What is a CNC Mill?
A CNC milling machine is a machine that mixes technological controls and rotating multi-point cutting tools to remove material from a piece of work in order to make a customized product.
Which Mill is in the Innovation Center?
There are two CNC mills in the Waunakee Innovation Center, both of which are Tormach PCNC 440s.
What Have I Learned?
- Pulleys on the mill help vary the speed and increase torque
- Balance spindle to 10,000 RPMs allows good removal rates in all kinds of materials
- Higher spindle speeds help with you machining times
Software
CNC mills usually use Fusion 360 in order to set up the product before milling.
What Does the Software do?
Fusion 360 allows you to create parts in a 3D space virtually. After creating a part in Fusion 360, you can send the file to a CNC mill and bring it to life!
What Would I Make with a CNC Mill?
If I had access to a CNC mill right now, I would probably make some kind of nightstand organizer that would organize my phone, charger, watches, necklaces, and have some kind of coaster on it that I can set a glass of water on.
Summary
Making this website and learning about the CNC milling machine, I learned that a CNC mill is a very useful machine that can be used to make many things. This machine is also very efficient doing what it does and when used with the right software, and can be very successful in an industrial setting.