http://diylilcnc.org/forum/tags/acrylic Free, open-source plans for a low-cost 3-axis CNC mill by Taylor Hokanson and Chris Reilly. Sponsored by the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. en-US Thu, 17 May 2012 23:20:02 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q http://diylilcnc.org/forum/search.php http://diylilcnc.org/forum/topic/cutting-acrylic#post-939 Wed, 07 Mar 2012 15:44:57 +0000 Taylor 939@http://diylilcnc.org/forum/ <p>@kerchen,</p> <p>You could also try exporting multiple toolpaths that start at different heights in the material. With this solution you'd run each file and wait for the bit to cool in between. You could also look at adding "dwells" at different parts of the .NC file by hand, but you'd want to make sure the dwell happens out of contact with the stock to be cut.</p> <p>Example: G4 P5, where G4 means "dwell" and P5 means 5 seconds. </p> http://diylilcnc.org/forum/topic/cutting-acrylic#post-933 Mon, 05 Mar 2012 20:29:06 +0000 Chris 933@http://diylilcnc.org/forum/ <p>Paul, as with any material, the bit makes all the difference. This becomes especially apparent with acrylic. </p> <p>Generally speaking, you want a bit that clears away a good amount of material to minimize heat. A bit with one or two <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milling_cutter#Features_of_a_milling_cutter">flutes</a> is a good start. Also you'll want to use a relatively slow spindle speed, and a faster feed rate (you'll probably need to experiment as this will depend on a lot of factors).</p> <p>Here are a couple good sources for bits specifically made to cut plastic:</p> <p><a href="http://www.onsrud.com/xlink/xtdlkSearchProdFtLst&amp;xtdlksearchprodlst_xcrit1=C1ACUTC2AMTCC3HPLAS&amp;xtdLkSearchClassesProdLst_CN=Hard%20Plastic&amp;xtdlksearchclassesprodlst_xcrit1=%20plastic">Onsrud</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.mcmaster.com/#end-mills/=gj8y3a">McMaster-Carr</a> </p> http://diylilcnc.org/forum/topic/cutting-acrylic#post-928 Mon, 05 Mar 2012 00:09:37 +0000 kerchen 928@http://diylilcnc.org/forum/ <p>I'm making a control panel for an electronics project and so I've been trying to cut some reasonably thin acrylic (0.093") using my mill. My approach has been to cut it using multiple passes through the material, taking anywhere from 0.005 to 0.01 off in each pass, using a feed rate between 5 and 6. I've tried a few different kinds of bits (1/8" mill end, 1/8" round burr and v-shaped), but the results seem to be the same: once the bit is about half-way into the material, it gets heated up to the point where it starts to melt the acrylic. :( Occasionally I'll get a good cut, but those results aren't repeatable. Does anyone have any tips for cutting acrylic without melting?</p> <p>Thanks!<br /> Paul </p> http://diylilcnc.org/forum/topic/acrylic-vs-masonite/page/2#post-657 Thu, 09 Dec 2010 16:47:41 +0000 jimmycakes 657@http://diylilcnc.org/forum/ <p>Are there any Illustrator files available? Possibly with all the tabs on a separate layer allowing easy editing of the tabs? </p> http://diylilcnc.org/forum/topic/bearing-assemblies#post-176 Thu, 07 Jan 2010 18:44:54 +0000 JAMESDONOHOE 176@http://diylilcnc.org/forum/ <p>Thanks Chris,</p> <p> I can see now the principle behind the design.<br /> No more excuses I'll just have to build it!</p> <p> Jim </p> http://diylilcnc.org/forum/topic/bearing-assemblies#post-175 Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:37:35 +0000 Chris 175@http://diylilcnc.org/forum/ <p><a href="http://diylilcnc.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/DIYLILCNC_xbearing_attachment.jpg"><img src="http://diylilcnc.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/DIYLILCNC_xbearing_attachment-300x222.jpg" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://diylilcnc.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/DIYLILCNC_zbearing_attachment.jpg"><img src="http://diylilcnc.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/DIYLILCNC_zbearing_attachment-300x274.jpg" /></a></p> <p>Jim, here are a couple more illustrations, hopefully clearer this time. The bearing assemblies don't have any brackets permanently attached to them, instead we've designed the gantry to have receiving tabs that act to sandwich everything together. </p> <p>Please feel free to ask if you're still unclear on anything. </p> http://diylilcnc.org/forum/topic/bearing-assemblies#post-173 Thu, 07 Jan 2010 12:36:15 +0000 JAMESDONOHOE 173@http://diylilcnc.org/forum/ <p>Thanks for the rapid response Chris.<br /> Forgive my ignorance but I am still not clear as to how the rails are bracketted.<br /> I have refered to the photo's you suggest but a strategically positioned finger seems<br /> to be obstructing the critical shot. Are the rails actually fitted with brackets or are they "sandwiched" in place?<br /> If they are fitted with brackets is there any detail of these anywhere?</p> <p> Your forebearance is appreciated!</p> <p> Jim </p> http://diylilcnc.org/forum/topic/bearing-assemblies#post-170 Thu, 07 Jan 2010 03:39:29 +0000 Chris 170@http://diylilcnc.org/forum/ <p>Hi Jim, take a look at the PDF from the downloads section (its part of the .zip file).