing your model for the CNC cutting.
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Rania Zarandah | Fab Engineer 06 | 10 | 2018
To change or replace the cutting bit, ďŹ rst choose the bit for your project from the bit toolbox.
Move the spindle into an easily accessible position.
Remove the collect from the spindle by rotating both wrenches in the opposite direction.
Note that if the collect pieces is the one ďŹ tting your bit no need to change the collect just untighted it and put the new bit you want to use.
Re-tight the collect into your new bit using wrenches again by rotating them in the opposite direction.
Now your new bit is adjusted and you can start designing your model for the CNC cutting.
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Prepare your Design Introduction to ShopBot 3 and VCarve Pro.
Rania Zarandah | Fab Engineer 06 | 10 | 2018
There are three main parts in the “ShopBotEasy� panel. In this section we will introduce each and every part in details.
The x, y, and z location indicator will show you the live location of the spindle. It will keep on changing while the spindle is moving.
The second part of the easy menu has 4 important icon, the origin point icon, zero x, and y axis, zero z axes, and the keypad.
In the keypad panel you can change the location of the spindle, back, front, up, and down across the x, y, and z axes using the arrows shown in the menu
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Rania Zarandah | Fab Engineer 06 | 10 | 2018
In this panel you can locate the x, and y origin location of the spindle to where you want it to start the CNC job from.
Locate the x, and y origin manually using the arrows then press zero axes from keypad panel. Choose the axes you want to zero then press the ZERO button.
By this you can see from the axes location indicator that the point the spindle is standing in is the zero point for the x, and y axes
To zero the z axes, you need to use both the machine and the software together. In the “ShopBotEasy” panel there is an icon to set the z zero height. Press this icon.
A pop-up message will ask you whether the z plate is ready. For this you need to return back to the machine
In the shopbot you will find this plate together with the clipper. Take it out from its place.
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Rania Zarandah | Fab Engineer 06 | 10 | 2018
Place the plate under the spindle and exactly under the bit.
And take the clip and clip it on the collect nut as it is shown in the above picture.
When you are done get back to the pop-up massage and press ok
The spindle will start to move down the z axis until it touches the plate once.
Then slightly moves up, and then it moves down again and touches the plate gently to finalize the location of the z axis.
Then finally in the software a massage will pop up identifying that the z axis height has been specified, and remind you to remove the clip and the plate and return it back to their original places.
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Rania Zarandah | Fab Engineer 06 | 10 | 2018
The software used to design or import file to prepare it for CNC cutting or curving is the (VCarve Pro.)
To open new file just go directly from small menu in the left of the screen, or you can just go to file- (open, new) in the top far left of the screen.
When you press new, this will be the front page of the software.
In the left menu it will ask you about the parameters of the material you are using like; width, height, and the thickness. Set these parameters and press ok.
You can measure the height and the width using meters.
And the thickness using the Vernier caliper
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Rania Zarandah | Fab Engineer 06 | 10 | 2018
after pressing ok, a menu will show up, you can use this menu to start design your model. For example, let's design a star
In this page you can design your model and set different parameters such as number of point, and the location. When you are done press apply!
When you are done you will get back to the previous page you were in, and by this you will be done from modeling. Go to toolpath tab.
In the toolpaths tap you can prepare your model for either cutting or curving. In toolpath panel you will ďŹ nd two important options; the material setup, and the toolpath operations.
In the material setups, you can adjust the parameters of your material like the width, height, and thickness.
To measure the width, height, and thickness of your material you can use Vernier caliper for accurate measurements.
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Rania Zarandah | Fab Engineer 06 | 10 | 2018
In the toolpath operations you can choose whether you want to cut or curve or any other options. Choose the cut option for example.
In the cutting panel you can adjust parameters for the cutting job. These parameters including; cutting depths, tool, passes, machine vector, and tabs.
The cutting depths you will need to adjust the depth the spindle will go after each cutting iteration.
For the tools, you need to add the bit information. You either go with the suggested bit, or you choose “edit” option to sit the parameters of your own bit.
When you press edit, tool database panel will appear and you can choose either to go with the suggested tool list, or you can just custom your own bit information by providing some parameters
The number of passes is where you can adjust the number of passes the machine will do to finish your cutting job. To edit press “Edit Passes”.
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Rania Zarandah | Fab Engineer 06 | 10 | 2018
If you press edit passes the “specify pass depth” panel will appear and it will demonstrate two important things; cutting depth, and the number of passes the machine will take to do the cutting job.
If you increase the number of passes to 3 passes for example you would clearly see that machine will go 4mm/pass until it finishes 12 mm cutting job in 3 passes.
Note that: Don’t do your cutting job in one pass, this might damage the both the bit and the material you are using.
The recommended number of passes is always between 3-6 passes, depending on the thickness of the material you are using.
Tabs are used to prevent your model from moving during the cutting procedure.
By choosing edit tabs, you can edit the numbers of tabs you want on you model and the distance between them
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Rania Zarandah | Fab Engineer 06 | 10 | 2018
When you are done with adjusting the cutting parameters you can preview the machine behavior by pressing on calculate
And you can check the final look of your design.
Then from the new panel press “save toolpath to file”.
You can play on this tab to check how the machine would behave on the material you are using.
To prepare your files press cancel to get back to the toolpaths window.From the toolpath list choose your file, in this case the file is Test, then press the save button in the toolpath operations menu.
And finally, you can save the file wherever you want, and now you are ready to cut your model.
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Start Cutting!
Rania Zarandah | Fab Engineer 06 | 10 | 2018
To start your cutting job, go back to ShopBotEASY panel and press on “Cut Part” button
A window will pop up, go and find the file you saved in the previous step. Note that it has to be in the “.sbp” format.
When you choose your file, the software and the machine will be ready for starting the cutting job. Press on start button in the ShopBotEASY panel.
After pressing start from the panel, go to the machine controller and press the start button for the machine to start operating.
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Emergency STOP!
Rania Zarandah | Fab Engineer 06 | 10 | 2018
If there were any problem while the CNC router is running, you have to press the emergency button found on the machine. There are two emergency button, one is on the gauntry of the ShopBot.
And one is on the controller that comes with the machine. You press any of them and not necessary both, but when you reopen the machine you need to un-press the button in order for the machine to operate.
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References
Rania Zarandah | Fab Engineer 06 | 10 | 2018
1.
https://support.shopbottools.com/training/tutorials
2.
http://www.shopbottools.com/ShopBotDocs/files/SBG%2000142%20User%20Guide%20201 50317.pdf
3.
http://www.shopbottools.com/ShopBotDocs/files/DTQuickStartGuide.pdf
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