LAB 3: COMPUTER NUMERICAL CONTROL (CNC)

A. Objective
To gain an empirical understanding of computer numerically controlled (CNC) technology
To write a NC part program manually
To operate a CNC milling machining
B. Materials
The aluminum blank mold half fabricated in the Milling lab
C. Equipment
3-axis CNC mill, 1/8, or 3/16 ball/end milling cutter
D. Activities
You are going to design a pattern for a keychain tag. Using a CNC milling machine, this pattern will be
engraved in the pocket area of the blank mol you fabricated in the milling lab. A plastic keychain tag
will be injection molded using the whole mold (the half your fabricated and the matched half provided
by the instructor).
Design
o Design a decorative pattern within the 2.25 1.75 pocket area. This pattern should be large
enough to cover most of the rectangular area, and have at least one arc or circle. All straight
lines are not allowed. Your designed pattern will be machined into the 2.25 1.75 pocket of
the blank mold half with a CNC milling machine.
o The initial design will be a freehand sketch on the graph paper provided. The graph paper is
8.5 11 inches with ten lines per inch. Your freehand sketch should be provided with
your lab report.
NC programming
o Determine the appropriate tool path for milling the pattern and label the coordinates at all key
points.
o Program the NC code for the CNC Mill using any ASCII editor. The spindle speed will be set
to 4000 rpm, feed rate 4 inches per minute and maximum depth of cut 0.04 inches per cut.
The depth of your pattern could be 0.08 in or less.
o Save your NC program to a thumb drive as an ASCII text file with an .nc extension. There is
no network connection for the computer of CNC mill. The hard copy of the program
should be included in your lab report.
Manufacturing
o Learn how to use CNC Mill
o Check your NC program using the simulation software
o Start to machine your designed pattern after you successfully verify the tool path through both
simulation and dry run.
o Record the machining time from Machine Info window and included in your lab report.
o Injection mold the keychain pattern using the tabletop injection machine.

Example

n0; Program by Yunfeng Wang

n20 g90
n30 g1 z0.1
n40 g0 x1.5 y0
n50 s1200 f4 m3
n60 g1 z-0.175
n70 g2 x1.5 y2 I1.5 J1
n80 g1 z0.1
n90 g0 x2 y0
n100 g1 z-0.175
n110 g1 x2 y2
n120 g1 x3 y0
n130 g1 x3 y2
n140 g1 z0.1
n150 g0 x3.5 y0
n160 g1 z-0.175
n170 g3 x3.5 y2 I3.5 J1
n180 g1 z0.1
n190 g0 x0 y0
n200 m2; end of program

G0: rapid traverse, move at maximum motor speed and

ignore the feed rate (when the tool is not being used to
cut materials).
G1: linear traverse, move at the programmed feed rate
in a linear (straight line) motion.
G2: clockwise circular move, move at the programmed
feed rate in a clockwise circular motion.
G3: counterclockwise circular move, move at the
programmed feed rate in a counterclockwise circular
motion.
G90: absolute positioning

M2: end of program, turns off motors.

M3: spindle motor on