</p> <p>Pages 11, 48 &amp; 44 show the X-rail attachments, which are held in place with brackets on the top and an adjustable plate on the bottom. </p> <p>Pages 11 and 51 show the Y-rail bearing assemblies; while the bearings in the photo are short, we decided to go with longer assemblies for added stability. The gantry basically sits on the Y-rails and is held by gravity, which may be something we'll improve on in later versions. </p> <p>Pages 10 &amp; 57 show the Z-rail assemblies. These are sandwiched vertically in between the Z-rails, which themselves are held in place by the Z-rail top and bottom brackets. </p> http://diylilcnc.org/forum/topic/bearing-assemblies#post-168 Wed, 06 Jan 2010 23:11:05 +0000 JAMESDONOHOE 168@http://diylilcnc.org/forum/ <p>Hi,</p> <p> Can somebody please explain how the bearing assemblies are fixed to their respective frames?</p> <p> thanks,</p> <p> Jim </p> http://diylilcnc.org/forum/topic/acrylic-vs-masonite/page/2#post-155 Tue, 22 Dec 2009 05:07:05 +0000 DIYengineer 155@http://diylilcnc.org/forum/ <p>The pictures of the First-Gen machine look AMAZING! </p> http://diylilcnc.org/forum/topic/acrylic-vs-masonite#post-140 Mon, 07 Dec 2009 21:07:51 +0000 Taylor 140@http://diylilcnc.org/forum/ <p>@OFA</p> <p>Cool! I'll work on cleaning up the AI file - it's not ready to release directly without some housekeeping. This will take a couple days, so don't hold back if you think it's just as easy to work straight from AutoCAD.</p> <p>To answer a questions I forgot earlier - do go ahead and keep all slots centered when you change their size. </p> http://diylilcnc.org/forum/topic/acrylic-vs-masonite#post-139 Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:34:43 +0000 Open Form Architecture 139@http://diylilcnc.org/forum/ <p>@ Taylor: </p> <p>Thanks for doing the "Demo File" - I've had a chance to test it, and what happens is that Illustrator (when I export from Illustrator to either DWG or DXF) is that Illustrator creates a series of blocks within blocks, none of which are parametric. </p> <p>I tried to edit the "symbol definition" in Illustrator CS4 and it seems to update without too much problems. I was also planning to go slightly bigger with the holes - from 0.24" to 0.26" instead -in the case of 1/4" MDF (with a real uniform thickness of 0.25"). This way the holes won't be too snug.</p> <p>Perhaps send me the Illustrator file to test, or I will just do it from scratch in the AutoCAD file I've already modified... It's probably as quick. </p> http://diylilcnc.org/forum/topic/acrylic-vs-masonite#post-138 Mon, 07 Dec 2009 18:12:59 +0000 Taylor 138@http://diylilcnc.org/forum/ <p>@OFA - Sorry for the confusion! To clarify:</p> <p>MDF should be fine, or even better than Masonite (as it's less likely to peel). I don't think, without having tested it personally, that the added weight should be an issue.</p> <p>Our laser runs straight from Illustrator, just like a conventional printer. That's why our working files are in AI format. Initially, when we completed the design, we had an AI file with symbols that represented the slots throughout the gantry. We stripped out the parametric nature of the symbols in an attempt to make a PDF file that was universally accessible (or as close as possible).</p> <p>It sounds like we need to collect examples of workflow from the community, then respond to commonalities in future releases of our CAD files. I'll post a little <a href="http://diylilcnc.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/parametric_test.zip">demo file</a> <strike>in the downloads section</strike> of an AI file containing two instances of the same symbol. Try importing this into AutoCAD and see if you can get the symbols to read as blocks. If you can, we can look at releasing a symbol-based version of our AI file. </p> http://diylilcnc.org/forum/topic/acrylic-vs-masonite#post-137 Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:22:13 +0000 Open Form Architecture 137@http://diylilcnc.org/forum/ <p>@ Taylor - Continued:</p> <p>I forgot to mention, that working from Illustrator &gt; to AutoCAD makes all of the holes individual blocks. This of course means that in AutoCAD I cannot do a quick update of all the blocks. If I redo all the holes as one block, then this should (ideally) be fed to others. </p> <p>Also: I assume that all the holes for the tabs should be centred according to the centre hole? And if I'm going to redo all the blocks, I guess I have the choice of still doing the masonite, because I'm going to resize everything anyhow. In this case, do you think Masonite is still better than MDF? </p> http://diylilcnc.org/forum/topic/acrylic-vs-masonite#post-136 Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:13:19 +0000 Open Form Architecture 136@http://diylilcnc.org/forum/ <p>@ Taylor: </p> <p>I am looking at doing the panels with 1/4" MDF, which seems to me the most logical option. However I still fell like I don't have a clear answer from you about the material. If I understand: MDF is good, even if it is slightly heavier. As you say it (might be) is more expensive -but likely not hugely different. </p> <p>The major issue seems to be then, that the MDF is not between the 0.21" to 0.22" as shown in the other post: <a href="http://diylilcnc.org/forum/topic/before-you-get-panels-cut-read-this-post" rel="nofollow">http://diylilcnc.org/forum/topic/before-you-get-panels-cut-read-this-post</a> and that we will in ALL cases need to adjust the holes (and tabs) to fit. I measured a piece of 1/4" MDF here at the studio, and it was exactly 0.25" = too big for the holes.</p> <p>* Concerning the drawing set, I did have problems with the extra (missing) panels you added. The updated driver case boxes were SPlines, and caused problems to the Laser cutting machine. I therefore had to redraw the updated parts. I just wanted to let you know. I will look at AutoCAD and the feasibility of redoing (by block) the tab holes so that they can be updated to different thicknesses. I work with AutoCAD 2007 files.</p> <p>Darrel </p>