What is a Mini VMC Machine?

Posted on Sep 18, 2020

mini VMC machine

The Mini VMC machine or CNC milling machine is used in R&D, small parts manufacturing, prototyping, educational institutions or home use. It's time to discover the famous mini VMC machine, the best mini CNC machine!

 

What is a personal CNC milling machine?

The mini CNC milling machine is a compact machining center. Provides an economical solution for machining small parts in a compact package with full-size functions. The main limitation of a mini mill is not so much the quality of the work it can do, but the size of the work it can do.

The mini CNC milling machine is perfect for schools, beginner shops, or as the first step in CNC machining.

Mini milling machines are a serious investment that provides industrial-style machining options for your home or store. Mini mills have the power to take a piece of raw scrap metal and quickly turn it into a useful piece, something you can’t say about a hammer or a saw.

 

Personal CNC machines that fit your needs

Milling is the removal of metal with a rotary cutter or other rotary cutting tools. This allows a huge variety of parts to be cut, with tolerances of a few thousandths of an inch or less.

You can opt for a spindle that allows you to cut at high speed with smaller cutters. The X5 series of mini milling machines includes precision linear guides on the X, Y and Z axes which have been proven to provide long-term repeatability and accuracy and set this machine apart from all competitors around the world in this price range. Our best mini CNC milling machine is used by many CNC hobbyists, schools and small traders.

:: Read more : How to Pick the Right Mini CNC Milling Machine for Your Shop

 

Key features of these 5 mini mills

These mini VMC machines are the best way to enter the realm of fast, precise machining with excellent performance to cost ratio for the home or small workshop demands. You can configure these to your own needs. The hobby CNC milling machine sets the new standard for home CNC machining. Each machine features:

  • Reliably high productivity
  • Highest precision
  • Minimum floor space requirements
  • Simple operation
  • High stability
  • High dynamics
  • Easy maintenance
  • Cost-effectiveness
  • Uses of personal CNC mills

A whole new generation of affordable and precise CNC table milling machines is available to meet your machine tool business requirements. Its new ergonomic shape provides excellent characteristics, smoother workspace flow and better visibility. Includes linear guides on the X, Y and Z axes. Truly the best table router in its price range!

This Combo CNC Milling Machine is the most affordable full 3D CNC Milling Machine on the market today. This mill is very rigid for machining even harder metals, including titanium. It comes with a durable metal casing that is compact and easy to move with wheels. Standard equipment also includes leveling feet. Includes linear guides for long-term accuracy and repeatability.

 

Advantages of our mini CNC milling machine

Like the MACH3 / 4 for a PC or an industrial controller SIEMENS 808D/Advanced or the LNC 5800, these mini mills use high-precision linear guides made by Hiwin. With a compact design, These mini CNC machines can be used as bench milling machines or with wheels on the bottom of the combo case for easy transportation, great for teaching and education. They are perfect for business or home use, and are considered by many to be perhaps the best bench milling machine and the best mini CNC milling machine on offer.

This model is currently one of the most versatile mini mills in the world. All these 5 series models are high performance mini CNC milling machines that are quick to set up, easy to operate, very stable, very dynamic and very easy to maintain. The modular design creates numerous configuration possibilities, allowing any mini mill series 5 to be adapted to the unique needs of each customer, helping him to achieve the perfect individual solution. The biggest advantages of this series are low space requirements,ability to achieve CNC cutting at low unit costs, high-quality machining and high speed. These mini mills are ideal for education in schools and training institutions and can even be easily moved between rooms. No wonder many experts call them the best mini grinder on offer!

I started this project with the intention of not having a diary, but I think the feedback from you and what each of us can learn; it would be nice to have a diary.

What I am doing is building a tiny mini VMC machine. I first got this idea when I started working in a machine shop 2 years ago, during the Haas vf-3 research I was working on and then the Milltronics VMC which I used several times. Both of these machines used linear rails and slides similar to the THK HSR and SHS, so I figured I'd definitely use them.

At Haas, the table sits on bearing blocks and slides back and forth on the rails, the Y axis is mostly conventional to what you think. Milltronics was sort of a combination of Haas and what you usually see. The motor and ball screw were attached to the saddle along with the bearing blocks and rails attached to the table along with the ball nut.

I choose to use the Milltronics VMC style mainly because there will be more table space and more travel for a shorter rail and more room for clamping at the ends. The design of the Milltronics VMC also covers almost all ballscrew and all linear rails at all times and is easy to integrate wipers / shields.

During the design phase, I decided I wanted to eliminate a huge saddle or added extensions by doing something like a spinning nut. The advantages would be cheaper, more expensive parts, a more compact machine and a covered ball screw all the time.

The disadvantages would be: more complicated nut assembly, centrifugal force acting on the nut tubes causing the ball to rotate incorrectly and possible stiffness problem (I think it won't be a problem), and a slightly longer ball screw (another not-so-big problem).

This spinning nut would only be for the X axis.

 

Plan

Make a very fast, stiff, precise machine,

The journey will be approximately 16x9x16 x, y, z.

I will be looking for a tool change spindle otherwise I have designed some tooling around the R8 taper. I wish I had a tool changer but it will only save costs.

The spindle will be fully programmable, I thought about using a 1000W ac servo coupled with a step / dir drive to have full control over it.

 

MTS Exhibition

MTS gathered worldwide Vertical Machining Centers manufacturers into this online platform. Browse and search for your next supplier with us.

Should you run into any difficulties, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Quick Link to Suppliers

0Inquiry Item Contact IMTS

International Manufacturing Teletrading Sources (IMTS) is your key to unlock the door to the industry from anywhere around the world, at any time.