CNC Routers: New trends in hardware and software

by all | 29 September 2013 8:30 am

By Griffin Coulter
Progressive innovation allows companies to differentiate themselves and gain a competitive advantage in their market. Without it, businesses can quickly become lost to conformity and complacency. This applies just as much to the sign industry as to any other business segment. When sign shops simply mirror what their competitors are doing, there is no incentive for new clients to be attracted to their product offerings.

Each sign shop differs in its access to capital to finance new equipment, but there are many ways for even small shops to gain a competitive advantage. In recent years, many options for computer numerical control (CNC) routers and knife cutters that were previously too expensive for the majority of signs shops have become more competitively priced. At the same time, new technologies have found their way into the market.

Traditionally, the CNC router market has been split between very high-end machines and less expensive ‘do it yourself’ (DIY) models. Today, however, there is a greater range of technologies available, from mom-and-pop shop to mid-level production to full production machines. These different product lines all offer similar features, although automation capabilities tend to be more common on the more advanced systems.

Investing in some of these options can allow sign shops to meet underserved demand, diversify their product offerings and improve the efficiency of their in-house workflow to maintain profit margins.

Digital registration
Digital registration goes hand in hand with the sign industry’s shift toward direct-to-substrate printing of wide-format graphics over the past five years, as it is crucial with this type of printing to ensure the material is aligned properly to compensate for skew or distortion. Today, approximately 50 per cent of CNC routers sold to the sign industry come standard with digital registration capabilities, which allow shops to excel as they move toward printing all of their output direct-to-substrate.

Without a digital registration system, signmakers will undoubtedly struggle with skew, distortion and image drift problems. With one, they will be able to offer superior cutting performance to their customers and will be more likely to win repeat business. It is a cost-effective way to become more flexible in terms of design and then improve the quality of the final product.

To benefit from digital registration, the signmaker adds ‘fiducials’—i.e. registration marks—to an image file before sending it to the wide-format printer. Then, when the job moves on to the CNC routing stage, software is used to compare the actual printed image with the original file, to make any toolpath adjustments for skew or distortion and to instruct the router/knife how to make any other necessary compensations.

Digital registration also reduces the need for manual alignment and intervention to quickly gain tolerances of +/- 0.25 mm (0.01 in.) or better.

Multi-capable machines
There has also been a rise of ‘multi-capable’ machines, as more signmakers recognize the advantages of combining both routing and knife cutting in one system. It is now cost-effective to equip a single machine with a tangential knife cartridge (or two) and a spindle, which will allow a typical shop to handle more types of signs and graphics, while reducing manual processes.

Indeed, while most of today’s shops are well-equipped with machinery designed strictly for traditional signmaking, many signmakers are looking to expand their production capabilities further, diversify their offerings and serve a broader range of customers. For them, a multi-capable machine is a practical option, enabling them to fabricate everything from channel letters and light-emitting diode (LED) signs to decals and point-of-purchase (POP) displays with one system. With diversified output, they can hedge against future fluctuations in customer demand.

Vacuum hold downs
While a vacuum hold down remains an optional add-on for some CNC routers and knife cutters today, it has also become more standardized in the market.

Vacuum pumps draw air through the spoil board (for routing applications) or felt (for knife applications), providing suction for the parts being cut. Without a vacuum pump, these parts may move when pressure is applied from the cutting tool, causing the quality or orientation of the cuts to suffer compared to the initial design. This can lead to a waste of time and money.

So, while some CNC routers and knife cutters are still available today without a vacuum hold down, it is certainly a highly recommended option.

Automatic tool changing
The router option that is arguably the most useful for any shop, an automatic tool changer, is not exclusive to the sign industry.

A multi-position linear or rotary-carousel tool change system allows for seamless transitioning between different router bits. The capability to quickly switch between bits is especially important if a sign shop is using its router as a multi-purpose machine for a variety of different applications or for jobs that require more than one tool for efficient production.

The time saved from not having to manually switch bits between each cut can represent thousands of dollars in operating costs saved in the long run. In addition, signmakers can better predict their production times and schedule runs accordingly.

