rockcliff hobby cnc

[craigtx]

my rockcliff cnc is almost done. the plans are very good and the cnc is easy enough for most to make.skate bearing would be better and easier than trying
to get the olite bearing right.the olite bearing do work but dont slide as easy
as skate bearing would. now for the hard part, steppers and comp. hook ups plus still learning cad/cam and mach3.i should be able to make some nice boat stuff with this. cost for complete setup $500.00 with out software. the software can be down loaded for free (demo).there are some low cost cad/cam programs for 2d and 2.5d . i will be able to make my art work and sell it before i have to by software. back to reading.

[patmat2350]

Now, THIS is what I call a hobby CNC mill... froma Ford newsletter:


Modeling Mill Accelerates Product Development

DEARBORN, Jan. 10, 2008 (FCN) -- It's been called a "gentle giant." Towering more than two-and-a-half stories with the footprint of an average two-bedroom house, Ford Motor Company’s new vehicle modeling mill is the largest of its kind in the world. More important, this precision tool is part of a broad effort to accelerate product development while leveraging the company’s digital design capability.
The cutter tracks along the surface of the foam model at up to 40 meters per minute, spinning at up to 24,000 rpm.Ford recently completed installation of its new computer-aided milling equipment at its Product Development Center in Dearborn. The machine can precisely cut a foam model as large as a Ford F-Series Super Duty or as small as a radio knob four times faster than ever before.

"When we need a physical model to check volume and proportions this equipment enables us to do it quickly and inexpensively," said Peter Horbury, Ford Product Development executive director of design. "As a result we can do a lot more model sculpting in a shorter amount of time, which is essential to meeting our accelerated product development plans."

Scott Hunter, Ford Design Modeling, Milling and Fabrication manager, initiated this comprehensive project in early 2006. He and his team met weekly to coordinate costs and resource requirements supporting this monumental project installation.

Installation of Ford's Italian-made, 85-ton milling equipment started in April with the laying of a five-foot deep foundation using 200 square yards of concrete. The machine is welded to a ton of steel embedded in the concrete. In addition, the two-story roof was raised another half story to accommodate the high-tech behemoth.

"Installing this equipment was like building a house, but a lot more technical," said John Consiglio, Ford Design Milling manager.

The mill's platform is insulated from the rest of PDC to prevent vibration problems that can occur with sudden stops and starts. Insulating its inertial force was no small concern, because the machine’s glycol-cooled linear drive motors power a magnetic propulsion system similar to the kind used on the high-speed bullet trains of Japan.

In operation, a vertical arm that controls an adjustable, state-of-the-art cutting tool descends from a 13-ton horizontal beam that rides back and forth on top of the steel rails of the mill. The cutter tracks along the surface of the foam model at up to 40 meters per minute, spinning at up to 24,000 rpm -- four times the speed of the 19-year-old milling equipment the new machine replaces.

By following cutter paths generated from surface data provided by vehicle designers, the mill can sculpt a foam surface that is as soft as polyurethane or as hard as high density synthetic wood to within a thousandth of an inch. Moreover, the machine can precisely undercut the foam to accommodate a layer of clay; its ability to also sculpt clay is being assessed. The mill can accommodate a foam model as big as 23 feet long, 13 feet wide and 8 feet tall -- such as the F-350 Super Duty 4WD Crew Cab Long Bed pickup.

"Basically, we cut big blocks of foam by starting with tools as big as 32 millimeters and gradually transition to tools as small as 0.5 millimeters," explained Jim DeBene, Ford Design Milling Numerical Control Specialist. "We can handle everything from full scale vehicles to wheels to bezels to knobs."

The equipment was designed with operator safety in mind. No one is allowed inside the machine while it’s in operation, and its doors are electrically locked before the equipment can be operated.

"The safety of the equipment certainly is important," said Rodney Ackling, Ford Design Milling Numerical Control Specialist A. "But its precision and speed gives us the competitive edge we've needed for a long time."

[der kapitan]

Pat, the days of the little guy whittling out a plug are numbered---. :eek:

Maybe time for me to retire---? ;)

[Kmot]

Milling a Ford Expedition from foam. Are the days of clay sculpters numbered?


I would say so.........

Can you imagine what some old guys who used to scrap clay would think if they could see this giant machine?

Gotta say, that is one badd azz cnc gizmo! :D

[Brooks]

For some artists, creativity will always be a right brain, hands-on endeavour. The digital, left brain, hit-a-keyboard Age is important, and some may achieve greatness....but not all, so clay is not dead yet :-).