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 equipment or documents at each stage to improve 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 part lists the operational data needed before redesign, like demand volumes, batch sizes, order changes, supplier lead times, floor space, staffing, skills, and shift patterns, to make sure process improvements are practical and effective.
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 traces the full workflow for precision aluminium housings, from receiving the billet through programming, setup, roughing, finishing, inspection, and shipping, pointing out information flow, handoffs, and usual documents used in the process.
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 defines typical aluminium housing features, including overall sizes, wall thickness ranges, tolerance levels, flatness and position needs, surface finish goals, and how these affect process choices and risks in manufacturing.
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 housings, including tolerance build-ups, shape and position errors, surface damage, burrs, leftover stresses, and coolant contamination that can 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 part identifies reasons for high costs and long lead times, such as poor machine use, long non-cutting times, inefficient tool paths, extended setups, careful cutting data, tool life issues, and unbalanced material removal methods.
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 metrics for CNC housings, including cycle time, takt time, throughput, scrap, rework, first-pass yield, cost per part, and capacity use, and explains 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 part surveys common CNC machine types, tools, fixturing, coolant systems, and chip management methods for aluminium housings, linking 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
