Modern high-precision milling equipment from DATRON (Germany) allows us to process materials such as aluminum, copper and their alloys, plastic and textolite.

Manufacturing of electronic equipment housings

The enterprise has installed modern high-precision milling equipment from DATRON(Germany); YCM(Taiwan): allowing the processing of materials such as aluminum, copper, steel and their alloys, plastic and textolite.

YCM also presented a turning and milling machining center YCM-GT-250MA.

The development of control programs for CNC machines is carried out using the Mastercam geometric modeling and software processing system for CNC machines.

We currently offer:

• Manufacturing of metal and plastic parts.
• Milling and engraving of front panels and housings of electronic equipment.
• Creation of foundry molds and models.
• Various types of engraving and markings.
• Various types of turning products.

Production capabilities:

• The accuracy of manufacturing metal parts is 1 micron.
• roughness class according to GOST 2789-59 - 10.
• The maximum size of the processed workpiece is 1000mm x 650mm x 250mm.
• The maximum depth of internal closed windows and grooves is 50mm.
• the maximum depth of threaded holes M2-4 is 12mm, M5-10 is 16mm (threaded holes can be not only metric, but also with any pitch).
• The minimum cutter diameter is 0.2mm.
• The maximum entry of the T-shaped cutter is 4.5 mm.
• The cutting angle of the dovetail cutter is 5-15 degrees.

In the shortest possible time, it is possible to produce high-quality prototypes, as well as small-scale production.
Parts may have complex curved surfaces and a large number of technological transitions.

Input data for ordering and evaluation accepted in the form of a 3D model of any modern CAD or in IGS, STEP format. In cases where clarification of qualities, thread types, etc. is necessary. A drawing may be required.

X-RAY CONTROL SYSTEM

We use advanced technologies in the field of fluoroscopy. The resolution is 1.3Mp, this provides recognition down to 0.5µm, which makes the system almost unique.

This raised a lot of questions and discussions in the comments, so we decided to continue this topic and focus on creating prototypes of housings and mechanisms for electronics, so that it would be easier for you to navigate the various materials and prototyping technologies that modern manufacturers offer.

As always, we will pay attention to the most pressing issues and give useful advice based on our practice:

1. What materials are prototype housings for electronic devices made from?
2. Review of modern prototyping technologies: what to choose? Here we will look at different 3D printers and compare them with CNC milling technology.
3. How to choose a prototype manufacturer, what documents to provide to the contractor?

1. What is the prototype housing for electronic devices made of?

The optimal materials for the electronics housing are selected taking into account the design requirements, the purpose of the device (operating conditions), customer preferences and the price category of the development. Modern technologies allow the use of the following materials for the manufacture of prototypes:

• Various types of plastic: ABS, PC, PA, PP, etc. For housings requiring increased impact resistance or resistance to aggressive environments, polyamides and polyformaldehydes (PA, POM) are used
• Metals: aluminum, various grades of stainless steel, aluminum-magnesium alloys, etc.
• Glass
• Rubber
• Wood (various species) and other exotic materials

Not all materials can be prototyped. For example, some types of plastics that are used in the mass production of electronic devices. In this case, for the manufacture of prototypes, analogues are used that most fully convey the properties of the basic materials.

When combining different types of materials in one housing, it is important to get advice from specialists; they will help you correctly implement the joining points, provide the necessary parameters for tightness, strength, flexibility, i.e. will compare the wishes of the client and the device designer with real production capabilities.

2. Review of modern prototyping technologies: what to choose?

Case prototypes can be created on production equipment, but different technologies are used. For example, plastic is not molded, but milled or grown, since creating an injection mold is a time-consuming and expensive process.

The most common prototyping technologies today are milling and growing (SLA, FDM, SLS).

Growing prototypes in 3D printers is especially popular; this fashionable technology is rapidly developing and is even layered on mass production. Today, a wide variety of products are grown, including metal products and food products, but all this has its limitations. Let's look at these technologies in more detail, and in the end we'll try to choose the best option for creating a housing prototype:

SLA (Stereo Lithography Apparatus)- stereolithography technology allows you to “grow” a model in a liquid photopolymer, which hardens under the influence of an ultraviolet laser. Advantages: high accuracy and the ability to create large-sized models. The high-quality surface of SLA prototypes is easy to finalize (it can be sanded and painted). An important drawback of the technology is the fragility of the model; SLA prototypes are not suitable for screwing in self-tapping screws or testing cases with latches.

