We’ve covered the iModela, Roland’s $1000 hobbyist CNC milling machine over at MAKE, but here’s a new photo showing some of the things you can make with it. A milling machine is sort of the opposite of a 3D printer, because it carves away material from a piece of stock, while a 3D printer adds material.

I think home-based 3D printing is not yet ready for prime time, because the spatial resolution of the things you can make with 3D printers is not that great. It will get better in the coming years. But the output from this milling machine looks great (as far as I can tell from the photos).
Read More:-http://boingboing.net/2012/02/02/imodela-rolands-1000-hobby.html

CNC stand for Computer Numerical Control, and refers specifically to the computer control of machine tools. The main purpose of CNC Milling Machines is to repeatedly manufacture complex parts in metal as well as other materials, using a specially coded program. This specially coded program that is used by CNC Milling machines is written in a notation called G-code. G-codes represent specific CNC Milling functions in alphanumeric format. CNC Milling was developed in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s by the MIT Servomechanism Laboratory.

1. About CNC

- Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Milling is the most common form of CNC
- CNC mills can perform the functions of drilling and often turning
- CNC Milling machines are classified according to the number of axes that they possess
- Axes are labeled as x and y for horizontal movement, and z for vertical movement
- The evolution of CNC milling machines drastically changed the manufacturing industry
- Curves are as easy to cut as straight lines, complex 3-D structures are relatively easy to produce, and the number of machining steps that required human action is way down.

2. The Fabrication Process

With the use of CNC milling machine the fabrication process of the materials have been trimmed down to just a couple of steps. CNC Milling machines now days are driven directly from computer softwares crated by CAD software packages. With the use CNC Milling machines the assembly of parts can go from brief designs without any intermediate paper drawing works being required. In one sense, with the use of CNC milling machines industrials tasks are done must easier and much faster and the production cost of the company is also lessening out. CNC machines may be said to represent special industrial robot systems, as they are programmable to perform any kind of machining operation, within certain physical limits, like other robotic systems.

3. Buying Tips

Before buying a CNC milling machine it is a must that you should have knowledge about the CNC milling machines basic parts. A CNC milling machine is basically composed of a Safety shield that is usually a clear plastic cover that cover and protects the cutting area. The Tool bit, this part of the CNC milling machines is the one that do the cutting. Spindle Shaft, is the part that holds the tool bit. Spindle Motor, is the part of the CNC milling machine that drives the cutter. The Vertical Column, the part that holds the spindle and all of its part. The Cross Side, a moveable support where the work piece is being cut. The axis motors, which moves the cross side into different axis and the Controller box.

When purchasing your milling machine make sure to check that you have all of this part intact on your CNC milling machine, for if one of this parts is not there it will not surely work or will produce an undesirable end product. Also see to it to check out for safety features, never buy a CNC milling machine without an emergency stop button, this button automatically stops machining when it is pressed. Human, hardware or software errors could mean big losses if the CNC cannot be stopped quickly enough to correct the problem. Also check out the control panel part, it is advisable to buy one with a big control guide sticker so you can clearly see it.

Also check out the screws and tools with long overhangs and adapters, be more observant about cracks and breaks on this CNC milling tools. Make sure that the plastic shield that you are purchasing with your CNC milling machine is made up of high impact polycarbonate plastic. An insert break loose from a 35 mm diameter CNC milling cutter at a spindle speed of 45,000 rpm will be thrown out at a speed of 90 meters per second - equivalent to a bullet that is being shot out of a pistol!

http://www.articlecircle.com/technology/cnc-milling-machine-buying-tips.html

It’s fine to stroll through McCormick Place and admire the sleek cases and innumerable variants offered by the big machine tool builders: every penny of their R&D and years of experience is visible in the CNC systems and other machinery they develop for ever-more sophisticated shops and OEMs producing high-volume orders. But what about the smaller orders, or the experiments that need to be tested? What options are there for the hobbyist residing in the soul of so many machine shop operators?

The HiTorque Mini Mill (model 3960) from LittleMachineShop.com has a solid column mounted to the base that gives the mill significantly rigidity to reduce chatter.

The HiTorque 7×12 Deluxe Mini Lathe has digital readouts, metal hand wheels, and chrome levers. Its metal change gears allow a wide range of threading capabilities, and its 21-tooth gear is essential for cutting accurate metric threads.

LittleMachineShop.com started out 10 years ago because hobbyist Chris Wood couldn’t locate the tooling and parts he needed for his projects. Now the Pasadena, Calif., company is a reliable source of tooling, parts, and accessories “for bench-top machinists,” and since 2009 it has been offering CNC milling machines built to specification by SIEG, and branded as LittleMachineShop.com’s HiTorque line. Not satisfied with machines sold for hobbyists, in 2009 LittleMachineShop.com began selling CNC milling machines, HiTorque mini mills, and HiTorque lathes built to the company’s specifications by SIEG.

