Cutting Aluminum With A Router
Aluminum needs a lot more rigidity that wood or plastic.
Cutting aluminum with a router. A normal carbide bit would be enough. Due to the bit sticky nature of aluminum the cnc router is the best tool for cutting it without making any mess. All bits have a pilot to guide cuts. While using the router on aluminum the tool may at times get into some places that are.
Now it is also used to cut weak metals like aluminum. Cutting aluminum with a cnc router is very easy. If you push it too fast you might actually be able to see your machine flex under the load if not rattle loose. You should also begin the routing process by first drilling a inch hole near the corner so as to avoid plunging the router bit through the material.
When cutting aluminum unlike cutting plastic or wood you would have a much narrower window for your feeds and speeds. Pilot location describes the position of the pilot when the bit is used for hand routing. The pilot location is reversed when using the bit with a router table. Cut layers of material flush to one another or make cuts along a template.
There s a world of difference for a cnc router cutting thin aluminum sheet vs a cnc router cutting thicker aluminum plate. Cnc router aluminum sheet work is different than cnc routers cutting aluminum plate. However cutting aluminum using a cnc router is not a walk in the park. Any normal cnc router like benchtop or table top cnc routers are strong enough to make a hole in aluminium.
Therefore in this case you need to be particularly precise when calculating the feeds and speeds. Small hobby routers and the big 100k machines are very different. Bottom pilot bits trim material from an upper layer of the workpiece so that it is flush with the layer below. The cutting parameters and quality of cut will depend a lot on how rigid your machine is.
So you need to know the right way to do it. Generally a cnc router is a computer controlled machine used for cutting wood and plastic which are comparatively softer than metals. Metal engraving bits enpoint 60 degree v bits cnc engraving tools with 2 flute straight groove 1 8 in shank 0 1mm tip carbide tipped router bits marking conical carving liner for steel aluminum brass 4 6 out of 5 stars 19. Just make sure you are using the right sized router bit.