In years gone by, many organisations would do the work themselves, employing staff to manually cut, engrave and manipulate materials into the products/item required. However, with the introduction of computers into the industry has come the boom of outsourcing to specialised CNC cutting service companies. These companies have specialist staff, equipment and experience in the field and can offer to do CNC cutting service jobs and projects at a cheaper cost and higher quality than if companies were to do it in-house.
The use of computers in this industry is known as CNC (computer numerical control) and has completely changed the way in which fabrication and design is performed. Using CNC cutting machines has meant that fabrication and design is now cheaper, more accurate and more versatile and what may have seemed out of reach in the past is now far more accessible to those individuals and companies without the relevant skill-set. Larger companies may have historically had their own departments, but the cost of this would have been out of reach of smaller companies or those individuals wishing to do a one off piece of work. CNC cutting service companies now make this a possibility.
Further to this, the versatility offered by CNC cutting machines means that more industries are able to benefit from the CNC cutting services and projects can be more varied and flexible in nature.
Let’s have a look in some more detail at what exactly CNC cutting is.
What is CNC Cutting?
CNC stands for computer numerical control and this is essentially the control and automation of a machine and its tools. A machine such as a cutting machine is controlled by a programme which converts design files into numbers. These numbers can then be used as coordinates and can control the cutting and shape of any material.
Doing this enables cutting machines to be automatically controlled by a computer rather than by manual intervention. Not only does this apply to the actual job itself but also to the production lines. Having a computer automate the process means that the production process can also be automated.
Files which can be imported and used by a CNC cutting machine can be in formats such as .dxf, .dwg, .ai, .eps and are basically vector based files. However, even a PDF can be used as long as the vector is able to be exported from it.
Modern systems allow a complete end to end solution whereby the computer aided design (CAD) is translated into a language the cutting machine understands, the job is then loaded into the CNC cutting machine and is set for production. Many cutting machines now have a number of tools attached as it is unlikely that any one tool will be able to complete 100% of a job. Therefore, the CNC technology allows multiple tools to be used with minimal, if any human intervention.
How is CNC Cutting Used?
The usage of CNC cutting machines has definitely increased in recent years with a particular boom in independent CNC cutting service companies providing an outsourced solution. A key appeal to customers of a CNC cutting machine is the vast range of jobs and projects it can undertake. A CNC cutting machine can cut a huge range of materials. Examples of materials that can be cut are:
- Timber and sheet material such as plywood, MDF, veneered boards and any specialist laminated also
- Plastics, polycarbonates and acrylics
- Foam
- Polystyrene
- Acetal
- PVC
- Solid surface materials including Corian and HI-MACS
- Modelling board (also known as chemi-wood, cibatool or tooling board)
- Mirrored sheeting and dibond
- Laminate veneers- this is a great option for inlaid wood veneers
Plywood is known for being one of, if not the most popular type of material used for cutting and manufacture use. This is because it is lightweight, strong and far more affordable than the solid timber alternative. There are various different grades and thicknesses of plywood, and it is typically the thickness that determines the cost of a job as the thicker the material, the longer a cutting job will take.
However, whilst you may think that cutting was all that a CNC cutting machine can do, it can actually do a lot more than that. A popular choice amongst many is to use a CNC cutting machine to engrave materials. This includes materials such as wood, concrete, stone and solid timber.
As CNC machines are operated by a computer, the level of finish they can do is of a high standard and far more consistent than if it was operated by a human. In fact, by using a design file, accuracy can be assured to the nearest 0.1mm!!!
As you can see, CNC cutting machines are diverse and can be used for a vast amount of tasks and projects. Using a CNC cutting machine not only saves time and money, but it also delivers a consistently high quality product every time.
What are the benefits of CNC Cutting?
There are many benefits to using CNC cutting machines as opposed to traditional manually operated machines.
Where traditional methods required high levels of human input, CNC cutting machines requires very little. Once you have a design in the format required, you can load this into a machine, and the machine can be automated to create the same design hundreds or thousands of times. Equally, you can load various projects into the machine and specify quantities, and it will go to work creating these for you. A CNC machine, unlike humans, never tire so can operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week generating high levels of productivity. This means that the job gets completed and returned to customers quicker.
Automation ensures that you get the precision and accuracy you require. As long as the design files are accurate and specify precise measurements, the CNC cutting machine will do the hard work. Previously, if left to human control, even the most skilled of individuals would make mistakes, and it is likely that there would be some differences albeit minor between the items and products made. With a CNC cutting machine, this no longer occurs. Using a design file, the same object or shape can be cut exactly the same way to create identical products hundreds and thousands of time. In fact, when using a design file, the accuracy is so good that products can be cut to the nearest 0.1mm.
