The CNC router allows foam manufacturers to produce typical orders for 20 sample models in two days, while manual cutting of foam blocks takes five days.
In addition to saving time, the CNC router also liberated engineers who had previously had to put in and help cut foam pieces when they needed a lot of samples.
In addition to one person loading the foam inventory and taking out the finished product, the router can run unattended around the clock if necessary to issue a large order.
Another benefit of automating the sample production process is that it enables the company to take on the jobs that will be lost in the past.
\"When the shape of the customer\'s parts is too complex to be cut manually, we have to reject the work,\" said Nathan Musgrove, an application engineer at Foam maker Jefferson.
\"This has not happened since we installed the CNC machine.
It can even cut the most complex 3D shapes precisely.
Foam manufacturer based in Scottsdale, Arizonato-
The Coast network consists of 14 facilities that provide molded foam products, packaging and components.
Its foam products are used in the packaging of items such as electronic equipment and electrical appliances, but can also be found in other applications such as the interior of the bicycle helmet.
Companies with 250 employees include expanded polystyrene (EPS)
Expanded polyethylene (EPE)
Expanded polypropylene (EPP)
As well as polymers such as GECET, ARCEL and RMER.
These raw materials are injected into the mold as beads and then heated with steam to inflate and solidify them into finished products.
Foam Manufacturers also manufacture flexible materials for molding and extrusion, such as polyethylene, polyurethane, polypropylene and EPS.
The company\'s test samples for each regional design and testing facility are equipped with qualified packaging professionals and are equipped with the latest manufacturing, drop testing, computerized data acquisition and CAD systems.
When a customer comes to the foam manufacturer with a new product that needs to be packaged, the first step is to work with an engineer from the company to determine the right material.
Once this is selected, the engineer will use the customer\'s specifications and CAD geometry to develop a rough design of the foam part.
Foam manufacturer engineers specify the material, size and performance features of the product and create a 3D model of the initial concept using the SolidWorks CAD system.
At this point, most customers require 20 to 30 samples for drop testing.
Some customers are tested by foam manufacturers, while others prefer to sample and sample-house.
There is also an additional drawback to hand-made samples.
Some of the shapes the customer needs are not possible to produce in this way.
For example, a jet ski manufacturer requires a foam manufacturer to make a bow float, a piece of foam placed in a four
Man jet ski with buoyancy.
\"This part has a lot of complex geometry and it\'s impossible to shape it by hand,\" Musgrove said . \".
\"We were unable to make samples so we were unable to accept the work.
\"The third drawback is that the hand-made models are not very accurate because the process of cutting them requires some interpolation between surfaces.
This is acceptable for some customers, but other customers want higher accuracy.
A big customer of the foam manufacturer asked the company to consider cutting foam samples using CNC machines, and they often asked for a large number of samples to be used for their extensive testing procedures.
When the company investigated this, they found two options: a heavy and expensive machining center designed mainly for metal processing, and a cheap router that could not provide the manufacturer of the desired precision foam.
Then they found the CNC router produced by Techno Model 160 from Techno Isel in Hyde Park, New York, which provided a perfect compromise.
The router is very accurate and sturdy and is designed for production wiring and drilling of a wide range of materials, including wood, plastic, medium fiber boards, solid surface treatment materials and non-ferrous metals.
The prices and features included in the Techno CNC system seem to be well suited to the needs of foam manufacturers, so the company decided to buy it.
The technical specifications of the technology router they choose include 59 \"x 50\" and Z-
12 \"shaft height, vacuum hold-
5 hp Columbus spindle and an elevated gantry for large part clearance.
The table has a fast travel speed of 800 inch kilometers per minute, Z-
The maximum shaft shear force is 200 pounds, 0. 0005-
Inch resolution and repeatability, 0.
Absolute accuracy 003 inch/ft.
Now, when the customer makes a request for a new product to the foam manufacturer, the engineer creates the SolidWorks model as in the past.
However, instead of creating drawings, he exported the physical model directly to the CAM program of the technical router system.
This CAM program was originally designed for metal processing and is also very good
Suitable for foam, because it is able to generate the most complex contours with very little programming work.
In the CAM program, the engineer issues a command that the software creates the toolpath for the cut sample.
The only additional input required is information such as feed speed and cutting speed.
From the SolidWorks Model import CAM program to the system ready to cut the foam, the total programming time varies from 30 minutes to two hours, depending on the complexity of the part.
Once a piece of foam material has been fixed on the technical router, the operator clicks the Start button and then the sample is automatically carved.
In addition to removing the finished product and attaching a new foam block to repeat the process, the machine does not require any supervision.
Using this machine, complete a typical order for 20 samples in two days.
Large sample orders no longer require production assistance from engineers.
The machine just keeps stock and runs all the time until the order is completed.
Foam manufacturers are very satisfied with the reliability of the technology router.
It works perfectly with only regular lubrication.
Part of its reliability is due to the materials used in its construction.
For example, the machine uses-
Recoil screws.
Due to the ball contact between the NUT and the screw, these screws have excellent power transfer, which ensures low friction, low wear and long life.
Ball screws also make it possible to produce parts with a machine resolution of 0. 0005 inch.
In addition, the machine is constructed on a steel stress relief base in a hardened steel linear manner, using ballscrews with servo motor standards, providing the best precision performance, speed capacity and machine life. This shaft-and-
Production of bearing system is very smooth, play-
Free movement is a very rigid system that produces highquality cuts.
The customer expressed appreciation for the faster sample turnover.
Those who need a high degree of accuracy in the sample have also noticed improvements to the technical router here.
More importantly, customers who come to foam manufacturers to seek packaging parts are now confident that no matter how complex the shape of the parts is, the company can take on their work.
Because the CNC machine imports CAD geometry and copies the shape precisely, regardless of complexity, the foam manufacturer is no longer limited to simpler shapes.
Having a Techno CNC router pays off for foam manufacturers in many ways: faster sample turnover, more accurate samples, more customer satisfaction, and the ability to take on more complex work.
In addition, having a CNC router helps the company compete with other injection foam molding machines.
\"Making samples on CNC machines is the norm in our industry,\" explains Musgrove . \".
\"With the technology machine, we found a cost-
An effective way to meet this requirement.