CNC milling or computer-controlled milling is a machining process that employs computer-controlled and rotating multipoint cutting tools to progressively remove material from a workpiece and produce custom-designed parts or products. The process is suitable for machining various materials, such as metal, plastic, and wood, and producing a variety of custom-designed parts and products.
A variety of functions are available under the protection of precision CNC machining services, including mechanical, chemical, electrical， and thermal machining. CNC milling is a mechanical process that includes drilling, turning, and various other processes. This means that material is removed from the workpiece by mechanical methods, such as the cutting tool action of a milling machine.
Today, we are going to focus on the Aluminum CNC milling process, and overview the basics of the process, as well as the aluminum CNC milling machine components and tools.
Definition of aluminum milling
What is the aluminum CNC milling process? It is that CNC milling machine or CNC machining center that uses CNC technology for processing machine tools, and uses digital signals to control the movement of machine tools and its processing process. To be specific, the machining information such as tool movement track is recorded on the program medium with digital code, and then input into the numerical control system. After decoding and operation, instructions are issued to automatically control the relative motion between the tool and the workpiece on the machine tool.
Overview of aluminum CNC milling
Like most conventional mechanical CNC machining processes, aluminum CNC milling processes utilize computer control to operate and manipulate the machine that cuts and forms the blank. In addition, the process follows the same basic production stages as all CNC machining processes, including:
1. Design the CAD model
2. Convert CAD models to CNC programs
3. Configure the CNC milling machine
4. Perform milling operations
The aluminum CNC milling process begins with the creation of a 2D or 3D CAD part design. Then, the complete design is exported to a CNC-compatible file format and converted by CAM software into a CNC machine program that indicates the machine action as well as the tool movement across the entire workpiece. Before the operator runs the CNC program, they prepare the CNC milling machine by attaching the workpiece to the machine's work surface (i.e., a table) or workpiece replacer (e.g., a vice) and mounting the milling tool onto the machine's spindle. The CNC milling process uses either horizontal or vertical CNC powerful milling machines - depending on the specifications and requirements of the milling application - and rotating multi-point (i.e., multi-tooth) cutting tools, such as milling cutters and drills. When the machine is ready, the operator initiates the program through the machine interface, prompting the machine to perform the milling operation.
Once the aluminum CNC milling process is started, the machine begins to rotate the cutting tool at speeds of up to thousands of revolutions per minute. Depending on the type of milling machine used and the requirements of the milling application, when the tool cuts into the workpiece, the machine performs one of the following operations to make the necessary cut on the workpiece:
1. Slowly feed the workpiece into the fixed rotating tool
2. Moving the tool on a fixed workpiece
3. Move tools and artifacts relative to each other
In contrast to the manual milling process, in aluminum CNC milling, the CNC machine usually delivers the movable workpiece by the rotation of the cutting tool rather than by the rotation of the cutting tool. A milling operation that obeys this convention is called a climbing milling process, while the opposite is called a conventional milling process.
Generally, aluminum CNC milling is best used as an auxiliary or finishing process to a machined workpiece to provide a definition of part characteristics (such as holes, slots, and threads) or to produce part characteristics. However, the process can also be used to shape inventory materials from start to finish. In both cases, the milling process gradually removes the material to form the desired shape and part form. Firstly, the tool cuts small pieces (known as chips) from the workpiece to form an approximate shape. Then, the workpiece is milled at a higher pace and with higher precision, thus finishing the part to its precise characteristics and specifications. Usually, the finished part needs to be processed several times to obtain the desired accuracy and tolerances. For more geometrically complex parts, once the milling operation is complete and the part is produced to custom-designed specifications, the milled part moves into the finishing and post-processing phase of production.
