Lesson 1Key process steps: setup, roughing, finishing, inspection, deburring, cleaningThis lesson breaks down the CNC process into main steps: setup, roughing, semi-finishing, finishing, deburring, cleaning, and inspection, explaining goals, inputs, outputs, and usual tools or documents at each stage for better understanding.
Pre‑setup staging and job preparationMachine setup and workholding verificationRoughing operations and bulk removalSemi‑finishing and feature definitionFinishing, chamfering, and edge qualityDeburring, cleaning, and final inspectionLesson 2Data to gather before redesign: volumes, batch size, order variability, supplier lead times, floor space and workforce capabilitiesThis lesson lists key operational data needed before redesign, like production volumes, batch sizes, order changes, supplier delivery times, available space, staff numbers, skills, and work shifts, to make sure improvements are practical and realistic.
Demand volumes and product mixBatch sizes, lot sizing, and changeoversOrder variability and demand patternsSupplier lead times and reliabilityAvailable floor space and layout limitsWorkforce skills, shifts, and flexibilityLesson 3Typical workflow for precision aluminum housings from billet to finished partThis lesson follows the complete workflow for precision aluminium housings, from receiving the billet through programming, setup, roughing, finishing, inspection, to shipping, pointing out information flow, handovers, and common paperwork used.
Billet specifications and incoming inspectionCAM programming and process planningSetup, workholding, and zero referencingRoughing strategies and toolpath selectionFinishing passes and in‑process checksFinal inspection, packaging, and shippingLesson 4Typical part assumptions: sizes, wall thicknesses, tolerances, surface finish requirementsThis lesson outlines typical features of aluminium housings, including overall sizes, wall thickness ranges, tolerance limits, flatness and position needs, surface finish goals, and how these affect process choices and risks in production.
Common housing sizes and aspect ratiosWall thickness ranges and stiffness limitsDimensional and geometric tolerance bandsFlatness, perpendicularity, and positionSurface finish and cosmetic class levelsCritical features and datum structuresLesson 5Quality issues and failure modes: geometric tolerance stack-up, surface integrity, burrs, residual stress, coolant contaminationThis lesson looks at common quality problems in CNC aluminium housings, like tolerance build-up, shape and position errors, surface damage, burrs, leftover stresses, and coolant contamination that lead to rework, scrap, and failures in the field.
Dimensional errors and tolerance stack‑upsForm, position, and runout nonconformanceSurface integrity, chatter, and tool marksBurr formation, removal, and missed edgesResidual stress, distortion, and warpageCoolant contamination and cleanliness risksLesson 6Root causes of high cost and lead time: machine utilization, cycle inefficiencies, long setups, tool life, material removal ratesThis lesson pinpoints reasons for high costs and delays, such as low machine use, long idle times, poor tool paths, lengthy setups, careful cutting speeds, tool wear issues, and uneven material removal approaches.
Machine utilization and OEE shortfallsCutting vs non‑cutting time breakdownSetup duration, changeovers, and SMEDTool life limits and unplanned breakageMaterial removal rates and chip loadScheduling, queues, and waiting lossesLesson 7Primary manufacturing metrics to collect: cycle time, takt, throughput, scrap, first-pass yield, cost-per-partThis lesson defines main production measures for CNC housings, like cycle time, takt time, throughput, scrap, rework, first-pass yield, cost per part, and machine use, and shows how to measure and understand each one properly.
Cycle time components and measurementTakt time, demand, and line balancingThroughput, WIP, and bottleneck analysisScrap, rework, and defect categorizationFirst‑pass yield and rolled throughputCost per part and cost driver breakdownLesson 8Common machine types, tooling, fixturing, coolant and chip managementThis lesson reviews usual CNC machines, tools, fixtures, coolant systems, and chip handling for aluminium housings, connecting equipment choices to strength, accuracy, heat control, uptime, and ease of maintenance.
3‑axis vs 5‑axis machining center choicesSpindles, holders, and aluminum toolingWorkholding, vises, and custom fixturesCoolant types, delivery, and filtrationChip evacuation, conveyors, and binsMaintenance and reliability considerations
