Proper Tooling & Accessories Are Vital In Getting The Most Out Of A CNC Machine
CNC stone working centers have taken a leap ahead with the wise use of technology. Fully automated equipment soon pays for itself by avoiding human error and replacing it with a more efficient production process. This enables a shop to deliver more completed orders with less manpower. Obviously, it also increases profit because less labor to manage helps stretch an operating budget that much further.
Getting the most benefit from CNC tooling and accessories is a must. Following is a sample of what’s new in products that utilize CNC technology.
Better Vacuum Cups
Retractable Suction Cups
BVC, Inc. produces vacuum cups used in CNC stone and glass routers. Unique in the industry, these cups can be used again even if they have been routed into. Going to the trouble of shipping them back isn’t necessary, all that’s needed to keep going is recreating the seal with the foam gasket.
Viper CNC Tooling
Retractable suction cups add even more automation to the process of stone fabrication. Sink cutouts are lowered automatically which not only protects valuable equipment, it is a big savings in time, helping to keep the workflow at a steadier, more productive pace. Cuts, profile and polish cut-outs for a single job are able to run without the interruption of stopping and the restarting the machine.
Cyclone S Thin Wall CNC Core Bit
The Viper CNC from Braxton Bragg has 7 steps. 5 are metal and 2 are ceramic polishing steps help to get an order out much quicker than without them. All CNC tooling comes with data sheets that cover every step of installation, including setting parameters which are pre-calibrated. User friendly, detailed operating instructions are also provided as well as complete maintenance information.
Smile Pilot – Tool Presetter
Having a Cyclone S in your shop lowers tool costs and reduces blowouts which increases production. Diamax introduces its Thin Wall CNC core bit, the latest to join their CNC line. The extremely thin rim measures at approximately 1mm thick which allows for quick, clear holes on either quartz, quartzite, granite and ultra compact. Quality manufacture adds long life to this equipment when used as directed.
Zenesis 4 & 7 Finger Bits
With its new design, the Smile Pilot presetter and measuring machine takes efficient countertop production to a higher level. Precise measurements are available within minutes and time saved on set up of new profile tooling is invaluable. With this presetter you get the exact diameters of CNC profiles needed to set up each position with recommended stock removal parameters.
Knowledge Premium Line
These Finger Bits provide the kind of top performance expected from CNC on all stone materials. Zenesis works quietly, provides chip-free cutting at higher speeds and works well with soft to medium-hard material (4 segments) and medium to hard material (7 segments.) Its upgraded design includes the most advanced diamond pattern in the industry which enhances durability and guards against premature wear.
BDT Tooling
Diamut introduces its latest version of profiling and polishing CNC wheels. Seen as industry leaders for over 30 years, they stay at the top in this field by the wise use of technology and producing such things as the Knowledge Premium Line of high-speed tools. More and more often, machines are doing the jobs men used to do in the stone business which makes efficient tooling a necessity. Wheels run at high speeds but due to quality craftsmanship they can be expected to last longer than any high speed tools currently on the market.
Panther CNC Z35 Wheels
The BDT tooling line makes it easier to get maximum benefit from a CNC work center. Their calibration wheel has a “W” pattern and can easily handle two times the diamond cutting surface as compared to traditional designs. Also allows for maximum removal of material left from a bridge saw and also scribes wall curvatures. Larger, reinforced segments outlast other brands and lose no speed or power while doing so. DSZ2L and DSZ3L seaming wheels have a satisfyingly long tool life and provide the kind of precision seaming with clear, sharp edges expected from quality equipment.
Zares II
Used for heavy stock removal, the durability of Panther CNC Z35 Wheels is in no doubt. Depending on stock removal, recommended parameters are 5500 RPM and 80 IPM. Type is granite/engineered stone, size 35mm x 80mm and grit is coarse. Adding these wheels to tool inventory is a wise investment that can be counted on to continue working as expected for years to come. This obviously leaves more cash in operating budgets to replace those tools not as well made as these wheels.
OMA XT CNC Diamond Tool
Nothing much is more aggravating that stopping production to calibrate new or existing tooling for CNC routing machinery. It takes time a busy shop can’t really spare and leaves room for human error to creep in. Loss of production equals loss of income but that is never a problem for shops with Zares II. Completely offline, this 3D optical system easily integrates with CNC routers. All it takes is the click of a button for this user-friendly software to do its job and prevent time consuming errors.
Granite Blades, Quartzite Blade & Granite Tools
OMA XT Diamond tools work well on either natural or engineered stone. Presented by Weha, Oma Systems of Italy manufacture a six position (3 metal and 3 polish) rapid speed CNC tooling. No dressing is needed and it only needs 6 steps to present the perfect polish instead of the 7 other brands require. Oma Systems have a strict policy of quality control and all their products are thoroughly inspected before shipping.
Granite blades offer the diversity a busy shop needs to stay competitive. Contour, flush cut or turbo, all have their place in successful shops and the equipment list shouldn’t stop there. A Quartzite blade may be designed specifically for use on quartz but good ones worth having also do an excellent job on granite or engineered stone. It’s a fact there is no such thing as having too many granite tools when you consider what trying to work with too few could cost.
Stone Fabricators Join Forces For a Think Tank to Solve Common Problems
Two of the most popular stone and masonry publications, The Natural Stone Institute and Stone World, sponsored a conference back in September at the MS Institute in Colorado for continued education purposes and innovative discoveries update. Approximately forty stone developers amalgamated to deliberate and find possible answers to any areas of concern that they have been experiencing, both collectively and independently, in the areas of business commerce, technological and advertising.
