A Tinkerer's Guide to CNC Basics

Master the fundamentals of CNC machining, G-Code, 2D Laser machining and fabrication techniques

Samer Najia 지음

Packt(GCO Science) 2024년 01월 31일 출간

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Get started with CNC machining using this hands-on guide that tells you exactly what you need to know without overloading you with useless theory

▶Book Description
Until recently, Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines belonged to the realm of heavy industry, but as technology becomes cheaper and smaller, these machines now can be used in home workshops. It’s not easy to get started, though, but thanks to this guide, you’ll be ready to take on a variety of projects in no time.
A Tinkerer’s Guide to CNC Basics contains everything you need to get set up at home with computer-controlled machining and fabrication. Sparing you the theory, this project-laden guide helps you learn by doing.
Once you’ve got to grips with the principles of CNC and installed the 3018 Pro CNC machine, you’ll gradually move from simple projects such as basic engraving to more complex milling and machining techniques. You’ll even learn how to upgrade your machine to accomplish more sophisticated designs. The plethora of projects in this book will keep you busy and give you the practice you need to get started with your computerized workshop.
By the end of the book, your computerized home workshop will be one step closer to realization, and your machining skills will be taken to the next level.

▶ What You Will Learn
⦁ Configure, calibrate, provision, and test your CNC machine
⦁ Add a laser engraver to your machine for finer precision cutting
⦁ Use the machine to fabricate new components for itself
⦁ Explore the design impacts of carving on a rotary axis
⦁ Adapt other machines for CNC
⦁ Engrave opaque and semi-opaque materials
⦁ Cool your machine with an air assist system
⦁ Design and develop a customized laser mount

목차

▶ TABLE of CONTENTS
1. The What and Why of CNC
2. Setting Up and Configuring the 3018 CNC Machine
3. Understanding Material Properties before Making the First Cut
4. Making the First Cut
5. Full CNC Workflow with Different Materials
6. Upgrading Your CNC Machine
7. Enclosures
8. Project: Building a CNC Laser Cutter and a Plotter
9. Project: Building Your Own 4th Axis
10. Project: Adding a Laser to the 3018
11. Building a More Capable CNC Machine
12. Future Projects and Going Bigger and Better

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▶ What this book covers
⦁ Chapter 1, The What and Why of CNC: This chapter introduces CNC, discusses the mechanics of how it works, and provides some initial considerations for safety.
⦁ Chapter 2, Setting Up and Configuring the 3018 CNC Machine: This chapter’s focus is on the build-orbuy decision and getting your first CNC machine up and running.
⦁ Chapter 3, Understanding Material Properties before Making the First Cut: Here, we take a look at what is needed for various materials as far as the CNC machine is concerned, such as how to select an endmill for a particular application.
⦁ Chapter 4, Making the First Cut: With this chapter, we’ll put the 3018 to work and start cutting materials.
⦁ Chapter 5, Full CNC Workflow with Different Materials: Building on the previous chapter, we begin looking at how to go from design to finished product, including the transfer of paper drawings to an electronic format suitable for subsequent processing with our 3018 machines.
⦁ Chapter 6, Upgrading Your CNC Machine: We’ll add components to the machine we have to be more precise, start with a discussion on a fourth axis, and add the ability for our machine to become a plotter and a drag knife.
⦁ Chapter 7, Enclosures: CNC machines produce debris, and if using a laser, there could be fumes that might need ventilation. This chapter discusses some simple enclosures that can be built to keep your work area neat.
⦁ Chapter 8, Project: Building a CNC Laser Cutter and Plotter: Taking everything we have learned so far, we’ll build limited-purpose CNC machines: one to generate and scale drawings and another to cut using a laser.
⦁ Chapter 9, Project: Building Your Own 4th Axis: In this chapter, we build on Chapter 6 and build a fourth axis add-on using our 3018 and some off-the-shelf parts.
⦁ Chapter 10, Adding a Laser to the 3018: We’ll add a laser toolhead to our original desktop CNC mill to make it a 2-in-1 machine.
⦁ Chapter 11, Building a More Capable CNC Machine: Once we outgrow the 3018 machine, we will want something bigger and stronger with a larger workspace. This chapter steps through the process of scaling up.
⦁ Chapter 12, Future Projects and Going Bigger and Better: We’ll look at even bigger machines for our shop including stepping out of the hobbyist arena and seei

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▶ Preface
A Tinkerer’s Guide to CNC Basics will suit anyone who enjoys shop work and tinkering through the
process of automating the fabrication of parts of various materials, including cutting and engraving
with milling machines and lasers. If you have a desire to make things out of wood, metal, plastic,
foam, fiberglass, or other materials, and maybe have to make several parts repeatedly, this book is
for you. If you need to prototype your designs and want to be able to do so fast so you don’t have
to hand fabricate everything and learn how to leverage Computer-Aided Design (CAD), you will
benefit from this book.
The book starts with an overview of what CNC is and progresses toward acquiring, building, and
customizing a commonly used CNC machine before delving into various projects. These projects
include upgrades to this machine, building larger and more complex machines, and fabricating parts
for specific applications. You will learn how to operate and service a desktop CNC machine, use CAD
to design or modify parts that your machine can then fabricate, and finally learn how to scale up your
efforts with bigger and more complex systems.
By the time you are finished with this book, you will know how to fabricate using a basic CNC
machine, cut with a laser, use a fourth axis to cut parts as they rotate on your work table, and operate
multiple software applications to achieve your desired outcomes. You will also become familiar with
a number of techniques to transfer drawings from paper to electronic formats suitable for fabrication
by your CNC mill.

작가정보

저자(글) Samer Najia

Samer Najia has always enjoyed building things and often has multiple projects in the air. While by
day he is in the IT field, at all other times he is often putting bits of things together in the garage or
on his desk. When the sky beckons, Samer likes to fly and work on airplanes.