Opinions on "router" vs "mill" on aluminum parts

[infamous_panda]

Guys,

I'd like to get some opinions from anyone whos had experience with both a "mills" and "routers". I am looking for a machine capable of processing a large number of parts with minimal setup and intervention. I dusted off my benchtop Taig mill the other night to make the below brackets from a block of 6061.




The stock was a 2" x 3 1/2" x 1" and it took about a half hour to hog through at 12 ipm.

I have an older style PRO4848 with the V-CON rails and a 24K rpm 2.2kw spindle and I would like to setup work holding and coolant to produce 50 to 100 pieces at a time. Any thoughts on the feasibility of this. Not overly concerned over the tolerances, but would like to have a decent surface finish to minimize post processing. Also would need to consider reliability as I would like to be able to leave the machine (same room, just not watching it intently the whole time).

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[Jim Dawson]

We have been very happy with our Haas TM-2p. Yesterday we ran 58 parts, about the same size and complexity as you describe above, in about 2.5 hours. On longer runs we have run the machine ''lights out''. We normally run the parts on ''pallets'' that fit the table size tooling plate that we built. In the case of the parts you show above, we would use 2x3.5x1 rectangular bar and bolt about 30 inch lengths to the pallet, which would make a matrix of about 30x16 inches of parts.

To produce parts fast with reasonable accuracy takes a stable machine with enough spindle HP to get a decent MRR. A light weight router would not be my first choice. I had a router that would have done it, but it weighed over 5000 lbs and had a 12HP spindle. I have a customer that runs exclusively aluminum on his router, but his router is over 5000 lbs and has a 7.5 HP spindle. There is a theme here: Mass and HP

[infamous_panda]

We have been very happy with our Haas TM-2p. Yesterday we ran 58 parts, about the same size and complexity as you describe above, in about 2.5 hours. On longer runs we have run the machine ''lights out''. We normally run the parts on ''pallets'' that fit the table size tooling plate that we built. In the case of the parts you show above, we would use 2x3.5x1 rectangular bar and bolt about 30 inch lengths to the pallet, which would make a matrix of about 30x16 inches of parts.

To produce parts fast with reasonable accuracy takes a stable machine with enough spindle HP to get a decent MRR. A light weight router would not be my first choice. I had a router that would have done it, but it weighed over 5000 lbs and had a 12HP spindle. I have a customer that runs exclusively aluminum on his router, but his router is over 5000 lbs and has a 7.5 HP spindle. There is a theme here: Mass and HP

Those are certainly the right tools, but out of reach at the moment. Not so much the cost but the need to fit it through a standard residential basement door... I ran the part on the pro4848 and was surprised with the result. It's been a year or so since I last used it and without tuning it up or even squaring the gantry the part came out with a better finish than the benchtop mill. This is with the mdf spoilboard chattering like crazy and without spraying coolant. Since my minimum RPM was 8K I also ran it at twice the speed.

[Jim Dawson]

You can't argue with success, looks good. I do wish we had a 10K RPM spindle, we're limited to 6K rpm.