Different Types of Milling Equipment
Posted by admin , on Nov, 2014
Companies offering CNC milling services are those contracted to produce parts from metal or other materials. There are different types of Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) machines depending on the task to be performed. A CNC lathe is used to make cylindrical parts and a router finishes the edges on the sides of metal. Milling machines can be used to make a variety of different cuts and are available in two basic configurations known as vertical mills and horizontal mills. As it relates to milling machine cuts, vertical and horizontal refer to the direction of the spindle which holds the cutting tool.
Computer Control Milling Service Equipment
A CNC milling service uses computer controlled mills exclusively; manually operated mills are available but are rarely used for high volume, high tolerance components and parts. The advantage of CNC milling machines is their ability to make the same part, the same way, day in and day out, never making mistakes. As these machines operate with a pre-embedded computer code, there is no further need for operator intervention. Most CNC machines even make allowances for tool wear so there is no need to interrupt production to change or sharpen cutting tools. When a manually operated milling machine is used, the machinist has to continually make measurements on the material to ensure that it is being produced to meet the specifications.
A vertical milling machine has a spindle set above the deck of the machine. The spindle is fitted with a milling cutter and the material or work piece is set on the deck. The machine cutter plunges downward to make the cut. Many machines have a deck which moves so a cut can be made at different angles versus a straight 90 degrees. A horizontal milling machine has the cutting tool mounted to a spindle which is in the horizontal attitude. The deck on a horizontal mill can also move up and down, from side to side, or at an angle which allows for considerable versatility.
CNC milling services use these types of machines to offer their customers high volume quality parts, all made identically and all to the same tolerances. CNC milling machines are certainly more expensive than a manual machine but as long as the work piece is situated the same on the machine deck, the accuracy of the finished part can be guaranteed.
RAMP Engineering provides CNC milling service as well as custom turning and custom screw machine operations. Offering fast and reliable results, RAMP Engineering staff are happy to work closely with customers from prototype to production.