SLS (Selective Laser Sintering)- selective laser sintering technology allows you to create a prototype through layer-by-layer melting of the powder. Advantages: high accuracy and strength, ability to obtain samples from plastic and metals. SLS prototypes allow assembly testing of enclosures using hinges, latches and complex assemblies. Disadvantage: more complex surface treatment.

FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling)- technology of layer-by-layer growing with polymer thread. Advantages: the resulting sample is as close as possible to the factory version of the device (up to 80% strength compared to plastic injection). The FDM prototype can be tested for functionality, assembly and climate control. Parts of such a case can be glued and ultrasonic welded; ABS+PC materials (ABS plastic + polycarbonate) can be used. Disadvantages: average surface quality, difficulties in final processing.

As you can see, the limitations of various growing technologies do not allow us to accurately reproduce and convey the tactile characteristics of the case. Based on the prototype, it will not be possible to draw conclusions about the real appearance of the device without additional processing. Typically, growing can only use a limited number of materials, most often one to three types of plastic. The main advantage of these methods is their relative cheapness, but it is important to take into account that the additional processing required for a high-quality appearance of the product overrides this advantage. Moreover, the quality of the prototype is also affected by the growing accuracy, which is not sufficient to create small-sized cases. And after processing and polishing the surface becomes even lower.

Wherein milling on numerically controlled machines(CNC) allows you to achieve manufacturing accuracy of one order of magnitude with the accuracy of mass production. In this case, you can use the absolute majority of materials that are used in the mass production of cases. The main disadvantage of milling is its high labor intensity and the need to use expensive equipment, which leads to the high cost of this technology. Although these costs are quite comparable to growing the body, if you take into account the lengthy and expensive final surface treatment.

3. How to choose a prototype manufacturer, what documents to provide to the contractor?

When choosing a contractor for the production of prototypes, you should pay attention to the following features:

• Finished prototypes must be fully functional, as close as possible to serial products, so that they can be used for certification, demonstration to investors, at exhibitions and presentations.
• The manufacturer must work with a wide range of different materials and technologies and provide advice on their selection. This way you can choose the best option for your specific project.
• It is advisable that the contractor has a database of trusted manufacturers both in the CIS and in Southeast Asia, so that you can receive an assessment of various options regarding the timing and cost of manufacturing the various components of your device. This will make it easier to choose the best option.

Let us remind you that in order to manufacture a housing prototype, you will need to provide the contractor with an assembly drawing or 3D model in the form of a file in STEP format.

We hope our tips will help you create your own

Our company provides services in the field of milling aluminum and non-ferrous metals to order of any complexity. We specialize in the manufacture of housings for electronic equipment, including sealed and waterproof IP69 (for remotely controlled uninhabited underwater vehicles).

Housings for radio-electronic equipment (REA) and control and measuring instruments, and automation (instrumentation and automation) are widely used in all sectors of industry and the national economy. This is due to the fact that electrical and radio-electronic devices need protection from mechanical, physical and chemical influences for normal functioning. It should also be noted that aluminum cases for electronic equipment and instrumentation are very durable, so they effectively protect the equipment located in them from accidental damage. The durability of such cases is also high, since, properly treated, they are not subject to atmospheric or chemical corrosion. This allows the use of aluminum (aluminum alloy) housings in industry. The production of aluminum cases is an important segment of our company's activities. Absolutely any modern production cannot do without housings for electronic equipment or instrumentation and automation, made on the basis of aluminum and other non-ferrous metals.

EXAMPLES OF OUR MILLING WORK

Metal milling is a technology for producing various parts by cutting using a milling cutter - a special cutting tool.

