Flycutting Acrylic
Flycutting Acrylic
(OP)
Hi,
We are attempting to flycut an acrylic billet on a 3axis CNC high speed router (max rpm = 18000, max feed = 800ipm). So far we have used PCD inserts at different feed rates. The issue is the tool marks and also ridges at tool stepover. The feed rates were dropped to 50ipm and the tool marks were reduced, however not the ridges. Optical quality is very important for our application. I would appreciate it if someone can answer the following:
1. Is there a specific tool/insert that works best in this operation?
2. How can the toolmarks and ridges be minimized with a greater feed rate since time is a major factor?
Please let me know if you need further information. Any suggestions/advice will be highly appreciated.
Thanks.
We are attempting to flycut an acrylic billet on a 3axis CNC high speed router (max rpm = 18000, max feed = 800ipm). So far we have used PCD inserts at different feed rates. The issue is the tool marks and also ridges at tool stepover. The feed rates were dropped to 50ipm and the tool marks were reduced, however not the ridges. Optical quality is very important for our application. I would appreciate it if someone can answer the following:
1. Is there a specific tool/insert that works best in this operation?
2. How can the toolmarks and ridges be minimized with a greater feed rate since time is a major factor?
Please let me know if you need further information. Any suggestions/advice will be highly appreciated.
Thanks.





RE: Flycutting Acrylic
Use a slower feed rate to control the stepover ridges.
I suspect you may have to polish the surface to really get optical quality.
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Ingersoll-Rand
RE: Flycutting Acrylic
We did this in a machining center using coolant. Only a light diamond polish afterward was required to achieve optical quality. You may be able to do this with no coolant if you get your cutting conditions just right, i.e. all the heat from cutting to the chip and not built up in the work piece.
The previous suggestion to
is an excellent idea. Use the largest nose radius cutter possible as this will greatly improve your surface finish. When you cut this thing you should really be crusing with your feedrate. Use a good air blow so that you do not recut existing chips.
Consult with the material supplier to get a starting point for speeds and feeds for cutting the material.
RE: Flycutting Acrylic
and one of the methods of cooling was with the Vortec Spot Coolers. This was predominate method for cooling while machining plastics.
http://www.vortec.com/solutions_cooling.php
RE: Flycutting Acrylic
RE: Flycutting Acrylic