Advice for faster production.

[kirkvq]

Hey Everyone,

I have an AR8. I produce with it a bunch of boxes that are kind of neat. Ring boxes, guitar pick boxes etc.
They are done with maple mostly. 

I have the opportunity to wholesale these boxes. I'm very new to CNC so I'm wondering if some of you more experienced guys can help.

In the photo I've attached you'll see the hard maple ring box. I need to increase the speed in which a box is made in order to be profitable with making enough 
boxes to make wholesale worth it.

Currently it takes about 8 minutes to produce one box. I need to get this down around 4 minutes if possible.

I'm using 1/4" upcut spiral. 
100 IPM - 16,000 RPM (I feel like this is too fast?)

A lot of time is spent on the pocket. 

I'm wondering how fast I might be able to run with the hard maple, and what speed.

Would love to hear your thoughts and opinions as to how I can speed up production.




Thanks,
Kirk

[gerry]

In your time estimate: Does it include cutting a lid? Is the name included? Are the names different?

Some suggestions:

I make the same kind of boxes for gifts. Mill at least the interior with a 1/2" downcut bit. The downcut runs a little slower, but vastly reduces chipping on the top surfaces. It will also run no problem @ 120/18,000. The bigger bit covers more ground, so it cuts the cutting time way down. To save a bit change, even use it for your profile cut. I would add a ramp and/or a lead for the profile cut. Do a separate last pass of at least 0.03. Nicer finish. Since Axiom lets you have multiple origins, use them to set up multiple boards, it'll save on bit changes if you use 2 bits.

Do the lids as a separate job, since they look like thinner stock. It each has a different name engraved, look up the Vectric tutorial that shows you how to set up a template so that the next lid in line picks up the next name. Automation.

[kirkvq]

Hey Gerry,

Thanks for the reply and helpful advice. I will order a 1/2" tomorrow.

I laser engrave the name on the top, so that's a separate thing. The lid is actually the exact same but is the complete inversion of the bottom. So they sit together like Ying and Yang.
It works nicely.

These are profitable if I do them and sell them myself b2c, but I was trying to get away from that and do more b2b as wholesale. That's why I'm trying to optimize enough

I will see what I can hack together. Tomorrow is another day.

Thanks again!

[Deleted]

Drill bits remove material far faster, last longer, are lower cost, are easy to sharpen and have other advantages over milling bits but that would require a tool change which costs time. They would, however, allow your milling operations to be more efficient at the same time so there are several things to consider. All that being said there are even things to optimize your current bits and tool paths. Sometimes it makes more sense to use a smaller bit with higher RPM to get a higher material removal rate. Even choosing a different method of clearing areas, say with a profile vs a pocket, makes a big difference. Many of these would require seeing your CRV file to make suggestions.

[Leeway]

That type of job for production is likely done on a cnc lathe. You have some good suggestions so far though. You might also consider blanking them with a drill press to start with. Good shark forstner bits would do the hollow roughing pretty well. Then the router could focus on finish machining.

[stevem]

kirkvq: What is the actual size of these boxes? You could also make several at one time on a single piece ow Maple. You don't mention if you are making them one at a time.