A solid-column mill is the newest HiTorque Mini Mill offering from LittleMachineShop.com. The 3960 has a column that’s fixed for greater rigidity and reduced chatter, and to achieve greater accuracy in milling operations. “I’ve had a mini mill for over ten years,” explained Chris Wood, “and I’ve never tilted the column except by mistake.”

For milling at odd angles, Wood recommended instead that operators should tilt the workpiece using a sine vise, tilting table, or other method. LittleMachineShop.com added that discussions with its customers revealed that the tilting capability available on other mini mills is rarely used.

But, the supplier called the new 3960 solid-column mini mill is “the most powerful in its class,” and stated it offers the most low-speed torque thanks to a 500-W brushless DC spindle drive motor. (Most comparable machines have a 350-watt motor. The spindle drive has no gears, so it’s quieter and more convenient to maintain than similar offerings.

The HiTorque Mini Mill (both the solid-column and tilting-column versions) have a mill table that’s 50% percent larger than other mini mills, and the travel 30% greater in each direction, meaning the work envelope is significantly larger.

Also new is a third model of LittleMachineShop.com’s HiTorque lathes — a “deluxe” version of the 7×12 Mini Lathe, with a digital readout (DRO) on the compound rest and one on the cross slide for precision positioning. All the change gears used for lathe threading are durable metal, not plastic, and the machine is trimmed out with brushed metal hand wheels and polished chrome levers.

Like the original HiTorque 7×12 Mini Lathe (and the 3960 mini mill), the new model 4200 mini lathe is described as “the most powerful in its class,” with a 500-watt brushless DC spindle drive motor providing low-speed torque. Most competing brands have only a 250-watt motor. There are no gears to shift, so operators can vary the speed from 50 to 2,500 RPM, continuously, in both directions.

All the HiTorque mini lathes have a longer distance between centers (12.2 in.) than most currently available mini lathes, and have a cam-lock tailstock as standard equipment. They work with all standard American threads (4 to 80 threads per inch), and with the 21-tooth change gear that’s provided they will handle all standard metric threads from 0.3 to 8 mm pitch.

http://www.americanmachinist.com/Classes/Article/ArticleDraw.aspx?HBC=Issue&NIL=False&CID=88304&OASKEY=Issue

Latest Generation of Best Selling CNC Mill Features New Polyphase Motion Technology

Constructed of heavy cast iron, Model HBM BHP130-3.5 features 5.1 in. dia boring spindle that performs at speeds from 5-3,500 rpm and travels within 7.08 in. milling spindle to provide full 90.5 in. stroke. Built-in rotary table provides fifth axis of operation and positioning control within 0.001°. Equipped with Fanuc 16iM CNC controls and 60-tool ATC, machine has 70.8 x 98.4 in. table with max load capacity of 44,000 lb. Strokes are 138, 98, 63, and 27.5 in. in X, Y, Z, and W axes, respectively.

SNK Offers Newly Designed Nissin HBM BHP130-3.5 Planer Type CNC Horizontal Boring and Milling Machine

Elk Grove Village, IL - The new Nissin HBM BHP130-3.5 Series Horizontal Boring and Milling Machine from SNK America, Inc. is rigidly designed for accurate and tough prolonged cutting.

The heavy, high quality cast iron construction of the HBM BHP130-3.5 is complemented by the scale feedback of the worm and wheel. Large worktables, featuring nine T-slots, simplify work fixturing. The HBM BHP130-3.5’s extra-wide solid boxways, precision finished using SNK’s “Mirror Surface Finish” technology, easily accommodate the largest parts. Oversized ballscrews on all linear axes provide consistent precise positioning in the most demanding machining conditions. The combination of a robust design, thermal compensation and scales on axes results in high accuracy.

The HBM 130 Series’ high-powered boring spindle (5.1″ diameter) performs at speeds from 5 to 3,500rpm and travels within a 7.08″ milling spindle to provide a full 90.5″ stroke. A built-in rotary table provides a fifth axis of operation, and positioning control within 0.001 degree.

Further enhancing precision, Thermal Growth Sensors are positioned around the spindle casting and bearing. These sensors continually read temperatures (within microns) in five areas - more than most competitor machines. The additional sensors reduce the risk of false readings, and ensure accurate compensation.

The table size of the BHP -3.5 model is 70.8″ x 98.4″ with a maximum load capacity of 44,000 lbs. Strokes are 138″ (X-axis), 98″ (Y-axis), 63″ (Z-axis) and 27.5″ (W-axis). X, Y, Z and B-axis scale feedback is included as standard. The 60-tool ATC features a pneumatic pedal for ease in loading and unloading tools. All SNK Nissin HBM machines are equipped with Fanuc 16iM CNC controls.

http://news.thomasnet.com/fullstory/Horizontal-Boring-Milling-Machine-supports-prolonged-cutting-599296

If you have any interest in robotics, electronics, and DIY gadgetry, you already know what a CNC machine is. If, however, that particular acronym means nothing to you, then this Wikipedia article will give you a quick introduction to “Computer Numerical Control” machine tools. Basically, a CNC machine is a computer-controlled machine that moves a cutting tool in 2 or 3 dimensions, facilitating the creation of precise and elaborate designs in materials such as plastic, wood, foam, metal, paper, etc.

