Instructions for the milling machine

Sending the document

For a 2D milling send a DWG file to laboratori.maquetes.etsab@upc.edu indicating the material, thickness and size of the block to be used. The milling machine supports material with maximum dimensions 1500x740X75 mm but your vectors must fit in 1480x705x75mm. We can prepare you a previous budget with the sent file. When your piece will be done, we will reply your email advising you to pick up your order. We don’t accept documents on USB memory sticks.

For a 3D milling send a STL file.

Drawing

Option 1: POLYLINES 2D for simple tracing (letters, flat pieces,..)

The drawing lines must be POLYLINES, and there should be nothing else.

In case of engraving, the lines can be simple lines. If it’s done on a lowered surface, the engraving lines can’t reach the edge of the surface and there must be a 3mm tolerance margin. If the engraving reaches the cutting limit of the piece, the engraving line will extend about 2-3mm to avoid rounded corners.

The drawing must be organized in layers named as the machining process: cut, recess or engraving and depth in mm. All objects (lines or polylines) of the same machining process should be grouped in the same layer, even if they are different pieces. In case of the recess and cut, it’s necessary to specify if it’s by the inside or the outside of the polyline.

Ex: recess_inside_2mm, cut_outside_5mm * (in case of cutting, the depth should be the same as the thickness of the material).

In case of engraving, it’s necessary to specify the width of engraving (equivalent to the diameter of the drill) and the depth. Ex: engraving_1mm_depth_0,5mm.

There will be as many layers as machining processes. The layers colors aren’t important.

Option 2: SOLIDS 3D for complex models (parts of a city, sets of buildings, topographical,...)

The drawing should be a single ‘solid’ object, it shouldn’t be surfaces, nets or lines drawn in 3 dimensions.

The pieces must measure in mm what you need for the chosen scale of the model and will have to be separated between them approximately twice the diameter of the chosen drill to allow the pass between the pieces. It must be taken into consideration that when cutting and inside lowering, the corners shall be rounded with the radius of the drill.

Material

In both cases it's necessary to bring a material huge enough to fit the pieces within the material leaving a margin of 15mm around (XY) and 10mm in dimension Z.

Available drill diameters: 8mm, 6mm, 4mm, 3mm, 2mm, 1mm

Recomendations

The fastest and cheapest option is to use a thick drill (for ex: 6mm) and to make a single pass of recess. If there are inclined or curved surfaces they will be staggered. In order to soften them, it’s necessary to make second and third passes of finish extending the working time. If there are corners to be lowered smaller than used drill diameter, they won’t be made. If you want to make these small corners, we need to use a smaller drill diameter extending the working time.