Automatic knife changing
In addition to automatic tool changers, some new machines incorporate automatic knife changers, so if an application calls for two or more knives or creasing tools to complete the job, the machine can switch them without needing operator intervention. The machines are being made more flexible with knife options as the number of materials to be cut increases.

Short-run die-cutting
In addition to the aforementioned options becoming increasingly standardized as add-ons for CNC systems that have already been on the market for years, there are also entirely new machine configurations and platforms available to extend the production capabilities of sign and graphics shops. One of the most notable improvements has been the ability to cut significantly faster than earlier machines.

Typically, a sign shop will specify either short- or long-run production using a knife or die, respectively. This is because the use of the die is costlier and its additional speed is not necessary when handling lower volumes of work; whereas using the die for long-run production will cut designs sufficiently faster than a comparable knife to warrant the additional expense.

Newer CNC and faster knife-cutting machines are aiming to close the gap between short- and long-run production. Previously, a run of 1,000 units would use die-cutting. Today, the number is closer to 10,000 units. So, the ‘breakeven’ point between traditional die-cutting systems and newer CNC/knife systems has increased dramatically.

Improved workflow
Router manufacturers have also streamlined workflow features to ease the process from design file creation and transfer to machine operation and final product output.

It is common, for example, for today’s CNC software to offer automatic layer toolpathing, which allows operators to take an image created in standard vector-based design software and transfer the computer-aided design (CAD) file directly to the machine without having to manually create its toolpath. Eliminating this step in the workflow process not only helps cut down on processing times, but also means employees can operate the machines with less specialized knowledge than before.

Indeed, minor advances in software have had profound effects on production, reducing the hardware’s cycle times.

Pendant control
Traditionally, displays on routers’ keypads have been analogue, offering very little functionality. Today, many machines have gone digital, offering greater flexibility through their keypads. And most recently, new versions of these keypads offer graphical versions of traditional pushbutton pendant controls.

By using large graphic icons instead of complicated codes, these graphical pendants make it easier for operators to control the machines. They can set job parameters, jog the machine, perform system tests and download jobs from a remote computer system, all through a user-friendly interface. This means less training is necessary for new operators in the first place.

Automated dust collection
A dust collector is used to remove excess material during and after cutting, essentially performing the same function as a vacuum cleaner. Clearing away excess material allows for cleaner cuts and provides safer working conditions for shop employees. One of the problems with regular dust collection, however, is the dust hood does not change its positioning for different lengths of router bits.

If one router bit is longer than the other, for example, then the distance between the material and the dust collector will be larger for the longer bit. And the larger this distance, the less effective the dust collector will be at removing excess material.

For this reason, some machines are now equipped with programmable or ‘active’ dust collectors that change their position automatically to maintain the same proximity to the material, independent of the tool length. This is especially important if a sign shop uses multiple tools for the same project and frequently switches between them.

Affordable progress
So, with the technological advances that have reached the market in recent years, there are many different features and platforms that can improve workflow and broaden a sign shop’s capabilities.

Other options that may be worth noting include the following:

• Automatic misting systems for cutting non-ferrous materials.
• Conveyors for automatically indexing material into the cutting zone for uninterrupted operations.
• Surface setting options, which allow the operator to take the guesswork out of setting the proper ‘zero’ reference for tools or knives.
• Advanced software that supports both both two-dimensional (2-D) and three-dimensional (3-D) cutting.
• ‘Nesting’ options that optimize material use and reduce excess waste.

Sign shops do not necessarily need the most expensive or heavy-duty routers to be competitive. Investing in affordable add-ons can help them provide new products to their customers and process existing products faster and more efficiently.

The smallest sign shops may never have the most capital, but they will always have ways to innovate, enhance their workflow and prepare for future opportunities. The key is to focus on constant progress and not stagnate or get left behind.

Griffin Coulter was a marketing intern this summer for MultiCam Canada in Concord, Ont., which sells and supports CNC cutting equipment. For more information, visit www.multicam.ca[7].

Source URL: https://www.signmedia.ca/new-trends-in-hardware-and-software/

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