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CNC cutting of metal parts


H.Zwakenberg

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Hi group,

 

just a small update: for my IBIS project, I'm teaming up with three other builders (one also based in Germany, two based in The Netherlands) to have our flat plate metal work cut by a CNC water jet cutter. We'll end up with a 0.1 mm precision. There is almost 250' of cutting to do per IBIS parts set. We're also having IBIS wing and canard templates cut out of metal to the same precision.

 

When it's ready, I'll have pictures on my RJ.03 Ibis homebuilt aircraft project site.

 

One warning to others: if you have your metal stuff cut with a laser CNC cutter, the local heating will harden up the edges of the cut parts. Then, if you have to bend those cut out parts to shape, the hardened edges will crack and you have to weld them up to make them reliable again. A lot of work for nothing, at great cost.... This is the reason our IBIS group is resorting to CNC water cutting. Thanks a lot to Hans Holsink for relaying his bad experiences with laser cutting...

 

bye

Hans

 

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We're also having IBIS wing and canard templates cut out of metal to the same precision.

If these are for hot-wire templates I understand non-metal templates are easier to use, won't cool the wire as much. There are some that have reported success with metal templates, though, some with a bit of tape around them.

Mark Spedding - Spodman
Darraweit Guim - Australia
Cozy IV #1331 -  Chapter 09
www.mykitlog.com/Spodman
www.sites.google.com/site/thespodplane/the-spodplane

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I cannot talk from any experiance hot wiring homebuilt aircraft foam cores but I have made quite a number of r/c aircraft cores. Principles all the same.

 

For templates we just used plywood but ran a bead of cynoacrolate type glue (instant glue, super glue) along the edge which gave a very hard and when given a light sand became very smooth. The hot wire also ran quite well across it.

 

Jamie

"An upsidedown Australian that wants to build an aircraft that flys backwards"

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If these are for hot-wire templates I understand non-metal templates are easier to use, won't cool the wire as much.

Spod, the context was for CNC cutting the metal bits and pieces, and wouldn't be worthwhile for wing foam. You're 100% correct though -- it's critical to get the hotwire templates to be as smooth as possible so that there are no snags with the wire.

 

I cannot talk from any experiance hot wiring homebuilt aircraft foam cores but I have made quite a number of r/c aircraft cores. Principles all the same.

Not sure this is necessary, as it would require a LOT of CA, but sounds like it would work. There are metal templates floating around, which, if smooth, would be very nice. I plan on using the plans recommended material myself.

 

Hans, thanks for the info. -- I've heard the same about laser/plasma cutting w/metal.

Jon Matcho :busy:
Builder & Canard Zone Admin
Now:  Rebuilding Quickie Tri-Q200 N479E
Next:  Resume building a Cozy Mark IV

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The CNC cutting is doing the all the aircraft metal parts that are fabricated from flat plate.

We're also having wing sections templates cut this way, but only so because we were dealing with a CNC cutting outfit for those flat plate aircraft parts anyway.

 

Also thanks for pointing out that a template can possibly cool a cutting wire enough to create trouble, I hadn't thought about that one, yet...

 

bye

Hans

 

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The CNC cutting is doing the all the aircraft metal parts that are fabricated from flat plate.

We're also having wing sections templates cut this way, but only so because we were dealing with a CNC cutting outfit for those flat plate aircraft parts anyway.

 

Also thanks for pointing out that a template can possibly cool a cutting wire enough to create trouble, I hadn't thought about that one, yet...

 

bye

Hans

I made my hotwire templates out of aluminum. If you're concerned about the temp conductivity of AL, just take a bit of flox or epoxy and brush it along the edge of the template. Once it hardens, sand it lightly.

 

You'll have a smoother edge, and it won't conduct heat well (that is, in the 1/10 second the wire is dwelling on that point of the edge).

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flat plate metal work cut by a CNC water jet cutter. We'll end up with a 0.1 mm precision. There is almost 250' of cutting to do per IBIS parts set.

Whoa...!

250 feet of flat plate metal work? Let me see.... I didn't know there was that much aluminum in the IBIS parts set. What is the IBIS parts set? Why use the cnc water jet? As opposed to laser? Whose laser? Cinncinati? GE? or Toshulin? What resolution? .1mm? Apples, oranges, grapes and bananas guys! Are we still talking about building a composite airplane here?

 

Or what?

Back to building... #618 Cozy MK IV

 

My Cozy web pages, courtesy: Rick Maddy... :cool: WN9G :rolleyes:

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  • 3 months later...

It's done! I have had the sheet metal parts CNC water cut and have them in my 'workshop to be' since this weekend!

 

I'll try to put up pictures of it on http://ibis.experimentals.de/ sometime the coming week.

 

Now I really have to get serious about learning to properly bend sheet metal and weld parts together... :)

 

Take care!

 

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  • 2 months later...

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