What is FlexiCAM CNC equipment mainly used for? The machines are designed to process large-format sheet material especially for: Woodworking, Aerospace, Signmaking, Neon Fabrication, Plastic and Acrylic Processing, Cabinetry and Counter Tops, Engraving, Exhibit Design, Moldmaking, Vacuum Forming Industry. Besides the above 'standard' applications there are many FlexiCAM systems installed for specialized applications like shape cutting of CDs, working with aluminum and plastic profiles and many more... All our tables are fully steel constructed systems, not just the base frame of the table, like with many machines in the market.
Which FlexiCAM machines are 3D capable?All FlexiCAM systems are standard with 3-Dimensional cutting capabilities, after market 3D CAM software will deliver the 3D design and toolpathing capabilities.
What table bed size is recommended?If there is enough space available, select your table according to the material you plan to work with most. For example:
- Signmakers or neon companies who mainly work with aluminum, acrylic as well as PVC would probably select either a Stealth 2030.
If you plan to only process aluminum, you can use the Stealth 1530 or 1525, depending on the sheet size you plan to use.
- Engravers process small and medium aluminum sheets, sized 4'x8' or 40”x78” would consider the S2 1525.
If there is limited space available and only occasional work with full-sized sheets required, the FlexiCAM Stealth (for sheet sizes 6'x10') or the Stealth (for sheet size 5'x10') are the ideal machines to eliminate the process of cutting sheets in multiple passes or tiling.
Why use planetary gear boxes powered with AC Servo systems instead of timing belts?Timing belt systems may be appropriate for low cost Stepper systems. Due to the low speed (max. 2000 rpm) Stepper motors only need small gear ratios (usually 3:1 to 5:1). Tuning is not necessary with Stepper motors. Servo motors are available with motor speeds up to 6,000 rpm or higher. They also provide a much higher dynamic response, and work best with high precision planetary gear boxes with larger gear ratios (10:1 up to 50:1). Planetary gear boxes are ideal because of their high efficiency (98%), their rigidity as well as their high torque. They are significantly more expensive compared to timing belt solutions. FlexiCAM uses high precision planetary gear boxes on all rack and pinion systems which are powered by AC Servo motors.
Ball Screw or Rack & Pinion Drive systems?Depends on the application
Ball Screw systems: Very precise, rigid and free of backlash. For short distances (z axis, small machines, especially engravers) they are an excellent choice. Disadvantages: Ball screw systems are comparably slow, especially with the large systems there is a problem with the critical speed, at a high rotation speeds the screw begins to vibrate (resonance). The longer and thinner the screw, the slower the critical speed. With big systems the ball screw is not a good solution because it sags heavily and must be supported by a special constructed frame. As an alternative, screws with a large diameter and a high pitch can be used, however these are very expensive and require much larger motors. The FlexiCAM Viper II, and Cobra use ball screws on the X, Y and Z axis as a standard.Rack and Pinion Advantages: Movements over long distances can be achieved more easily and cost effectively by racks than by ball screws. Racks allow for higher speeds. The amount of error in Rack & Pinion is normally less than +/- .002” which is about a 1/4 the thickness of a hair. Most large format FlexiCAM systems (larger than 4’x8’ or 1.5m x 2.5m) use rack and pinion on x and y axis.
 | Work horse router, high accelerations, low amount of inertia mismatch, ideal for high speed spindles
|  | Designed for versatility, good for wood, plastics, and metals, many options available
|  | Nested based manufacturing, designed for cabinet manufacturers
|  | Great for heavy cutting, high clearance applications and multiple spindle configurations
|  | Large format router for grand scale manufacturing
|  | Fixed gantry moving table, excellent for micro machining, mold making, high precision work
|  | Heavy duty fixed gantry, moving table machine
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