Lesson 1Key process steps: setup, roughing, finishing, inspection, deburring, cleaningThis part breaks down the CNC process into main steps like 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 operational info needed before redesign, like demand volumes, batch sizes, order changes, supplier wait times, floor space, staff numbers, skills, and work shifts, to make sure improvement ideas 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 aluminum housings from billet to finished partThis part follows the full workflow for precision aluminum housings, from getting the billet to programming, setup, roughing, finishing, inspection, and sending out, pointing out info flow, handoffs, 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 features of aluminum housings, including overall sizes, wall thickness ranges, tolerance levels, flatness and position needs, surface finish goals, and how these 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 aluminum housings, like tolerance build-ups, shape and position errors, surface damage, burrs, leftover stresses, and coolant dirt that can cause rework, waste, and failures in use.
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 points out reasons for high costs and long waits, such as low machine use, long non-cutting times, poor tool paths, long setups, careful cutting speeds, tool wear issues, and uneven 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 housings, including cycle time, takt time, throughput, scrap, rework, first-pass success, cost per part, and machine use, and shows how to measure and understand each one.
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 usual CNC machine types, tools, holding setups, coolant systems, and chip handling for aluminum housings, connecting equipment choices to strength, accuracy, heat control, uptime, and easy 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
