Used equipment offers your business the opportunity to incorporate the latest technology into woodworking processes. Computer numerically controlled (CNC) devices have greatly advanced the types of wood products companies are capable of producing. Milling machines are intended for solid pieces of wood and may be classified as horizontal or vertical depending upon the spindle orientation. You can obtain smaller devices designed to mount on a bench or ones created for larger production environments. Equipment used for milling operations is not the same as a drilling device because the piece is rotated radially against the cutter. Milling devices are used to cut the sides and tip of each piece. They complete many different operations including slot cutting, keyway cutting, planning, drilling, and contouring. Mills may also be identified by how they are controlled, sized, powered, and their purpose. A small introduction to these tools can help in identifying which style will produce the most benefits for your business. Used CNC milling machines allow you to cut the cost of obtaining this productivity enhancing equipment.
Woodworking Machinery: Which Orientation Should You Choose?
Woodworking machinery comes in many different forms including routers, mills, drills, lathes, and combination equipment. Each can play a significant role in the final products your business provides to customers. The spindle axis used for cutting on milling machinery may be oriented vertically or horizontally. Vertical mills are sub-classified based upon how the table moves and whether or not a stationary spindle is present. Turret machines include a stationary spindle in addition to the table being able to move both perpendicularly and parallel with the axis. The cutter can be positioned much like a drill press thanks to a quill being included in the design. A bed mill has a moving spindle intended to work in conjunction with perpendicular table movement. Turret models offer your business increased versatility but only work well when the machine is smaller. Bed designs are more common in large equipment due to decreased table movement workload.
When the orientation is horizontal, the cutters hang over the table by means of an arbor. A rotary table may be built into the device in order to provide an increased number of cutting angles. An arbor supports the cutters making heavier cuts easier to accomplish at a faster production rate. This woodworking machinery may be used for grooves, slots, flat surface shaping, beveling, and other complex cuts. If you are trying to decide between a horizontal or vertical piece of equipment, a few factors will make the decision easier. Work piece shape, size, and side counts will have a big impact on the type you select. Lighter work pieces with cutting movement involving one plane work better on vertical models whereas heavier multi-side cutting processes are more suitable for horizontal equipment. The size of your facility will also factor into your decision since horizontal machinery is often designed for large scale production environments. Consider what types of cutting you want to accomplish and then call an RT Machine professional to learn what used CNC milling machines we can offer to ease the expense.
