CNC ROUTING CNC routing – is it time you made the investment?
...continued from page 52
A fact not lost on the many trade suppliers to the sign industry that use Tekcel routers to produce sign trays in high volumes. How a CNC router will integrate with existing
production equipment can be another important consideration for signmakers. Printing direct to, (or laminating printed vinyl onto), rigid sheet materials has become an increasingly familiar sight in many sign company workshops. Tekcel’s own cut to print camera system, OptiCAM,
has become a popular and very cost effective option for new and existing router owners that have wide format print capabilities. The appeal of this system is its simplicity. OptiCAM only requires three registration marks around the printed image or images to deliver precise, contour cutting through the full spectrum of signmaking materials and material thicknesses up to 70mm with a standard Tekcel router. Higher gantry options are also available. AXYZ’s massive range of accessories and options for
signmakers includes the AVS camera registration system for precise alignment when cutting out pre-printed materials, as well as vinyl knife heads and dedicated drill units. “A big advantage of an AXYZ router is that it will have
Many trade suppliers use Tekcel routers to produce sign trays in volume.
“Companies investing in CNC routing systems need to consider things such as availability of local support and spare parts and the reliability of both the machine and the supplier, which will obviously affect total cost of ownership.” Leading manufacturers produce a choice of bed sizes,
machine configurations and cutting head options to meet the various needs of sign and display businesses. AXYZ offers what it says is probably the widest choice of machine configurations available. The process area on AXYZ routers can vary from 1m to 3.2m in width and from 1m to more than 14m in length and the choice and configuration of cutting heads is also extremely flexible. A basic machine may only have a single routing spindle but for more complex applications there can be two or three heads, each with knife or router tools working with or without a 21 station autotoolchange. Whatever CNC router you choose; the key to a more a
productive and therefore more profitable routing system is one that’s not just capable of cutting a particular sheet material, but one that does it well and efficiently. Manufacturers report that these days most customers opt
for automatic tool changer (ATC), which contribute to higher productivity and greater safety than manually changing tools. Using ATC enables an operator to set up a job and literally push a button and the machine will create the sign in front of their eyes. It avoids the operator having to stop the machine, change the tool, initialise it, and start routing again. Tekcel CNC routers are an example of machines that have
been developed to minimise job set up times through their easy to use operating system. Tekcel’s 8Kw Auto Tool Change (ATC) spindle motors deliver fast and effective multi-tool processing that keeps machining times down to an absolute minimum and produces cut, carved, engraved or folded components that require little or no finishing. It’s worth noting that Tekcel routers do not require the
fitting and/or removal of any secondary devices to achieve consistent depth accuracy when machining fold lines into aluminium composite materials used in the production sign trays.
AXYZ’s advanced machine controllers ensure an exceptionally clean cut edge on all materials.
54 Sign Update ISSUE 132 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011
probably one of the most advanced machine controllers on this type of machine,” explains Robert. “It can connect to existing company network so programs can be copied onto it from any CAD/CAM software. The controller generates extremely smooth motion using a ‘7 segment
velocity profile’ which leaves an exceptionally clean cut edge on all materials. The controller can also periodically connect the internet to check for machine software updates.” One final piece of advice to prospective CNC router owners
before they make that final decision is to not overlook the quality, quantity and location of the training and support on offer.
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