The main concerns that were tossed around regarding the commerce concerns involved the acquisition of equipment, capital returns on investments, remaining fragments and metrics. Fabricators who were debating the advertising or promotion of services focused their efforts on increasing revenue, advertising their products and employing the use of various social media marketing approaches. The technical aspects of the trade centered around computer numerical controlled machines and lines, the handling of exotic and unusually rare and raw substances and the ins and outs of countertop edge pigmentation. Below is a brief overview of some of the participants discussions to each groups field of discussion including working with a quartzite blade on CNC tools.
CNC (Computer Numerical Controlled) Line Solutions and Advice
•In regard to reducing the visibility of any existing countertop lines, hand applying the polish to the edges affords a cleaner outcome. Also, getting the maximum amount of light in different angles is imperative to the outcome. Mimicking lighting that is similarly found in homes, such as track lighting in the kitchen areas, helps to see what the product will look like depending on the location of where the countertop will be installed. Cabinets that are positioned above countertops generally tends to produce a silhouette and thereby the lines are not as easy to eyeball.
•It’s important to understand that all professionals who are working in the industry generally are facing the same set of circumstances. Communication is a key matter here. Whether it’s working directly with the public or with a sales team, letting the customer know up front all the different circumstances that goes into making the product can reduce any scrutiny usually. For example, delineating between whether a piece was handmade versus machine or which part of it was sculpted by machine and which was done by hand gives the purchaser a better reasoning in which to gauge an outcome.
Exotic Stone Solutions When Working with Granite Tools and Granite Blades
•Exotic stone tends to be very fragile in composition when cutting it with a saw. The absorption of the water used can easily break off slabs of the stone and as a result, there are incomplete pieces that require countless hours of repairing as one fabricator surmised. This is because they are generally comprised of mica which is very heavy. A way to not lose revenue for these pieces is to increase their prices and charge by the slab, as opposed to the square foot.
•Another thing to keep in mind is the speed of the saw or equipment. Going at a slower pace helps to prevent breaks from occurring. Also, getting to know the equipment and familiarizing yourself with the different sounds it makes when performing different cuts at various speeds will help. It’s recommended when working with CNC tools, to operate in position two at a slow and steady pace. Granite blades and granite tools can be tricky to work with but a solution to preventing blowouts is to only use a flat polish or double radius profile when working with a quartzite blade.
Edge Stain Issues
•Fabricators oftentimes must stain the edges of their work and run out of the stain before they can finish the process. Sometimes suppliers do not leave enough product as they are supposed to prepare for future chips or other repairs. If this is the case, you should talk to the supplier and request more. Having a client wait a few extra days is better than an unfinished piece.
Natural Stone Still Viable? An Architectural Roundtable
Natural stone has long been a standard choice when it comes to the architectural designs, and it continues to be so even with the modern features of today. Stone World took the chance to delve into the subject a little deeper by holding a roundtable regarding the subject with a diverse set of architects putting in their latest opinions. Together they represented an assortment of regions across the United States as well as coming from different areas of architecture. Their names were:
- Jon C. Bernhard – Jon is a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and a senior partner at the Swaback Partners PLLC firm. Located in Scottsdale, Arizona.
- David Costea – David is a senior project manager with the Burleson Design Group out of Wimberley, Texas.
- John G. Waite – As a fellow with the AIA, John brings his expertise to the eponymous company John G. Waite Associates, Architects PLLC in Albany, NY.
So, how often is natural stone used in their designs?
The general consensus is that there is almost always some feature that includes natural stone to the extent that there is hardly a project that does not have it used in some way or another. It is a material that is honored for its beauty and durability. Not only that, but it comes in such a range of shapes and sizes so that it can be worked into a myriad of different sections of any project.
Bernhard also likes natural stone because of the fact that its use helps to limit the number of toxins that are brought into the designed environment and on a similar note, there is a limited carbon footprint with its use. Costea agrees, and he says that stone veneer is probably one of the greatest uses of it in his company’s projects. Also, it requires only a limited amount of maintenance as compared to many of the other products that might appear in a design and its use allows the building to be worked into the aesthetics of the surrounding area so that everything matches up quite nicely. There are numerous granite tools and granite blades to help with the shaping with a quartzite blade being especially coveted.
Waite says that the architects at his firm are often tasked with the preservation and restoration of existing buildings in order to maintain the historic nature of an area. In this type of use case, natural stone has a better ability to match up with what is already in place, and it can also be used due to its compatibility with historic materials that might be used in a new construction project. It is very important to them to match existing stone, and if that is not possible for some reason, then some natural derivative must be used that is as close to possible to the color and texture of what came before it.
How is the natural stone product sourced?
Local suppliers have been a great asset, and purchasing through them allows a feedback into the local economy. However, other more unique avenues can be taken such as buying through natural stone fairs and stone conventions around the globe. Sometimes, a mason or stone supplier might be working with the general contractor to do this. For historic architecture, research must be done into the original source and that will be used if possible, or otherwise something as close in resemblance as possible.
What are the variations and modern trends?
Today’s stone marketplace is diverse, and the granite tools and granite blades allow for shaping options not seen in the years past. A quartzite blade for saws can help to fit the design for longevity. Overall, natural stone is here to stay and will continue to have a wide range of uses and applications in modern architecture projects.
