Your ideal CNC machining shop can be summed up in three simple letters: QED. Great, but what is QED?
While you might hope finding a great production partner is effortless and those letters stand for quite easily done, that is unfortunately not usually the case. It can be quite a battle to find the perfect supplier…
No-one wants to take delivery of parts, put them into the stores only to find they are slightly out or there’s a hole missing when it’s time to fit the part. It’s so frustrating and time consuming to fix.
So, for us, QED stands for “Quality, Expertise and Delivery on time.” Exactly what you need.
You need to find a machine shop that can engineer your parts to the quality you require; with no reworks necessary. Expertise, your supplier must have a staff of engineers who can get the most complex job done AND even help determine the best way to produce your parts by suggesting design tweaks if appropriate. Delivery on time is self explanatory…
For quality CNC machining that satisfies your QED requirement, your workshop needs four elements to be in place: Machines, Software, Experience and Inspection.
Machines
Manufacturing your parts perfectly the first time cannot be done without high-end CNC machines such as the DMG Mori 60 Evo, demonstrated in the video below.
In the video, the mounting component has an octagon profile shaft between two parallel flanges at the ends. The shaft is square to one flange but kicks off at an angle, then joins the other flange. This is not a straightforward project – hence the need for one of our 5 axis milling machines.
The video shows the finishing operation of the octagon shape, spinning the component and machining with a ball nose cutter. This is a great example of how 5 axis milling saves time and produces improved surface finishes for a fairly complex design.
5 axis machines offer many other benefits over their 3 axis equivalents, such as:
- Holes can be drilled more quickly, because the head of the machine can be automatically oriented along the right axis for each hole.
- 5 axis machines are more easily programmed to handle machining operations on whatever angular surfaces your parts may contain.
Software
You can have the best hardware available to man, but if the software that runs it is rubbish, the end result will be too. Your CNC machining provider must invest in high-end software such as OpenMind Hypermill. This offers advantages such as:
- Easy to operate cam strategies.
- Only one post-processor is necessary for all the milling and turning operations your parts require.
- The software can be integrated into leading CAD systems, facilitating the production of parts from your designs.
- Comprehensive collision control protects your parts from machining errors.
- Advanced CAD/CAM technologies optimise programming for, and manufacturing of, your components.
Experience
A proficient CNC engineer will not only understand what you are saying, but will be able to offer professional input regarding your design. Calling on his experience, if your design is difficult or nigh on impossible to machine, your engineer may be able to suggest alterations that will allow production to proceed successfully.
At Axis Precision Engineering Components, we are engineers who are regularly involved with the machining of complex components. We can apply the engineering knowledge and skill gleaned over decades to get the most from our machines and software. You will also benefit from always speaking to an engineer at Axis. We’re friendly and talk your language.
Inspection
Inspecting your parts involves a complete understanding of all aspects of CNC machining and how and why errors may occur. Your parts must be subject to quality control procedures that will ensure that every piece you receive is right the first time. The materials incorporated into your components must also be carefully scrutinised, and records scrupulously kept so that complete traceability can be maintained.
At Axis, our machines, software, experience and inspection process mean we can supply our customers with the quality, expertise and delivery on time you crave. Finding a great production partner might just be quite easily done after all!
Quality CNC machining case study – Reinventing the Wheel
For an excellent example of quality CNC machining, you need to read our Motorsport case study – Reinventing the Wheel. This highlights a perfect example of a supplier providing exactly what the client needed – QED.
While the unexpected did happen, it didn’t cause the project to fail. The parts were completed to the required standard and delivered to a happy client on time! That’s CNC machining at its very best!