As mentioned above, CNC cutting machines lead to a reduction of man hours required to operate the cutter. The requirement of the team is significantly lower, and only a small number of people are required to program and operate the machine. The machine does the hard work of cutting the product and ensuring the sizes and requirements are adhered to. This automation means that more work can be done at a lower unit cost for the customer.
One of the great things about technology is that as it relies more on computers, it is actually extremely flexible. This means that CNC cutting machines can adapt to pretty much any project at a simple click of a button. Such technologies mean that operators and customers alike can change and make alterations to their products/items with ease. This flexibility also lends itself to new industries whereby previously the industries who could benefit from cutting services and fabrication were far more limited. The only limit that applies to the technology is that of what can be programmed. If something can be designed and programmed, then it can be cut and produced also.
More one for the businesses than the customers but due to lower reliance on human intervention and control, the CNC machines are far safer. All CNC cutters come complete with the relevant safety features including hand protectors and guards. This means that if a problem does occur with the machine, the lack of human intervention leads to the machine damaging itself rather than harming people.
How Can Aldworth James & Bond Help?
If you want a great product, you need to ensure you use a company who have the right skills, experience and equipment. Here at Aldworth James & Bond, we have exactly that and offer our customers a cost effective fabrication service with the highest attention to detail. Using us means gaining access to our state of the art equipment, collective experience of design and machine technicians and great customer service.
We have CNC machines at our workshops, some of which have a bed size of 2m x 3m meaning we can cut a standard sheet size (8 x 4ft, or 2440 x 1220mm) as well as oversize sheets (10 x 5ft) also. All of our machines have fully automated tool change, and we also use a wide range of cutter types. This means you can be sure that no matter what job you have or what your needs are, we have the ability to deliver it for you.
We know that customer service is vital for your experience, and this is at the heart of what we do. We are more than happy to provide advice and help develop your design files before cutting begins; this will help avoid any mistakes and also provide you with a more efficient service. Our job is to make the product as you wish and we will ensure that our CNC machines do exactly that for you.
We’re also open to collaborating with clients on their projects so if you’re unsure of what the best process or method might be, we can help and advise you. This will always include nesting designs on a sheet (laying up) to ensuring that you get the maximum usage out of your materials, minimising wastage and therefore saving you money.
To deliver a great product and successful project, it’s important to have a team that are experienced subject matter experts. Our CNC cutting service team are well experienced in all types of projects and come from a design or manufacturing background so they have the knowledge and experience required to produce the high quality, value for money work you require. Our team can also help with aspects such as labelling, packing and delivery to make sure the project is smoothly run and a complete success from the beginning right through to the very end.
Our team’s experience means that they can advise you on which equipment is best and also on how to maximise the usage of materials. For example, laser cutters can give certain materials a “burnt” edge which may not be suitable for the job in hand. Therefore, a CNC machine may be the better option to use in this instance. Our experience means that we get it right for you, first time, every time. Having both CNC cutting machines and laser cutting machines on site means that we can advise which ones are the best option for you with absolutely no bias at all.
We’ve worked on many different projects ranging from architectural models, which are extremely important in the industry to complex furniture projects. Our diverse range of experience means you can be sure that you are getting the best possible advice and service for your project.
Over the years, we have perfected our systems and as such can offer quick turnaround on costings and should you proceed, an easy payment system (we even accept credit cards). If we have any materials available in stock, we will offer this to you straight away to make the turnaround even quicker!
While we’re conveniently located in Deptford, London within easy reach of both the Overground (New Cross) and mainline station in Deptford, we are very much a nationwide company. We have a fleet of vehicles available to us, including a Luton van with tail lift and will deliver to any location.
Summary
A CNC machine offers a high turnover of material meaning that it is an extremely efficient and effective fabrication service. Both the quality and value for money are exceptional when using a CNC machine compared to more traditional methods of cutting. Automation of jobs means that there is less reliance on humans to control the jobs and machines can run themselves for longer periods of time. Projects are more flexible and different industries can benefit from CNC cutting services where traditional services wouldn’t have been suitable.
There are many benefits of using an outsourced CNC cutting service and here at Aldworth James & Bond, we have the expertise, experience and equipment to deliver both the project and service you require.
Next Steps?
If you’re interested in CNC cutting services, then the best thing to do is get in touch with us. We can discuss your project requirements and let you know how we can help as well as providing quick costings so you know exactly where you stand with your project. We take pride in all our work and would love the opportunity to make your project a reality.
Get in touch with us by emailing us at hello@aldworthjamesandbond.co.uk, completing our simple online contact form or calling us on 020 8269 0883. We look forward to hearing from you!
