CNC Router

Basics

• A Router controlled via CNC
• Allows for the Subtractive Manufacturing of Mainly Wood or Acrylic
• Essentially a much more basic CNC Mill with a much shorter z axis (due to sheets being the main feedstock), and a Router or Rotary Tool instead of a CNC Spindle
• Useful for Wood Prototypes, Drone Frames, and precision wood parts
• Also may be useful simply for automating wood cutting in an affordable way, allowing time to be spent elsewere
• Can cut thicker wood and plastic than most small laser cutters as well
• There is a bit of a Grey Area between a low end CNC Mill and the best CNC Routers
  • Use of a Proper CNC Spindle , Having enough Z-Axis Travel Distance to not only clear Sheet Stock materials, but also Machine Finishing of Castings all seem to be good "dividing lines"
  • Nonetheless High End CNC Mills Can Often Handle "Soft Metals" (Aluminum , Brass , etc)

Industry Standards

Tabletop / Benchtop

*Low Budget (150-500 USD)

• Summary of What One Gets for This Pricepoint:
  • Typically only capable of Wood, Foam, Plastic, and towards the upper end [[Hardwoods] and *potentially* Soft Metals at extremely low Feeds and Speeds (also may only be able to "engrave", rather than cut
  • Z Axis is typically rather short so thicker materials will not work
  • Co-Mounting of Diode Laser Toolheads (Some higher end models can remove the router toolhead for a laser) or Dust Shoes etc is either not possible, or difficult
  • Frame Rigidity/Motion System Used a Major Limit
  • Nearly All Designs are Bedslingers (which can be problematic due to dust falling into the Y-Axis's Motion System
• Common Options:
  • 3018 CNC
  • Genmitsu 3018-PROVer / Genmitsu 3018-PROVer V2
  • Genmitsu 3020-PRO MAX

Mid Budget (500-1,000 USD)

• • Dust Shoes are more commonplace, work area is larger (will need a proper table/bench, unlike the Ikea Lack sized FDM 3D Printers/Low Budget CNC Routers
  • Substantial Diode Lasers can be Mounted, Potentially Even Co-Mounted
  • Full on Trimmer Routers can be used, allowing for more aggressive feeds and speeds
  • Designs are either High Quality Bedslingers or Gantry Based
  • Frame Rigidity is Acceptable, Motors become the main Limiting Factor
  • One encounters something akin to the Iron Triangle ; Pick Two:
    • Frame Rigidity / Motion System Componets (Thickness of Extrusions Used (or even cast/milled parts), Plastic vs Metal Connections/Holders, Ball Screw vs Lead Screw vs *Belt Driven* etc)
    • Spindle Quality
    • Motion System Type (Bedslinger vs Gantry)
• High Budget (1,000+ USD)

High Budget

• You essentially get all three of the options in the "iron triangle" the mid budget tier faces
  • Some of the units can get rather large, and thus definitely fit into the "benchtop" category
    • Some also can have "extension kits" that make them comparable to shops sized ones
• Units can have a Dust Shoe, and Diode Laser Unit Co-Mounted, and can handle substantial router trimmers / even low end cnc spindles
• Can Aggressively Cut Through All Materials Short of Metals
  • Frame Rigidity/Spindle Power Becomes a Limit for Harder Metals
    • Also the incompatibility with Flood Coolant etc

Shop Sized

• Machines that Can Fit a Full Sheet of Plywood etc
• Cost Already Starts out in the 500-1000+ USD Range
• Lower cost units are V-Slot Roller Based
• Mid Cost is Lead Screw/Ball Screw + Precision Ground Rod + Bushing/Linear Rail based
• High Cost is essentially a more refined mid cost (also maybe a High Powered Laser Diode Unit for not just engraving, but also high speed cutting, and even marking(

Existing Open Source Designs

• Dremel CNC

Minimum Viable Product

• Should be Able to Handle Various Woods and Plastics, as well as composites like Carbon Fiber
• Should be compatible with OTS Rotary Tools and Routers, as well as OSE Designs
• Should Use either the Universal Axis or the Precision Universal Axis
• Should Allow For Air Jets, And Vacuum Chip Extraction (A hose for each)

Basic Design

Frame

• Either Welded Metal, or Metal Extrusions
• Focus is on density, and squareness/levelness/parallelness, this all leads to stability and precision

Router Mount

• A Standardized Plate with Adapters for OTS Spindles

Input/Output Panel

• Air In
• Suction In
• Vacuum Cleaner Output In

Motion System

• 2-3 axis modules for the X and Y axis
• 2 axis modules for the Z axis (Perhaps of a larger variety)

Sacrificial Board + Holder System

• A Board of Cheap Wood is put above the baseplate to allow for some room for error and to protect the surface from wear

See Also

• CNC Mill
• CNC Lathe
• CNC Torch Table
• CNC Multimachine
• Torch Table Preliminary Work