CNC Milling Machine Parts and Components
CNC
When you are looking for CNC milling machine parts and components there are a selection of places to find them. There are many Web sites and the machines can be found in a variety of prices.
lathe
Depending on the type of machine you will need the price can be steep but there are many small machines that can do the same job if you are looking at this as part of a small business or a hobby. Also, you can buy a machine to cut metal or wood, to do fancy scroll work or do engraving on metals as well as other applications.
You can decide whether you will purchase a brand new machine or a used one. Many people do not suggest investing in a used one because you aren't sure what you really are getting but buying other sorts of machines like CNC routers seem to be a good idea because of the cost.
All CNC Milling machines retain the following parts:
- Axis -- depending on the type of CNC milling machine it might have anywhere from someone to six axis which will also determine the scale and what it is supposed to complete.
- Column -- the column is what travels along an axis store the part that mills or cuts.
- Control panel -- the part store the computer keyboard (sometimes small, other times large) where you program the G-Codes into the machine.
- Cutting tool -- the cutting tool is coupled to the column and is the part that truly cuts the piece in how that the operator specifies.
- Spindle -- the spindle holds the cutting tool in position.
- Coolant supply tubes -- these are the tubes where they coolant is pumped through to keep the metal cool and the cutting tool lubricated.
- Table -- the table will be the area that the workpiece is going to be attached to either using a clamp or a vacuum. This is when the workpiece will sit while being milled.
There are numerous different types of milling machines that can be found and they are small or large according to what they do. Here are a few:
Vertical CNC mills have a vertical spindle axis. This means that the cutters that the milling are held vertically inside the spindle and they rotate about the spindle's axis. In this type you can extend the spindle or even the table to make drilling or plunge cuts. Bed mills and Turret mills fall under this category.
Horizontal CNC mills have a similar type of table as vertical CNC mills however cutters are installed on an arbor that sits over the table horizontally.
Hobbyists will in all probability use a box mill which can be mounted to a bench and basically rises and down. Knee mills provide an x-y table and its moves up and down the column. It may be adjusted with what is called a vertically adjustable knee. Many larger industries utilize the C-Frame mill because it is one of the most conducive for larger work. They're only vertically mobile and it used a fixed spindle head for that movement.