Wondering about ways to improve your CNC efficiency while still getting clean cuts and reducing down time?  Use the following speeds and feeds settings from LMT Onsrud and also MultiCam as a starting point and play around with them until you get the right combination for the router bits you are using and also the CNC machine.

By varying the speeds and feeds and chip load settings, you can produce either chips or dust when routing Precision Board HDU.  Here’s some tips for maximizing routing time and saving wear and tear on your CNC machine.

Cutting tools play an important role when using a CNC router. The right cutting tool when combined with proper speeds and feeds can cut your machining down dramatically and increase the life span of your cutting tool.

Coastal Enterprises has partnered with LMT Onsrud, a cutting tool manufacturer, to provide the most up-to-date speeds and feeds information for routing Precision Board HDU.  Part of this partnership includes a database maintained and updated by LMT Onsrud to help choose the right cutting bit for the right material.

Why is it so important to set your router to certain speeds and feeds for each bit?

The proper cutting tool used with speeds and feeds information lets you achieve optimum chip load. Proper chip load allows the cutting tool to move in and out of the material quicker, leading to more efficient CNC machining.

You can optimize your chip load by setting the feed rate and cutter speed to yield the largest chip that produces the desired surface finish. Precision Board HDU is non-abrasive, which also prolongs tool life.

Here’s a useful formula from LMT Onsrud, manufacturer of router bits and cutting tools:

Chip Load = Feed rate/ RPM x # of flutes

To increase chip load:

Increase feed rate
Decrease RPM
Use a cutter with fewer flutes

To decrease chip load:

Decrease feed rate
Increase RPM
Use a cutter with more flutes

With a little experimentation you’ll become an expert at machining Precision Board. Proper cutter selection and machine setup will produce a smooth cut, leaving chips that fall to the ground and do not become airborne. And because we’ve added an anti-static agent to Precision Board, chips don’t cling to your work or your equipment.

Using optimal settings for your CNC router is also important.  That’s why we have also partnered with MultiCam, manufacturer of CNC routers, to provide another set of speeds and feeds settings for routing Precision Board HDU using their CNC machines.

CNC is an acronym for, “Computer Numerical Control.” Essentially, CNC machinery is a computer operated mechanism which precisely cuts or engraves complex shapes in HDU, metal, plastic, stone, wood, and a range of various medium types. In order to accurately cut or engrave a design, a programmer must map a numerical code through CAD (Computer-aided Design) and/or CAM (Computer-aided Manufacturing) software which is interpreted by the computer and used as a blueprint or tool path.

MultiCam used their APEX3R CNC Router to cut different shapes and patterns out of our Precision Board HDU. Settings varied depending on what density they were machining. You can see those specific settings below and in the videos on our YouTube Channel. MultiCam used their own router bits to cut the HDU material.  They used a 3/16” Ball Nose (Part # 95-00047-52-260B) and a 1/2” End mill (Part # 95-00047-63-790).

By experimenting with these different speeds and feeds settings, and using the chip load formula, it’s possible to produce chips or dust and determine the optimal settings to maximize your CNC efficiency.  Using a variety of tools and settings will also add life to your CNC machine and save wear and tear on your cutters.

You can view all of our speeds and feeds videos on our YouTube Channel under the “Routing / Machining” playlist.

LMT Onsrud is a premium cutting tool manufacturer servicing the metal working, composite, wood and plastics (HDU) industries.  Their tooling can be found within various industrial markets – aerospace, medical, composites, plastics, woods – and are used in making the products you use on a daily basis.

MultiCam is a global supplier of innovative CNC cutting solutions for industries ranging from sign making to digital finishing, sheet-metal to plate-steel processing, hardwoods to cabinet making, thermoform trimming to plastics fabrication, as well as a wide variety of aerospace and automotive applications.

Coastal Enterprises manufactures Precision Board HDU, a versatile, cost-effective and eco-friendly urethane material that is particularly effective for applications in signage, theming, modeling, aerospace, automotive, marine and industrial.  It is a closed-cell rigid substrate that does not rot, warp or crack.  You can request free samples, get a quote or sign up for periodic newsletters packed with helpful information.