Instrument Panel 5 Axis CNC Rapid Prototype Metal Turn Milling

Rapid prototyping is the process of generating or manufacturing a dummy product to test the functionality, and chances of failure before final production. CNC Rapid Prototype can be done by using various methods. Digital CAD/CAM prototypes, fabricated functional prototypes, 3D printed prototypes, CNC machined prototypes are a few popular ways of rapid prototyping. Out of all the methods, CNC Rapid Prototype is quite a popular method for developing rapid prototypes in both dummy and functional types. The process of CNC Rapid Prototype is commonly referred to as CNC-RP. The CNC Rapid Prototype is highly popular due to the precision, dimensional stability, and consistent quality. However, to accomplish high-quality CNC-RP, it is essential to follow the process meticulously. This post discusses the steps involved in CNC-RP in order to get optimum prototyping results.

Step-by-step Process of CNC Rapid Prototype (CNC-RP)

The steps involved in the process of CNC Rapid Prototype are as follows.

Design Ideations:

Design ideation is the primary step involved in CNC Rapid Prototype. In this step, the product designers or product engineers create multiple possible designs for the product. These ideations may include dimensioning and positioning of features, design for manufacturing and assembly (DFMA), design for testing (DFT), etc. Once all the ideations are created, some of the efficient designs are taken forward to the next step.

Generation of 3D Files:

CNC production relies on 3D files such as CAD designs. Therefore, the selected design/designs are converted into a 3D file. The 3D files define all dimensions, features, and aesthetical specifications of the final product.

Identification of Production Sequence:

Once the 3D file is generated, the machining process to generate each feature is identified. Along with this, the sequence of manufacturing steps is decided to manufacture the prototype employing a seamless CNC machining cycle. Various manufacturing processes such as CNC routing, CNC turning, CNC cutting, CNC milling, CNC drilling, etc may be involved in CNC-machined prototype production.

CNC Rapid Prototype Programing:

The sequence of CNC Rapid Prototype production processes and tool operating instructions are given to the CNC Rapid Prototype machine using the CNC Rapid Prototype program. The programs include G-codes and M-codes that instruct the CNC Rapid Prototype machine which tool to choose, travel time and distance of the tool, feed rate, cutting depth, etc. All the instructions are embedded in the CNC Rapid Prototype program which allows automation of CNC Rapid Prototype based on the production requirements.

Note: The CNC Rapid Prototype programing process includes calculations for feed rates, cutting depths, number of runs, distance of tool travel, etc. The calculated values are inserted into the G-codes or M-codes to create a CNC program.