Development of a high-speed CNC cutting machine using linear motors

The traditional approach to construct CNC machine tools has been to use rotary drive motors and ballscrews to achieve table motion. Linear motors offer several advantages over this approach, including low inertia, better performance, increased accuracy and reduced complexity. This article describes how a low cost, high-speed cutting machine was built using linear motors in order to conduct machining tests on a composite material. The machine configuration was a gantry type X/Y motion system on which a high-speed electrospindle was mounted. Both were interfaced with a standalone CNC controller for which a Microsoft Windows based interface was written in C++. The machine has the usual functionality of a CNC router and is capable of table speeds of over 40 m/min and a spindle speed of 30,000 rev/min. The machine is used to carry out tests on tool wear monitoring as part of an ongoing research project in the university.