Hello All! Cutting copper plates for cooling? Small CNC?

[Jessec0626]

Greetings! I hope all is well! My name is Jesse.

A little background about myself:

I am an extreme overclocker. In short, I use liquid nitrogen to cool very specific computer components down to extreme temperatures (-196). This allows me to fight off the extreme heat created by increasing the amount of voltage sent to processors, graphics cards, etc. Increasing the voltage allows me to increase the frequencies of those components and run benchmarking software. It's like drag racing, but for computers


The problem i come across quite often:

When increasing the amount of voltage on graphics cards, the VRM sometimes gets very hot. (I will link pictures of various VRM implementations below) When I attach a liquid nitrogen container to a graphics card, I have to take the manufactures's cooling solution. This leaves VRM bare with no cooling solution. The fix this is to cut out a plate of copper and adhere/screw it down over the mosfets. All graphics cards have a different VRM implementation. Therefore, I would have to cut out different plate shapes. And possibly cut out holes for clearance over other circuitry components located next to the mosfets. The work area volume on a CNC machine would be tiny for what I am needing to mill and cut. I'm guessing 15mmx15mm with a Z axis clearance of 10mm.







Since these projects would be so specific, I don't know what CNC unit to buy or really anything about CNC machining. Any links or tips good CNC units that would be good for small stuff like 1/8" to 1/4" copper plates would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for the read!!

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[ChrisW]

Dm me

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[joeavaerage]

Hi,
copper is soft and as a consequence can be regared as similar to aluminum in terms of it cutting properties. Interestingly copper takes
a lot of energy to form a chip due to its ductility. Pure nickel is worse....but who uses pure nickel? The upshot is that to cut at a reasonable
rate will require more a more powerful spindle than you might imagine.

Most of the Chinese made cheap-and-cheerful CNC machines do a fair job with wood and plastics but are marginal for aluminum, and
by extension copper. They are just not rigid enough to contain the cutting forces and therefore surface finish and part accuracy suffer.

I presume that surface finish and accuracy are important for your application? If so some of the better CNC Routers may work OK, or alternately
you will need to look at a drill-mill style of machine, either converting to CNC or an already converted machine. Maybe a Taig mini-mill??

https://taigtools.com/product-catego...c-micro-mills/

Craig

[Jessec0626]

Hi,
copper is soft and as a consequence can be regared as similar to aluminum in terms of it cutting properties. Interestingly copper takes
a lot of energy to form a chip due to its ductility. Pure nickel is worse....but who uses pure nickel? The upshot is that to cut at a reasonable
rate will require more a more powerful spindle than you might imagine.

Most of the Chinese made cheap-and-cheerful CNC machines do a fair job with wood and plastics but are marginal for aluminum, and
by extension copper. They are just not rigid enough to contain the cutting forces and therefore surface finish and part accuracy suffer.

I presume that surface finish and accuracy are important for your application? If so some of the better CNC Routers may work OK, or alternately
you will need to look at a drill-mill style of machine, either converting to CNC or an already converted machine. Maybe a Taig mini-mill??

https://taigtools.com/product-catego...c-micro-mills/

Craig

Thank you very much for your advance! It's hard to commit to such expensive tools, when all I need is a very small work area volume. However, it sounds like expensive tools are a must for what I need. Which is fair. Do you know of any blogs, youtube videos, or any information at all regarding converting a drill-mill to a CNC machine?

[joeavaerage]

Hi,
metal capable CNC mills have to be rigid and are therefore expensive. Consider anything under $5000 as hobby grade.

You might expect to pick up a second hand drill-mill style machine for under $1000. You could easily spend another $1000-$2000 in a CNC conversion.
You would be rewarded with a capable machine but would be looking at $2000 upwards.

Craig

[mactec54]

Greetings! I hope all is well! My name is Jesse.

A little background about myself:

I am an extreme overclocker. In short, I use liquid nitrogen to cool very specific computer components down to extreme temperatures (-196). This allows me to fight off the extreme heat created by increasing the amount of voltage sent to processors, graphics cards, etc. Increasing the voltage allows me to increase the frequencies of those components and run benchmarking software. It's like drag racing, but for computers


The problem i come across quite often:

When increasing the amount of voltage on graphics cards, the VRM sometimes gets very hot. (I will link pictures of various VRM implementations below) When I attach a liquid nitrogen container to a graphics card, I have to take the manufactures's cooling solution. This leaves VRM bare with no cooling solution. The fix this is to cut out a plate of copper and adhere/screw it down over the mosfets. All graphics cards have a different VRM implementation. Therefore, I would have to cut out different plate shapes. And possibly cut out holes for clearance over other circuitry components located next to the mosfets. The work area volume on a CNC machine would be tiny for what I am needing to mill and cut. I'm guessing 15mmx15mm with a Z axis clearance of 10mm.