Milling processing is carried out with high quality and within the specified time frame of the customer. The company has the latest special equipment that will allow you to perform any type of milling work. Your order will be fulfilled by highly qualified specialists, thanks to whose skill it is possible to produce the necessary metal blanks with minimal material costs for the customer. They will be able to process shaped, cylindrical, end, and conical surfaces.

Metal milling, performed on milling machines, allows the processing of horizontal, vertical and inclined surfaces, as well as shaped surfaces and grooves.

Milling work, which is a specialization of our company, includes a complex of technological processes for processing metal workpieces by cutting. Milling work is carried out to process the external and internal surfaces of parts with the ability to process horizontal, vertical and inclined surfaces on milling machines. Milling work is performed with a certain speed, feed and depth of cut, while the feed speed is limited by the heat resistance of the cutter material, and the choice of depth and feed depends on the strength of the cutting tool. Depending on the work performed, universal, horizontal, vertical, longitudinal, rotary, drum and other types of milling machines are used.

The most effective metalworking methods, in addition to turning, include milling. The milling method can be used to process unhardened steels, non-ferrous metals and alloys, although in some cases it is also possible to process hardened steels. A feature of milling performed using a multi-edged cutting tool (cutter) is the intermittency of cutting by each tooth of the tool. Milling involves cutting only on a certain part of the workpiece with which the cutter teeth come into contact.

When milling, the geometry of the workpiece directly depends on the shape of the tool, therefore, depending on the workpiece, different types of cutters are used. Climb milling is used to obtain clean surfaces, and up milling is used to increase productivity. Rough milling is performed using cutters with large insert pitches and involves a large depth of cut, while finishing reduces both the depth and the processing speed.

Milling using multi-blade metal-cutting tools is one of the most common metalworking technologies. Milling as a technological process of metal cutting is carried out using cutters that allow horizontal, vertical and inclined milling of surfaces.

This technology is used for end, face, peripheral and shaped milling of parts. End milling is used for grooves, undercuts and grooves (including through grooves), face milling is used for machining large surfaces, and form milling is used for machining profiles (for example, gears). Milling, like turning, is performed at different speeds, feeds and depths of cut with the ability to change these parameters for specific parts.

