Plastic is very useful material in industry. People can see plastic product in life and work, here and there. Such as: phone, mouse, computer, camera and so on. In most cases, these products are made from plastic in injection moulding. In rapid prototyping field, the supplier can produce plastic prototype in many different processes, CNC machining, SLA, SLS, vacuum casting …etc.
The CNC indexing mechanism is used to precisely control the machining angle between the processed product and the CNC machine tool spindle, and the CNC machine tool spindle is precisely rotated to complete the processing requirements of the product at various angles, making the CNC machine tool processing capacity to be extended. Products through the body after a clamping, with CNC machine tool spindle, precise rotation, the completion of multi-process composite processing, the product truly a clamping, a comprehensive processing. Truly to reduce the process, the auxiliary time as the main purpose of the unmanned, automated multi-axis CNC machine tool processing, a significant savings in the CNC machine tool magazine tool change and transfer operations such as the time required.
For some heavy and big dimensions of prototype. And also, due to the material properties, CNC plastic prototype will be an often good choice .Because almost all plastic materials can be machined. Compare with other processes, it has advantage. Like PE, PBT, HEPE, 3D printed them is impossible. What’s more, the block material for CNC machining of properties is the same as the final production with injection moulding. This is impossible for other processes to do.
CNC turning machine turret automatic tool change takes 3 s, so in the CNC machine program optimization conditions, change the processing mode, increase the frequency of the organization’s rotation, the machine can be rotated, With the spindle processing, in order to reduce the number of tool change, and ultimately shorten the product 10% to 20% of the processing time CT time, thereby enhancing production capacity.
Actually the plastic model prototype can be produced by many types of processes depending on part shape and the material of investor requires. If the investor needs the prototype model with high quality finished, vision model, like the final product, then, the best choice is CNC machining, the rough surface can be easy to deal after machined, polished, painted, plated, .etc. and also, strong and flexible material choosing is possible, but if creating prototype with 3D printing technology, the material will be limited.
The current CNC indexing turntable has been widely used in CNC machine tool production and processing of bulk products. IE in this equipment development and application process, played an irreplaceable role, through IE work research and analysis, pointed out that the production bottlenecks, solutions, and put into production applications. Through the realization of the organization, IE completely changed the traditional CNC machine tool processing methods, effectively improve the processing efficiency, improve product quality and stability of processing, reduce costs, and improve the CNC machine tool processing flexibility for a variety of products The need for a CNC machining after clamping. So, for prototype supplier, they should consider the IE of importance in rapid prototyping area, and it will impact on the new rapid manufacturing technology.
The application of double-tray two-way feeding method in CNC machine tool is also a kind of operation method which improves the production efficiency after studying the working time of CNC machine tool spindle and its utilization rate. The system completes the synchronous machining of the finished product and the feed cycle of the product to be processed, which can effectively reduce the value of the CNC machine tool in the traditional production mode, when installing the workpiece and dismantling the workpiece, “non-cutting” time. Double pallet feeding system, through the processed workpiece is removed, while the workpiece to be processed into the cycle of reciprocating process, effectively reducing the workpiece exchange time, improve the CNC machine tool spindle utilization. For any form of workpiece exchange system, improving spindle utilization and reducing “non-cutting” time is its primary goal. Through the double-pallet CNC machine tool feed system, which can effectively improve the spindle utilization of 25% -35%, at the same time, according to product processing CT time, you can save nearly 50% of the human needs.
Plastic prototype manufacturing is big advantage through by CNC machining if it’s big size. Prototype supplier can split it into many pieces and glue again after machined, this can reduce too much production cost and time. If make big prototype with other processes, perhaps it will be much more expensive. But for some complex structure and small size of plastic prototype, if the investor doesn’t care about the material properties. They just want to see what it likes, from 3D CAD model in computer to a real physical part. Maybe 3D printing process is a good choice. So, everything will be depended on the requirements from investors finally what they want.