About CNC Routers

Call or Text  817-330-9402 now to get started with Action CNC Routers and Supplies.

This is general information gathered from my experience with CNC routers. 

Action CNC Routers and Supplies wants to be your cnc router source.  Contact me and help me understand what you are trying to accomplish with a cnc router.   I will give you my best directions to help you acheive your goals.  817-988-9330 cell

Fact: These unique robotic machines take the exacting accuracy of a computer and allow a regular person to make objects with extreme quality as a true craftsperson.   The cnc router is a tool like other tools in your shop.   Learning how to make the tool perform the functions required to produce your parts make you a skilled craftsman.

Fact:   CNC is used for so many different things.  CNC routers can cut non-ferrous metals like aluminum, brass and bronze.   CNC routers can cut plastics, hardwood, plywood, foam, bone, mother of pearl, ...   Routing, engraving, polishing, drilling, hole cutting, , carving are some of the tasks that can be performed by this amazing machinery.   There are plasma cutters available too.

Fact:  I have supplied  many CNC routers    Customers enjoy watching what the CNC router is producing.  (products to make them money)   I am excited  about the CNC routers and love to share this information.  I like to find new applications and purposes for them.    I want to help you get yours.

There are only 4 steps for making single parts:

Drawing (new software makes this simple)   Get a clean cad drawing or produce your own cad drawing. This can be done in many different software programs. The drawing needs to be to the proper scale and the cad program must be able to file export to a common cad format if it is not produced in a CAD/CAM program. A DXF file format is the most common 2D and stl the most common 3D..  Some programs that are use are Enroute5 , Aspire , Rhino 3D,  Corel Draw, Autocad, Google Sketch-up.

Toolpath (Software again is the hero and can perform most of the task)  CAD/CAM

 CNC routers operate by reading a file called G-Code. Your CAD/CAM  software package will produce the toolpath with your guidance and save it as G-Code using a  post processor. The post processor is a simple filter to include information in the G-Code file that enables the nice CNC router to function properly.  It works sort of like a printer driver. You can hand write a G-Code program for simple parts.  It is also easy to modify the code with Windows Notepad included with windows. There are sample programs included with your  CNC router and a listing of the codes it understands. You can set it up to turn on the spindle, pause, do drill routines and movements.   Some CAM packages are very easy to use. These programs make it easy to produce parts that before would require weeks to program manually with thousands of lines of G-Code. Most of the paths I have made are finished in seconds. The CAM programs usually have the means to display the toolpath in graphics. This is very helpful in proofing the toolpath. You can see how deep and which side of the part the cutter is going to travel. This has saved me several pieces of material and stopped unnecessary rework and lots of time. Drawing and making the toolpath is usually performed in the office not on the shop floor.  Action CNC Routers and Supplies offers training on most software we sell.

Aspire, Enroute6,  are CAD/CAM software packages we have available.

Setup (Basic computer skills with a little mechanical planning)

This is industrial and requires saftey for the operator and everyone around.  Wear eye protection and  hearing protection. You are not 10 feet tall or bullet proof.   Use dust collection and/or wear a very good dust mask or respirator. I insist.

Machine setup includes copying the G-Code file into the cnc machine controller, installing the correct router bit in the spindle, installing the dust collector shroud, securing the material blank to the router table, setting all axis to the zero position in relationship to the material blank and verifying the area is clear and safe to operate the router.   Action CNC gives you the training to do these things with your machine purchase.

Production (Putting that planning to work and getting to the profits)

Make sure air, dust collection and power to the machine is all on and press start, check on the progress while doing other task, remove parts and spoil, clean up table, reload material , press start and make the next one.  It is that easy.