Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: Quick and Dirty One-Offs?

ballendo wrote:

>Hello Charles,
>
>I believe this is a very common misconception...
>
>Actually, CNC is VERY helpful for one-off and short run stuff. In
>fact, a huge part of the reason for the variety of products offered
>nowadays is the ability of a cnc machine to effectively make ONE of
>something!
>
>Another reason to "go CNC" is that it will replace LOTS of otherwise
>needed special tooling and accessories. Rotary table? Not needed in
>most of the old "classic" (flywheel spokes) cases. Engraving machine,
>or stamps? nope. Many different sizes of drills and reamers and taps
>and endmills? Well, yes<G> BUT... you can sure do a lot with many
>fewer tools...
>
>I think it's sad that so many people share the idea that CNC is for
>multiple items of the same type...
>

Yup, I want to second this! The very first part I did when I got my 2-axis
CNC system going was a part to mount the motor for the 3rd axis.
But, now that I had CNC, I was free to make a part that I would never
have made manually. It had a big bore in the center for the motor, a
rounded outer part around the motor, and a part with an odd angle.

It looked like this :

_____________________________
/ /
/ /
| ____ /
| / \ /
| / \ /
( ( ) /
| \ / /
| \____/ /
| /
\ /
\___________________/

UGH! That's horrible! But, it has a 180 degree smooth round left side, and
a round hole in the middle. I bolted a piece of material to a sacrificial
fixture and cut the entire exterior in one continuous cut, and then bored
out the middle. This was a great experience, as I would have designed the
entire assembly differently if I had been limited to the conventional
3-axis manual milling techniques. Thsi, of course, was a one-off
part.

Jon