Design and Manufacturing Guides

How to Improve Part Design for CNC Machining

engineers in workshop
25 Nov

Designers must understand certain production rules and avoid mistakes as much as possible to maximize the use of CNC machining technology and save costs. Spending some time to evaluate and improve the CNC machining design before production can not only shorten the manufacturing cycle, decrease cost, but also optimizing the efficiency and product quality. Here are six design guidelines to follow:

1.

Avoid designs need unnecessary machining

Unnecessary machining will extend the manufacturing process and lead time, which directly results in the growth of production cost. Try to simplify the design and avoid extra machining, such as cut away the remaining material. It’s more efficient to cut the required part from the block.

2.

Avoid infeasible features or highly complicated

Design the CNC part based on the capabilities of the machines and cutting tools, it’s better to take advantages of the equipment, maximize the efficiency. Avoid the features that can’t be produced or takes a very long time to do, otherwise, the final product can’t be obtained, and waste a lot of manpower and material resources. Unnecessary aesthetic features should also be abandoned.

3.

Avoid too small features

Some parts designed with small internal corner or pockets for assembly or weight reduction, but if the small pockets and square corners are too small, some machines have a minimum tool diameter, which means the features smaller than the diameter would be difficult to process. Multiple cutting tools need to be used at the corner material, therefore, the processing time is changed. Avoid too small corners, try to add radius when designing internal edges, this is also a tip to reduce tool wear and tear, increase cutting speed.

4.

Try to use standard sizes for holes

Holes with standard sizes can be machined with a standard drill bit, which greatly saves time and ensures the accuracy of dimensions. Non-standard holes are required to be processed using an end mill tool, and the depth and diameter will be limited.

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