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A Techno CNC machine allows Foam
Fabricators to produce the typical order of 20 sample models in two
days compared to the five days needed to cut the foam pieces by
hand.
With the exception of one person who
loads the foam stock and removes finished pieces, the machine can
run unattended around the clock if necessary to turn out a large
order. Another benefit of automating the sample production process
is that it enables the company to take on jobs it would have lost in
the past. “When the shape of the customer’s part was too complex to
cut by hand, we had to turn away the work,” says Nathan Musgrove, an
applications engineer at Foam Fabricators’ Jefferson, Georgia
regional design and test center. “That hasn’t happened since we
installed the CNC machine. It can accurately cut even the most
complex 3D shapes.”
Foam Fabricators, headquartered in
Scottsdale, Arizona, is a coast-to-coast network of 14 facilities
providing shape- molded foam products, packaging, and components.
Its foam products are used in the packaging of items such as
electronics equipment and appliances, but they can also be found in
other applications such as inside bicycle helmets. Foam Fabricators
also fabricates flexible materials such as polyethylenes,
polyurethanes, polypropylenes, and EPS, both molded and extruded.
Samples for testing
Each of the company’s regional design
and test facilities is staffed with degreed packaging professionals
and fully equipped with the latest in fabricating, drop testing,
computerized data acquisition, and CAD systems.
The CNC machine allows Foam Fabricators
to produce the typical order of 20 sample models in two days
compared to the five days needed to cut the foam pieces by hand.
Shown are foam packaging materials in various stages of completion.
When a customer comes to Foam
Fabricators with a new product that needs to be packaged, the first
step is to work with one of the company’s engineers to determine the
appropriate material. The Foam Fabricators engineer specifies the
material, size, and performance characteristics for the product and
uses the SolidWorks CAD system to create a 3D model of the initial
concept.
Previously, samples were produced by
hand. An engineering assistant used a band saw, drill press, or hot
wire to cut the foam, working from the specifications on the
SolidWorks CAD drawing. This was a time-consuming process.
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There was an additional drawback to
producing samples by hand. Some of the shapes that customers needed
were not possible to produce this way. For example, a jet ski
manufacturer asked Foam Fabricators to make a bow flotation unit, a
piece of foam that fits in the bow of a four-man jet ski to provide
buoyancy. “This part had a lot of complex geometry and it was
impossible to shape it by hand,” says Musgrove. “We weren’t able to
make the sample, so we were unable to take on the job.”
A third drawback was that the handmade
models were not highly accurate since the process of cutting them
required some interpolation between surfaces. This was acceptable to
some customers, but others wanted greater accuracy.
One of Foam Fabricators’ larger
customers asked the company to consider using a CNC machine to cut
the foam samples. As the company looked into this, they discovered
two options: heavy and expensive machining centers primarily
designed for metalworking, and inexpensive routers that could not
provide the accuracy Foam Fabricators needed. Then they found the
Techno Model 160 Production CNC router from Techno Isel, New Hyde
Park, New York, which offered a perfect compromise. The machine was
very accurate and robust which was designed for production routing
and drilling on a wide variety of materials including wood, plastic,
MDF, solid surfacing materials, and nonferrous metals. The price and
the capabilities included in the Techno CNC system seemed perfect
for Foam Fabricators’ needs, so the company decided to purchase it.
The technical specifications of the Techno machine they selected
include a working area for the router of 59 inches by 50 inches and
z-axis height of 12 inches, a vacuum hold-down table, 5 horsepower
Columbo spindle and a raised gantry for large part clearance. The
table features a rapid travel speed of 800 inches per minute, a
z-axis cutting force of 200 pounds maximum, 0.0005- inch resolution
and repeatability, and 0.003 inches/foot absolute accuracy.
Automated sample production
Now when a customer comes to Foam
Fabricators with a request for a new product, the engineer creates
the SolidWorks model, as he did in the past. But instead of creating
a drawing, he exports the solid model directly into the Techno
system’s CAM program. Originally designed for metalworking, this CAM
program is also well-suited for foam because of its ability to
generate the most complex contours with little programming effort.
In the CAM program, the engineer gives the command and the software
creates the toolpaths for cutting the sample.
Shown are computer components readied
for shipping with foam packaging produced by Foam Fabricators.
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The only additional input required is
information such as feed rates and cutting speeds. Total programming
time, from when the SolidWorks model is imported into the CAM
program until the system is ready to cut foam, ranges from 30
minutes to two hours depending on the complexity of the part.
After a piece of foam stock is fastened
to the Techno machine, the operator hits the “start” button and the
sample is then carved automatically. The machine does not require
any supervision, except to remove the finished piece and attach a
new foam block to repeat the process. With this machine, a typical
order for 20 samples is completed in two days. Large sample orders
no longer require the production assistance of engineers. The
machine is simply kept supplied with stock and runs until the order
is finished.
Foam Fabricators has been very pleased
with the reliability of the Techno machine. With just regular
lubrication, it functions perfectly. Part of its reliability is due
to the materials used in its construction. For example, the machine
uses antibacklash ball screws. These screws have excellent power
transmission due to the rolling-ball contact between the nut and
screws and this type of contact ensures low friction, low wear, and
long life. The ball screws also make it possible to produce parts to
the machine resolution of 0.0005 inch. In addition, the machine is
constructed on steel stress-relieved bases with hardened steel
linear ways, and ball screws with servomotors standard, which offer
the best precision performance, speed capacity, and machine
longevity. This shaft-and- bearing system produces very smooth,
play-free motion and is an extremely rigid system that produces
high-quality cuts.
Customers appreciate the faster
turnaround on samples. Those who need a high degree of accuracy in
their samples are noticing an improvement from the Techno machine
here, too. More importantly, customers who come to Foam Fabricators
seeking packaging components now have confidence that the company
can take on their jobs, no matter how complex the shape of their
parts. Because the CNC machine imports CAD geometry and replicates
that shape exactly, regardless of the complexity, Foam Fabricators
is no longer limited to simpler shapes.
Having the Techno CNC machine has paid
off for Foam Fabricators in a number of ways: faster turnaround on
samples, more accurate samples, better satisfied customers, and the
ability to take on more complex jobs. In addition, having a CNC
machine helps the company compete against other injection foam
molders. “Making samples on a CNC machine is becoming the norm in
our industry,” explains Musgrove. “With the Techno machine, we found
a cost-effective way to meet this requirement.”
The CNC machine allows Foam Fabricators
to produce the typical order of 20 sample models in two days
compared to the five days needed to cut the foam pieces by hand.
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