Lesson 1Key process steps: setup, roughing, finishing, inspection, deburring, cleaningThis part 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 papers at each stage.
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 part lists the operation data needed before redesign, like demand volumes, batch sizes, order changes, supplier delivery times, floor space, staff numbers, skills, and shift patterns, to make sure process improvements are practical.
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 aluminium housings from billet to finished partThis part follows the complete workflow for precision aluminium casings, from receiving the billet through programming, setup, roughing, finishing, inspection, and shipping, pointing out information flow, handovers, and usual documents 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 part explains typical aluminium casing features, including overall sizes, wall thickness ranges, tolerance levels, flatness and position needs, surface finish goals, and how these assumptions affect process choice and risks.
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 part reviews common quality problems in CNC aluminium casings, including tolerance build-ups, shape and position errors, surface damage, burr creation, remaining stresses, and coolant-related dirt that can cause rework, waste, and field failures.
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 part identifies reasons for high cost and long delivery time, such as poor machine use, long non-cutting time, wasteful toolpaths, long setups, careful cutting data, tool life issues, and unbalanced material removal plans.
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 part defines main manufacturing measures for CNC casings, including cycle time, takt, throughput, scrap, rework, first-pass yield, cost per part, and capacity use, and explains how to measure and understand each sign.
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 part surveys common CNC machine types, tools, fixturing, coolant systems, and chip handling methods used for aluminium casings, connecting equipment choices to strength, accuracy, heat control, uptime, and maintenance.
3-axis vs 5-axis machining center choicesSpindles, holders, and aluminium toolingWorkholding, vises, and custom fixturesCoolant types, delivery, and filtrationChip evacuation, conveyors, and binsMaintenance and reliability considerations