Industrial CNC machines can easily run into the thousands of dollars, but there exists an army of DIY-ers out there who have been building their own CNC machines on the cheap. The DIY CNC community is like any other open-source community out there in that they freely share expertise, advice, and designs.

One of the more interesting CNC machines I’ve come across is the MTM Snap from the MIT Center for Bits and Atoms. The MTM Snap is made from high-density polyethylene and, as the name suggests, simply snaps together like Lego. The projected cost for the entire rig, including stepper motors, Arduino, motor controllers, and power supply is about $500 USD, which is pretty reasonable for a good quality hobbyist CNC device. The Snap is a little small compared to other CNC designs, but still very useful for projects which are not overly ambitious in scope. As well, the snap-together design eliminates a lot of the hassle traditionally associated with CNC construction.

To get an idea of what the Snap can do, check out the demo video:

If you’re interested in CNC hardware but the price tag on a Snap is still too rich for you, it’s definitely possible to Frankenstein something very functional out of old printers and other junk hardware.

http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2011/06/mtm-snap-is-a-low-cost-cnc-milling-machine-that-snaps-together/

With the Sinumerik 828D Basic M, Siemens Drive Technologies Division has extended its product range for the CNC compact class. The company now offers an entry-level CNC version that is perfectly tailored to standard milling machines with a high level of performance, precision, and availability.

The Sinumerik 828D Basic M is a rugged and precise CNC for worldwide use developed by Siemens. With this control, Siemens combines a high degree of quality and reliability with a reasonable price. As an entry-level CNC for the compact class, it is suitable for standardized milling machines with up to five axes/spindles. The screen, keyboard, and CNC electronics form a single unit that only requires a few interfaces and cables and offers maximum availability. Thanks to a new operator panel made of die-cast magnesium, the new Siemens CNC is also extremely reliable under harsh operating conditions. This control dispenses with wearing parts such as fans, hard disks, and batteries, making it maintenance-free.

Its modern processor technology and software architecture are based on 80-bit nanoFP precision (80-bit floating-point precision). The software permits precision values in the range of one tenth of a micrometer (?m). The degree of precision that can be achieved in practice is therefore not limited by the control, but is instead defined by the capabilities of the mechanical milling machine components. Besides its high degree of precision, the Sinumerik 828D Basic M is particularly versatile in its uses. It is able to perform a variety of drilling and milling tasks as well as moldmaking operations. To achieve the speed and surface quality, the Sinumerik 828D Basic M includes the Sinumerik MDynamics technology package familiar from the high-end 840D controls with the ‘Advanced Surface’ intelligent motion feature. Thanks to Sinumerik Operate, the Basic M variant has been able to integrate a user-friendly CNC user interface with programming and setup procedures in a reliable and intuitive manner.

One special feature of this system is the ‘Easy Message’ function. This function keeps machine operators responsible for operations informed of all essential manufacturing process data via SMS. If a machine requires new blanks or a milling tool has reached the end of its service life, the Sinumerik 828D Basic M transmits the relevant information. This maximizes the productivity of the machine.

The Sinumerik 828D Basic M has already been integrated into the training package SinuTrain for Sinumerik Operate, thus making it possible to acquire and deepen knowledge about milling machine operation. Moreover, SinuTrain is also suitable for offline programming. Here, you will have everything at your fingertips, as if you were operating a real machine-based CNC, such as the well-established programming methods, including Sinumerik CNC programming language, ISO code programming, and ShopMill machining step programming.

To match this new CNC, Siemens also offers the Sinamics S120 Combi multiple-axis drive module, which, like the CNC control, is tailored to the requirements of compact standard machines.

The Siemens Industry Sector (Erlangen, Germany) is the worldwide leading supplier of environmentally friendly production, transportation, building and lighting technologies. With integrated automation technologies and comprehensive industry-specific solutions, Siemens increases the productivity, efficiency and flexibility of its customers in the fields of industry and infrastructure. The Sector consists of six divisions: Building Technologies, Drive Technologies, Industry Automation, Industry Solutions, Mobility and Osram. With around 204,000 employees worldwide (September 30), Siemens Industry achieved in fiscal year 2010 total sales of approximately €34.9 billion. www.siemens.com/industry

The Siemens Drive Technologies Division (Nuremberg, Germany) is the world’s leading supplier of products, systems, applications and services for the entire drive train with electrical and mechanical components and motion control systems for production machinery as well as machine tools. Drive Technologies serves all segments in manufacturing industry, process industry and energy/infrastructure. The division provides answers to the customers´ key requirements productivity, energy efficiency and reliability. In fiscal year 2010, around 36,000 employees of the Division (September 30), achieved total sales of €7.0 billion.

http://www.environmental-expert.com/resultEachPressRelease.aspx?cid=2900&codi=232808