Most people often use the CNC wood routers to cut wood or acrylic. But CNC routers also can cut aluminum. Here are 3 tips to help you.

aluminum bits

1. Use Carbide router bits
Carbide-coated cutters can handle the high RPMs that you need for routing aluminum. Even HSS won’t be able to handle the job. Don’t forget to tell you feed and speed calculator that your bit is carbide-coated; it will give you more RPMs.

cnc Aluminum cutting

2. Feed and Speed Rates
Cutting Aluminum is different with wood cutting. This is why you need to calculate your feed and speed rates. The best way to do this is to use and online feed rate calculator.

aluminum router bits

3. Use Fewer Flutes
You may be used to using a four-flute cutter for your woodwork, however when you’re cutting aluminum, a three-flute cutter is your maximum. This will prevent overly large chips which can cause your router to jam. The fewer the flutes, the better. If you have 4 or more flutes, chips jam your flutes, and your bit breaks.

From the above, if you want cut Aluminum, a specialized CNC aluminum router bits are your best choice. We can supply router bit made especially for aluminum cutting. Top quality solid carbide, single flute upcut, specially designed for aluminum or aluminum composite panels milling. For more information, welcome to contact us.

RicoCNC is a one stop shop for CNC spares and tools, if any needs, welcome your inquiry.

Foam cutting on a CNC router is very popular. A CNC router is an ideal machine to use as it can cut pockets as well as full depth profiles and can also machine a full 3D contoured surface if required. To get the best cutting results, especially for new operators, What do we need to do?

Securely holding the foam to the bed of the machine is necessary for accurate processing. Some foams can be very light and sometimes porous which makes them hard to secure with the standard vacuum deck arrangement. We can use a vacuum pump or a blower. Another effective way to improve the hold down of porous materials is to temporarily apply a low tack plastic film to the underside of your material. This creates a good seal which allows the pump or blower to create an efficient vacuum and can be easily removed after the job is completed.

Selecting an appropriate cutting tool is very important and will have a direct effect on the quality of cut. We recommend long up-cut spiral milling router bits for EPS foam. The long foam cutting tools are great for extended reach machining, deep foam cutting, cnc sculpting big items, cnc routing foam, robot milling. For carving in detail, conical tapered edge foam mills is a better choice. Tapered router bits can help you achieve high details in deep carving, improving the intricacy and detail of your products.
And the straight router bit is best for machining EVA foam. This will put only a small radial force on the material and will cut the part with minimal distortion and leave a good smooth finish.

RicoCNC supplies a range of foam mill bits, cnc cutter bits, welcome your inquiry.

Different material and products producing technology need different router bits. For the CNC router machines, here is the CNC router bits classification which widely used.
1, Acrylic cutting processing, single flute spiral milling cutter is recommended. It is characterized by smokeless and odorless processing, high speed, high efficiency, non-stick crumbs, real environmental protection, and its special manufacturing process ensures that the processing acrylic does not burst, Fine cutting edge (even no knife trace), smooth surface.
2, For MDF cutting, it is recommended to use a double-edged and large-flux spiral milling cutter, which has two high-capacity flutes and a double-edged design. It not only has good chip removal function, but also achieves good tool balance. In the processing of high-density MDF board, it is not black, no smoke, long service life and other characteristics.
3, Aluminum plate cutting, it is recommended to use a single-edged spiral aluminum milling cutter. No sticking knife during processing, high speed and high efficiency.
4, Precision small relief processing, it is recommended to use a round bottom carving knife.
5, Cork, MDF, original wood, PVC, acrylic large deep-relief processing, it is recommended to use a double edged spiral ballnose router bit.
6, For upper and bottom no burr cutting process, it is recommended to use a single edge, double edge up and down cutter (compression bits).
7, High-density board, solid wood recommended use of edge milling cutter.
8, For multi-layer board, plywood processing, it is recommended to use double-edged straight cutter.
9, The down cut router bit, no burr on the surface of processed products, and the workpiece no rocker during processing.
10, Acrylic mirror carving is recommended to use diamond carving knife.
11. Rough cutting chipboards recommend the use of multi-striping cutters.
12, For plywood, MDF, partical board nesting cutting, recommend TCT router bits.
13, For foam milling, recommend HSS foam mill bits.