Rotary CNC machining a small statue
Venus statues: results of rotary toolpaths in DeskProto
Video that shows rotation axis machining, using the toolpaths made in the previous video (DP V5, 6 min)
The Rotation axis machining video shows the machining of a Venus model, using the toolpaths created in the Venus tutorial video.
The video was made using DeskProto V5, so some details will no longer be correct.
You can better view a more recent video on rotation axis machining:
- Create rotary toolpaths to machine a Venus sculpture
- Create a wooden bust of Abraham Lincoln - 4-axis CNC
Rotation axis machining is possible only in the Multi-Axis edition of DeskProto.
Venus statues made by various DeskProto users
A small sculpture in PUR foam, 75 mm high
These first two pictures show machining a small version (75 mm high) as described in the video tutorial. The model is machined in dense PUR foam, on the Isel CPM desktop milling machine in our own workshop. On the picture left you can clearly see that a next layer of material is being removed: roughing.
And a big sculpture in PS foam, 65 cm high, on its way to a trade-show.
The second Venus is much larger: more than life size (65 cm high). This version has been machined by Komplot Mechanics, on their large Dynamight CNC milling machine. They often work with simple expanded PolyStyrene foam (the type with the small beads) because that is cheap and they need large volumes.
On the picture left this Venus is on her way to the Euromold show, right she can be seen while guarding the DeskProto booth at that show.
A small model in brass. Note the text that is wrapped around the base of the model
In contrast, this Venus model is small: only 36 mm high and 18 mm wide. It has been machined by trial version user Thien Luu of Thien Quynh Trading & Producing Company in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam: thanks for sending these pictures !
The model has been created on a Thien Quynh machine (the company is a machine builder), using three different cutters: Roughing: flat tip D 2 mm - Finishing: ball nose R 0.5 mm - Engraving: conic tool 45 degrees.
Left on the machine, right two results.
DeskProto user Mauri Romano and his brother (Australia) also use brass for their sculptures. They milled the Venus statue on a four-axis X3 Milling machine that has been converted to CNC. Specifications: X and Y 2000 mm/min, Z and A 1500 mm/min, air cooling on the tools. It has two spindles: one goes to 4000 rpm and the other 24000 rpm air cooled. The machine uses the Mach3 control software. They have also built a larger CNC router table, which will be used to machine wooden sculptures.
Mauri and his brother have used Venus to get started with sculptures. Mauri says "We have made many other 3D models in Brass and Wood, we also have many more planned some of which are very complex 3D STL sculptures".
Note the color difference of the two statues above, which comes from the finishing: both are in brass, the left statue has been blasted with fine Garnet stone powder ("sand"-blasting), giving the brass an aged look.
Venus in brass: four stages during the process
The four pictures above show four stages of the process. All pictures courtesy of Mauri Romano.
He says: To produce the above pictured statues we did the following. We used a 25.4 mm diameter brass rod, held in a Rotary table chuck on a small CNC mill, using Mach 3 operated controller. We did all dry cutting using carbide cutters with air cooling.
- Leftmost the roughing toolpaths. Roughing cutter 3.125 mm diameter ballnose.
Meander cuts, parallel around A, at 650 mm/min, 1.5 mm roughing layer height and 0.464 mm steps. Roughing skin thickness 0.07 mm. For all operations the max spindle speed of 24000 rpm was used. All X movements and Z cutting plunges at reduced feed. (23253 Lines of code, machining time 4 hours).
Note that the picture shows an error model: too much material was removed at the neck due to an incorrect setting in Mach3 (for more information see the DeskProto FAQ).
- Next the finishing toolpaths. Finishing cutter 0.79375 mm diam, 2 flutes ballnose.
Meander cuts, parallel around A, at 650 mm/min, 0.02 mm (!!) steps. (1543086 Lines of code 14 hours 20 min).
- Third picture is after machining the base (sockle). Roughing cutter 1.5875 mm diam, 2 flutes ballnose.
Meander cuts, parallel around A, at 650 mm/min, 0.161 mm layers and 0.318 mm steps. Skin 0.05 mm. Z plunges reduced to 270 mm/min (8552 Lines of code 2 hours 30 min).
Finishing the base: Engraving cutter 30 Deg, tip diameter 0.1524 mm.
Meander cuts, parallel around A, at 650 mm/min, 0.046 mm steps. Z plunges reduced to 270 mm/min (13935 Lines of code 3 hours 20 min).
- Rightmost after finishing to high-gloss
Milling in American maple wood: Left roughing, Right finishing
This Venus sculpture in wood has also been machine by Mauri Romano and his brother. It has been made from 103.5 mm diameter American maple wood (the largest diameter their machine can handle).
Roughing was done using a 11.1125 mm ball nose cutter, with feedrate 3500 mm/min and spindle 15000 rpm. Next the finishing cut, using a 3 deg tapered ball nose cutter, 3.175 mm diameter (1/8 inch). Feedrate was 3500 mm/min and spindle 23500 rpm.
The oil treatment makes a big difference
After machining the support tab at the right side was removed manually. Finally Venus was treated with a Coat of Tung Oil, resulting in this beautiful work of art.
Left a photo, Right a video on YouTube
The next Venus comes from India, and is made by machine manufacturer N-Gravetek in Nashik.
N-Gravetek emailed: "Last month we downloaded the evaluation version because we got a machine enquiry from a model sculptor artist. We did one sample demo job using the deskproto evaluation version, the sample job picture done on our machine is attached herewith."
Not bad at all for a first test :-)
Bert's Venus in POM (the video on the right no longer is available)
This plastic Venus is about 65 mm high, machined in POM by Bert Eding, as a demo for the EdingCNC control software that he manufactures: Eding CNC in the Netherlands.
Both roughing and finishing were done with a 3 mm ballnose cutter, applying a roughing skin of 0.3 mm. Finishing was done with strategy Parallel, around A-axis reversed. Important was the milling direction: conventional was needed for a good surface quality in POM. Toolpath distance 0.09 mm, for a very smooth result.
Venus in Abachi wood, in front of the EAS machine on which is was milled.
Abachi is a great wood type for machining: a fine grain and a smooth resulting surface.
This Abachi model has been created on an EAS machine, by Dutch reseller NC Techniek. Here roughing has been done with a 6 mm diameter ballnose cutter, finishing with a 3 mm ballnose.
Venus in Styrofoam, made on a special purpose foam milling machine by ESP Muhendislik.
ESP Muhendislik in Bursa (Turkey) manufactures special machines for Styrofoam (EPS, short for Expanded polystyrene). This 60 cm high Venus is a nice example of what their machine is capable of.
Email us a photo of the picture frame that you created so we can add that to the list of results !
(in case you want with a link to your website).
It will be interesting to see which machines are used, which cutters, and also which fixtures for three sided ring machining.