Is this part feasible with only a vacuum hold-down?

[bgray43050]

I need to make multiples en-masse of this part. I'm a machinist with plenty of CNC experience but little CNC router experience.

It is 1/8" MDF.

I'm looking at a ShopSabre router with a vacuum hold-down.

I think that the part likely won't hold down solely with a vacuum table no matter what. Can anyone confirm this? Or can this part be made with a vacuum hold-down if I take light passes with little depth of cut?

If a vacuum hold-down will not work....

1. I believe that there is an option in some CAM software that will leave small tabs to keep the part from moving. Then I can later remove those tabs with an edge sander.

2. Adhesive tape? But this will not be conducive to mass production. I really need to make these fast with little hassle. Tape is likely out, unless there is some fast turnkey method that I'm not aware of.

3. Custom-made spoil board with gaskets to along the the edges?

4. ????

Thanks in advance.

Brian

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[awerby]

I'd look at a laser cutter for making those things, rather than a CNC router. A 1/16" cutter is pretty fragile, so you won't be able to cut as fast as you might like. There's the dust issue, and holding down the parts to consider (as you're doing), which isn't an insoluble problem but does add complication. You can mask off the porous spoilboard to concentrate the vacuum where it's needed, but tabs would still be a good idea if you're using the router - not needed if you're laser cutting.

If it's 1/8" MDF, what gets it up to .145" ?

[bgray43050]

I'd look at a laser cutter for making those things, rather than a CNC router. A 1/16" cutter is pretty fragile, so you won't be able to cut as fast as you might like. There's the dust issue, and holding down the parts to consider (as you're doing), which isn't an insoluble problem but does add complication. You can mask off the porous spoilboard to concentrate the vacuum where it's needed, but tabs would still be a good idea if you're using the router - not needed if you're laser cutting.

If it's 1/8" MDF, what gets it up to .145" ?

Thanks but these are already being cut on a laser. It's too slow. I need to make these parts faster than my laser presently can, and lots of them.

The .145 portion is the width of the part at the bottom, not the thickness. Sorry as this might not have been worded well. So .145 is the width of the part where the arrow is pointing and is the least wide portion of the part.

Thanks.

[warrenb]

I'm for laser still. If you get a powerful enough laser you can stack several of these at a time. But if that is not an option...

Leave tabs and use a spoilboard with gaskets. And with a 1/16" cutter you're going to be cutting VERY slow. Probably slower than your laser.

[Davedolsonusa]

1/8 thick ply should be able to be stamped out with a die and lunch press,can’t see the specific part so just guessing.

[routalot]

Those very slender sections at the top and bottom will make it extremely challenging on a router.Tabs or otherwise won't change the tiny amount of strength they have and while a router cutter may be capable of moving through the wood faster than a laser would,that doesn't mean that useable parts will be left behind.and I would be very doubtful if a vacuum of any strength would be sufficient to hold the parts in position.If I absolutely had to cut one or two and there was no alternative then maybe 10-12 tabs would be useful and the time taken to clean them off would reluctantly be accepted.If you had a very good vacuum system,you could cut to the last 0.020" fairly easily and then things are likely to get "interesting".If the machine and material are on hand you might try one and see how it goes but accepting a contract to make a few hundred wouldn't be too smart without the certainty of being able to produce them.