CNC Machined Acrylic Clocks

The next step was to start the CNC Router work, we use Artcam for our Cam program (Computer Aided Manufacture) basically this is the software that drives the CNC machines, in this program you tell the CNC Router what you want it to do this is called a tool path, once you create your tool paths you download this code to the CNC router it will then read your code and then go and cut what you have told it to do that is the basics of the CAM program.

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Next step was to nest the correct amount of clock blanks (nesting means moving and rotating components until we get the most amount or best yield out of that particular piece of material) once all the blanks where nested it's time to add your tool paths we started of by machining the recess (pocket of material not cut right through) we cut it down 15mm from the surface leaving 5mm on the back we checked mechanism for fitting making sure it was a good push fit once we were happy with the fitment of the mechanism we machined all the other recesses in one operation after the mechanism recess was complete it was time to machine the outline of each clock, we do this with a profile cut command (profile command cuts to the outside or inside of the vector line) as the material is 20mm thick and made from solid acrylic its best to cut it twice once for a roughing pass removing most of the material and then a final polishing cut which is a final skim around the component to give it a really nice smooth and super clean finish, we change tools for the polishing cut to get the highest quality of edge finish, the better the edge finish of the cnc router the less time will be need in the final polishing stage. How all the banks have been cut they are measured and inspected for quality control once we are happy with them they go onto the final polishing stage.