3 design considerations for cylindrical components
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Cylindrical components present their own set of unique challenges during the manufacturing process. While an experienced CNC machining company will be well-equipped to handle these challenges, design plays a crucial role as well. As a designer, your decisions can significantly impact the functionality, machining efficiency, and cost of your component.
In this post, I'll shed some light on how cylindrical components are typically manufactured and share my top three design considerations to keep in mind.
First, let's talk about how these components are produced. Many people assume that all cylindrical parts are made using a lathe. While lathes are indeed common, it's also possible to mill cylindrical components—though milling isn't feasible for non-cylindrical parts. In fact, many turned components require additional milling processes to achieve certain features that can't be accessed by a lathe alone. There are also 'mill-turn' machines available, which combine the capabilities of a lathe and a milling machine, allowing for the complete production of certain components on a single machine.
While you don't need to concern yourself with the exact machining methods, it's good to know that your CNC machining partner will review your designs and choose the most efficient and cost-effective approach. As a designer, your focus should be on optimizing your component for manufacturability.
Now, let's dive into my top three design considerations:
1. **Wall Thickness**: Thin walls can pose significant challenges during machining. Components with thin walls are prone to distortion when clamped in the chuck or during release. Additionally, vibrations can compromise surface finish and make it difficult to maintain tight tolerances. Although skilled machinists can handle thin walls, they come with increased setup and machining time, driving up costs. Ask yourself if your component genuinely requires very thin walls. If not, opting for a moderate thickness can save time and money.
2. **Length of the Cylinder**: The length of your cylindrical component can affect surface finish and tolerance maintenance. At the chuck end, the material is held securely and rotates precisely, but as you move further away from the chuck, any slight imbalance gets amplified, leading to a "wobble." Longer pieces are also more likely to flex during machining, causing inaccuracies and compromising surface finish. To address this, consider using a center, which allows the component to be held steady at both ends. This setup usually works well for most applications but is something to think about when designing your component.
3. **Feature Placement**: Matching features on both ends of a cylindrical component can be tricky. If precision is critical for your application, it's doable but will increase machining and setup times—and thus costs. If exact matching isn't necessary, you can indicate this in your design notes by specifying "orientation not important." This gives manufacturers more flexibility to optimize the machining process.
In conclusion, while the actual manufacturing process is handled by your CNC machining provider, your role as a designer is crucial in ensuring that your component is designed with manufacturability in mind. Partnering with a machining company that offers design advice can be incredibly beneficial. The right supplier will guide you in balancing form, function, efficiency, and cost.
Looking to collaborate? Penta is an experienced machining company with expertise in both turning and milling. We also boast a mill-turn machine, combining rotational tools and workpieces for faster, more accurate machining of complex cylindrical parts.
If you'd like to discuss how we can assist with your next project, feel free to reach out to our friendly estimating team at 023 9266 8334 or email sales@pentaprecision.co.uk. You can also schedule a Discovery Call with us here.
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Let's work together to create your perfect component!
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I hope this provides a clearer understanding of the considerations involved in designing cylindrical components. Feel free to reach out with any questions or to explore how we can support your projects!