Since these projects would be so specific, I don't know what CNC unit to buy or really anything about CNC machining. Any links or tips good CNC units that would be good for small stuff like 1/8" to 1/4" copper plates would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for the read!!

Have them Laser cut they would be less expensive than machining if you need pockets then they would have to be machined the profile and holes can all be done with a laser

[Jessec0626]

Have them Laser cut they would be less expensive than machining if you need pockets then they would have to be machined the profile and holes can all be done with a laser

Do you know of any companies that could do this type of custom work with lasers? I have talked to a friend that is a machinist. However, I was told I would need to order a large quantity of a specific part design. That would expensive very quick. Being that I would often need different part designs. I'm kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place. That is why I'm thinking about buying a used drill-mill and converting it into CNC machine.Like @joeavaerage mentioned. The only reason i am considering this, is because speak to people around the world on a daily basis, that could make use of very small custom brackets, heat spreaders, and VRM cooling plates. So I could help them out at a reasonable cost and be able to help myself as well.

[mactec54]

Do you know of any companies that could do this type of custom work with lasers? I have talked to a friend that is a machinist. However, I was told I would need to order a large quantity of a specific part design. That would expensive very quick. Being that I would often need different part designs. I'm kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place. That is why I'm thinking about buying a used drill-mill and converting it into CNC machine.Like @joeavaerage mentioned. The only reason i am considering this, is because speak to people around the world on a daily basis, that could make use of very small custom brackets, heat spreaders, and VRM cooling plates. So I could help them out at a reasonable cost and be able to help myself as well.

Depends where you live laser cutting is everywhere and is not expensive for what you want to do, and most will do one off parts if needed, copper is not easy to machine so just buying a mill is not going to do it for you, put up an add for a quote for what you want machined, you may also be able to find bar stock close to the size you need which would just then need to be cut to size and any holes drilled in it

Water jet is another option for cutting out your parts, and then machining what is needed after you have the blanks

[mactec54]

Here is a laser cutting service to look at I'm sure there are a lot like more like this as well I was not looking for this but there it was while I was on a 3D print site

https://sendcutsend.com/?gclid=EAIaI...SAAEgIWUvD_BwE

[joeavaerage]

Hi
many laser outfits don't like copper. They use CO₂ lasers and copper is highly reflective of CO₂ laser energy.
In fact the laser mirrors are made out of copper.

A friend of mine runs a laser cutting workshop and I can hand him anything, within reason, to cut, but NOT copper. If the laser energy reflects back into the laser it damages the output
coupler, and they are expensive.

Craig

[mactec54]

Hi
many laser outfits don't like copper. They use CO₂ lasers and copper is highly reflective of CO₂ laser energy.
In fact the laser mirrors are made out of copper.

A friend of mine runs a laser cutting workshop and I can hand him anything, within reason, to cut, but NOT copper. If the laser energy reflects back into the laser it damages the output
coupler, and they are expensive.

Craig

Only your guy for some reason does not know how if that is the case, most do it all day long, the above link I posted shows copper in there list as one of the many materials they cut, the only limitation is the thickness depending on the power of there laser, a shop by me can do up to 3/4" thick with no problems, the one I posted does up to 1/8" https://sendcutsend.com/copper/

[Buoyen]

Maybe a manual mill is just as easy and cheaper? If it is a flat plate with cut-outs and every part is different.

[mactec54]

Craig

The link I post was for a reason they can cut copper and brass and all metal types, there only limitation is the power of there laser for the thickness they can cut it is obvious they have a Fiber Laser which can cut any types of metallic and non metallic materials just because your guy can't cut copper it does not mean others can't

[mactec54]

Maybe a manual mill is just as easy and cheaper? If it is a flat plate with cut-outs and every part is different.

Yes it could be, but one needs experience to be able to machine these materials, having the blanks precut would be best and then just mill or drill where needed or just buy bar stock that is close to the needed size would also help he has many options