What's the diff between CNC Router and CNC Mill ?

[berryCR]

Someone may consider it stupid, but when I browse through web sites I found people using both terms, but I'm not sure what the key difference is. Thanks.

[mxtras]

Rigidity and many times - envelope size.

A router will typically cover more ground but does not typically have the appropriate structural rigidity or spindle for milling steel. A router will typically have a less powerful, higher speed spindle (15K - 25K RPM) whereas a mill might have a very rigid, 5HP, 10K RPM spindle. I have run routers that were capable of milling steel and I have run mills that could hang with many of the routers I have run, so there are always exceptions, I guess but in general routers are typically lighter weight machines.

Scott

[JerryFlyGuy]

Well put Scott, I've always thought of routers having less clearance under the Z, but usually larger X & Y footprints. [Basically a router is plasma w/ a motorized cutter attached] A mill on the other hand.. well.. what you said

Jerry [ I really Like your little quote/signature ]

[NC Cams]

A mill is essentially an oversized drill press with a moveable table. The table moves, the drill spindle stays stationary except to go up and down to drill/mill.

A router has a bigger table that typically doe NOT move. The cutting spindle is mounted in a high speed motor that moves in X & Y but a LOT but not so much in Z. Movement of the Z axis is accomplished via a bride-like gantry.

The Z motion is usually enough for the cutter to clear the flat parts being cut.

Mills are MUCH more rigid than routers due to the robustness of the cutting spindle support.

Do a "verticle mill" and "router" search on Google - should be easy to find pictures....

[ger21]

Originally Posted by NC Cams A router has a bigger table that typically doe NOT move.

I'd say that with large commercial wood routers, it's about 50/50 moving table/ moving gantry. And most of these machines have about a foot of Z travel. Smaller machines are more limited.

[mxtras]

There are always exceptions, aren't there? I have run a gantry mill and a gantry router. I have run a bridge mill and a bridge router. I have run both mills and routers that had both fixed and movable tables. Heck - I have even seen a massive vertical LATHE with a 20K RPM milling spindle. There is always going to be a configuration that defeats any example when it comes to labeling equipment and processes.

Routers will typically have lighter weight construction and lighter duty, higher speed spindles. Mills will typically have far heavier construction and much more robust spindles.

I think the terms "router" and "mill" pretty much define the same operations (machining) but with a slightly different material and cutter configuration. You can sometimes mill with a router and visa-versa.

I don't know of a true defining line that separates milling from routing. There are numerous situations where the two overlap. In these situations it is difficult to define whether you are routing or milling. Perhaps it depends on the material? If you are cutting wood products, then I guess you are routing. If you are cutting steel, I guess you are milling. But what about aluminum? Running and end mill at 15K RPM at 200IPM could be considered high speed machining - but would it be called 'milling' or 'routing'? Huumm....

Scott

[ger21]

Originally Posted by mxtras Routers will typically have lighter weight construction and lighter duty, higher speed spindles. Mills will typically have far heavier construction and much more robust spindles.

This is really the bottom line.

[JerryFlyGuy]

Ahhh what a tangled web we weave... I'm wondering now .. what I'm building.. Since term's like ' heavy construction' and 'larger size' come into play.. and are generally concidered 'relative' terms themselves..

Not to hijack the thread but what am I building??

My machine is 20ft x 10ft with 48" of z travel. The base frame and rails weight in at around 900-1000lb's and the gantry is just about 1000lb's. The spindle run's 4 hp-18000rpm... Is it a mill or a router? a Mouter? or a Rill? or Riller or..??

Jerry.. [ confused.. in Canada..

[imserv]

The guy that asks about a router has wood sawdust in his cuffs. The guy that asks about a mill has metal chips, probably steel, in his shirt pocket.

The guys with other materials on their clothes ( especially ink and toner) are always confused because they live and work in the borderlands between the two kinds of machines. They are usualy more argumentative and determined to be the one with the correct answer about what defines the machines.

The guys with sawdust and steel chip on their clothes just smile because they KNOW the difference. ;-)

Fred Smith - IMService
http://www.cadcamcadcam.com/hobby

[mxtras]

You are building a CNC machine.

There. Problem solved.



Scott

[ger21]

When Scott said lighter weight, lighter is a relative term. Large commercial woodworking routers (5 x 12 or so) typically weigh 4-10K lbs.

[JerryFlyGuy]

Originally Posted by mxtras You are building a CNC machine. There. Problem solved. Scott

Ahhhh.. thanks.. I just couldn't figure it out.. glad someone had it all cased for me .. I may be slow but I'm... well.. really I'm just slow..

Jerry [ Can someone tell my why my big wrench thinggy won't work w/ my little socket thinggy?? ]