1.2.3. Finishing of external cylindrical surfaces

1.2.2.1. Fine turning

1.2.2.2. Grinding

1.2.3.3. Polishing and superfinish

1.2.4. Thread processing

1.2.4.1. Thread cutting with cutters and combs

1.2.4.2. Thread milling with a female cutting head

1.2.4.3. Thread cutting with dies and self-expanding heads

1.2.4.4. Thread milling with disc and comb (group) cutters

1.2.4.5. Thread rolling

2. Technology for manufacturing body parts

2.1. Technical requirements for body parts

2.2. Pre-treatment of cases

2.3. Basing of body blanks

2.4. Typical hull processing route

2.5. Processing of housing planes

2.6. Machining of body parts holes

2.6.1. Hole machining equipment

2.6.2. Machining of holes in single and small-scale production

2.6.3. Hole machining in serial and mass production

2.6.4. Hole Making Tools

2.6.5. Operating conditions for multi-blade tools

2.6.6. Hole finishing

2.7. Inspection of body parts

3. Manufacturing of gears

3.1. Processing methods for cylindrical gear teeth

3.2. The main directions for increasing the productivity of worm gear hobbing

3.2.1. Possibility of increasing the speed of the main cutting movement

3.2.2. Possibility of reducing the length of the cutting stroke

3.2.3. Increasing the number of cutter passes to improve productivity

3.2.4. Increasing gear hobbing productivity when using cutters with non-standard cutting geometry

3.3. Possibilities for increasing the performance characteristics of the hobbing process.

3.4. The main directions for increasing the productivity of gear shaping

3.5. Basing of workpieces when cutting teeth and processing of surfaces that are bases.

3.6. Finishing the bases of gear blanks after heat treatment

3.7. Finishing (tooth finishing)

3.7.1. Shearing of gears

3.7.2. Rolling of gears

3.7.3. Gear grinding

3.7.4. Gear honing

3.8. Inspection of spur gears

4. Manufacturing of bevel gears

4.1. Rough cutting of bevel spur gears using modular disk cutters using the copying method

4.2. Planing teeth of spur bevel gears

4.3. Machining bevel gears with two disc cutters

4.4. Circular broaching of straight bevel gear teeth

4.5. Straight Bevel Wheel Finish

4.6. Manufacturing of bevel wheels with circular and cycloidal teeth

4.7. Processing of bevel gear bases after heat treatment

4.8. Grinding circular teeth of bevel wheels

5. Manufacturing of worms and worm gears

5.1.2. Worm milling

5.1.3. Rolling turns of the worm

5.1.4. Worm finishing

5.1.5. Machining of worm wheel teeth

2. With tangential feed movement.

5.1.6. Technological aspects of choosing a rational worm gear

6. Machine assembly

6.1. Methods for achieving the accuracy of the closing link and calculating dimensional chains

6.1.1. Full interchangeability method

6.1.2. Incomplete interchangeability method

6.1.3. Group interchangeability method

6.1.4. Compensation Methods

2. Technology for manufacturing body parts

Blanks of body parts are most often cast from cast iron and aluminum alloys, less often from steel or other cast alloys.

Casting in sand-clay molds, chill molds, shell molds, and under pressure is widely used. Less commonly, lost wax casting.

Forgings are used as initial blanks. It is also used for welding steel workpieces.

2.1. Technical requirements for body parts

When manufacturing body parts, it is necessary to ensure:

1. Correct form

2. Small roughness (µm)

3. Accuracy of the relative position of the main parts bases.

Thus, for mating planes the straightness tolerance is 0.05...0.2 mm, roughness

2. Low roughness

3. The correct location of the holes relative to the main bases of the parts, i.e. accuracy of the coordinates of the hole axes, parallelism and perpendicularity of the axes to the base planes, etc.

4. The correct location of the holes relative to each other (parallelism and perpendicularity of the axes, interaxial distances, etc.). For example, the tolerances for parallelism of the axes of the holes and perpendicularity of the end surfaces to the axes of the holes usually range from 0.02 to 0.05 mm, respectively, per 100 mm of length or radius.

Requirements for the accuracy of center distances are established according to the standards and conditions for ensuring the normal operation of gears (usually 7-8 degrees of accuracy).

Accuracy of shape, size and low roughness of holes are necessary to increase the wear resistance of seals and the durability of rolling bearings, to reduce friction losses, liquid and gas leaks.

2.2. Pre-treatment of cases

Before castings and forgings are sent to the machine shop, flash, sprues and sprues are removed. For this purpose, cutting presses, milling, grinding, band cutting and other machines, welding machines, pneumatic hammers, chisels and other production means are used. In addition, cleaning, heat treatment, pre-painting, priming and inspection of the workpiece are carried out.

When cleaning, the remains of burnt molding sand and minor irregularities are removed in order to improve the appearance of the part, increase the durability of the applied paint, and increase the durability of the cutting tool during subsequent processing.

Cleaning is carried out with steel brushes, needle cutters, etching with sulfuric acid, followed by washing, blasting with shot, water with coarse expanded clay and soda.

Heat treatment (low-temperature annealing of gray cast iron castings) is performed to relieve residual stresses and improve the workability of castings.

Painting is done by brush, dipping, spray or in special installations. Advanced factories use CNC painting robots. Painting the untreated surfaces of castings after aging binds the remains of the molding sand and prevents its further contact with friction surfaces.

2.3. Basing of body blanks

When choosing draft databases you must:

1. Ensure uniform allowances for machining holes

2. Avoid touching the internal surfaces of the housing and large diameter parts (gears, flywheels, couplings).

To do this, in the first operations, workpieces are often based on the main hole or two possibly more distant holes, because the internal cavity of the body and the holes obtained in the casting are based on a common rod or rods connected to each other. Installation is carried out:

1. In devices with cones (Fig. 2.1.).

With the help of cam or plunger mandrels, which are fixed in the holes of the workpiece along with it, the protruding necks are installed on prisms and other supporting devices.

Rice. 2.1. – Scheme of basing the housing on conical mandrels

Rice. 2.2. – Scheme of housing mounting on an expanding mandrel