CNC Router options for printed sheets.

[Taylor Made Print]

Hello All!

Hope youre all doing well!

im looking to purchase a used cnc router that can cut pre reverse printed polycarbonate sheets to make some ID tags for a customer.

Im not well versed in the different cnc options but im looking for more of a start up machine that isnt too big as i will only have a handfull of jobs to run at first so wont require a huge bed size.

Does such a thing exist?

Looking for abit of experienced advice really.

 

[White Haus]

What size sheets would you be cutting?

What thickness polycarbonate are you cutting?

 

[Taylor Made Print]

What size sheets would you be cutting?

What thickness polycarbonate are you cutting?

2mm polycarb and the sheet would only need to be 700mm x 800mm to fulfil the initial orders i have to start with.

 

[Vassago]

Well.. You've got a few options..

Personally. I'd laser cut them. Co2 lasers in that size are relatively cheap and easy to use.. No tool bits to setup and hard software to understand. The only thing with polycarbonate is that it's best to use nitrogen when cutting to stop charring - but welding supplies are your friend - argon or nitrogen would work well.. Nitrogen would be cheaper..

If you want to go router - then things get more expensive.. The larger the area, the more expensive. A Chinese 6040 (600x400mm) is usually pretty cheap, but bigger than that gets expensive quickly.

A single flute hss coated cutter would be your friend - nice clean cuts.. But. You'd have the issue of hold down - you'd need a vaccum bed or leave tiny tabs to hold the cards in place - you also have to work out cutting software - depends on the machine - Hence why a co2 laser might be better for your use case - no force used when cutting and if you use lightburn (works with most Chinese based cutters) - very easy to use software with the ability to use cameras to set everything up.

 

[Broome Signs]

We may have a small Gerber machine for sale soon
has a 48"x 24" cutting area
3hp router
3d AMC controler
We run sign-lab
PB

ps, you can't laser cut polycarb it is class 0 fire rated,

 

[Vassago]

We may have a small Gerber machine for sale soon
has a 48"x 24" cutting area
3hp router
3d AMC controler
We run sign-lab
PB

ps, you can't laser cut polycarb it is class 0 fire rated,

Lol.. Of Course you can cut polycarbonate - that's why I said nitrogen or argon.. No fire. It burns if you use air assist, that's why you use nitrogen. Nitrogen also stops charring on most materials.

 

[Vassago]

Lol.. Of Course you can cut polycarbonate - that's why I said nitrogen or argon.. No fire. It burns if you use air assist, that's why you use nitrogen. Nitrogen also stops charring on most materials.

As with most plastics - fume extraction is a must, but using nitrogen results in cleaner cuts as there's no oxidation. Of course when cutting wood - you want it to burn quickly - that's why you can cut it - because it burns, then chars which resists the heat - cuts rather than sets it alight - as long as you're going fast enough so youre not putting more energy into it.

 

[Vassago]

I cut polycarbonate with a laser all day long.. Good fume extraction and nitrogen = perfect cuts.

Best way for a beginner as well as its cheap to setup and has great results - more like a printer rather than a machine tool.

Routers are better for materials that can't be cut with a laser or if you want to go 3D.

Use the right tool for the right job.

 

[Broome Signs]

Polycarbonate - will emit a yellow smoke and toxic fumes.
any responsible company will not use a laser to cut polycarbonate and endanger employees lives

 

[Vassago]

Polycarbonate - will emit a yellow smoke and toxic fumes.
any responsible company will not use a laser to cut polycarbonate and endanger employees lives

Yes.. Polycarbonate will emit yellow smoke and fumes when cut using air assist. Nitrogen is not air.. Also ANY plastics being cut requires fume extraction.

Do you cut aluminium with aluminum nitride coated tools? NO - because it galls - They are great for cutting steel, but not aluminium.. Its a chemical thing - Same with this. Would you use brake cleaner when welding?

You use different assist gasses depending on the task at hand. Oxygen helps things burn, air is similar, nitrogen stops things burning - argon is the same.

Just like a CNC machine - speeds and feeds make a difference.

 

[Broome Signs]

The main gases in the air

The table shows the proportions of the main gases in dry unpolluted air,

nitrogen	78.09%​
oxygen	20.95%​
argon	0.93%​
carbon dioxide	0.04% ​

 

[JimHjr73]

Something that small and few/far between I would personally just use a brake sheer. Bigger jobs though we use a drag knife on a Multicam Apex CNC.

 

[Vassago]

The main gases in the air

The table shows the proportions of the main gases in dry unpolluted air,

​

nitrogen	78.09%​
oxygen	20.95%​
argon	0.93%​
carbon dioxide	0.04%​

Lol.. This is getting silly now..

Try breathing 100% nitrogen or Argon and see how well that goes for you..

Equally 100% oxygen..

"Air" has oxygen in it.. Hence things burn.. No oxygen.. No burn..

Ask any welder what happens if they don't use a shielding gas (flux shields the weld from oxygen, so stick and "No Gas" Mig are included) .