When it comes to acrylic machining, there are different operations. This is to ensure that produce CNC acrylic parts that would fit the desired use.
CNC Milling Acrylic
This CNC machining operation is similar to cutting, however, it uses multi-dimensional rotating cutting tools to ensure a smooth finish. These tools rotate and cut off parts of the material till they form a desired three-dimensional workpiece.
When it comes to manufacturing intricate parts and designs for specific industries that require tight tolerances, this machining process is the way to go. Some of those industries include aerospace, medical, automotive, etc.
CNC Turning Acrylic
Many of the cylindrical and rod-like acrylic tools you see today have gone through this process. With the use of a lathe, the machine rotates the material and holds it in place while it feeds a cutting tool into its middle.
The most common uses of the resulting products include consumer electronics, lighting fixtures, architectural elements, etc. As long as you need a PMMA part of a high-quality, smooth finish, you can get such results through CNC turning acrylic.
CNC Drilling Acrylic
With CNC drilling, you can create holes in the PMMA material while maintaining its quality. The specialized drills create clean holes of different sizes with accurate dimensions that can fit into desired spaces.
The trick to getting the perfect hole size is to adjust the speed and feed rate of the drill at all times. This method is common for creating CNC acrylic parts that will fit into other devices or be assembled into a final product.
CNC Engraving Acrylic
Engraving is a variation of the acrylic machining process. The engraving of acrylic is done in the same way as milling but with a different cutting tool. It is a very widespread method since a lot of acrylic parts serve for advertisement or aesthetic purposes. Modern CNC systems have enabled the engraving of the most complex designs on a plastic sheet. The resulting groove can then be filled with some paint in order to make the design more visible.