Student Material 001: Machine Setup Checklist & Workholding Selection Guide¶

Material ID: U4M3-MAT-001 Purpose: Quick reference for CNC router setup procedure and workholding method selection Updated: 2026-03-19

Complete Setup Checklist¶

Phase 1: Machine Inspection (Power Off)¶

[ ] 1. Bed cleared of all materials, tools, debris
[ ] 2. Spoilboard inspected — flat, no excessive damage
[ ] 3. Dust collection connected, hose secure, filter/bag not full
[ ] 4. Cutting tool inspected — sharp, no chips or damage
[ ] 5. Collet inspected — clean, no scoring or deformation

Phase 2: Material & Workholding¶

[ ] 6. Material positioned and squared to machine axes
[ ] 7. Workholding applied (clamps/screws/tape/vacuum)
[ ] 8. Pull test passed — material does not shift in any direction
[ ] 9. Clamp positions documented and verified outside toolpath

Phase 3: Power-Up & Zeroing¶

[ ] 10. Machine and controller powered on
[ ] 11. Homing completed (Z first, then X/Y)
[ ] 12. Tool installed — correct bit, proper depth, two-wrench tight
[ ] 13. X/Y zero set at correct material corner
[ ] 14. Z zero set at material surface (touch plate or paper method)

Phase 4: Pre-Cut Verification¶

[ ] 15. G-code file loaded — correct file name verified
[ ] 16. Toolpath previewed — fits within material, clears clamps
[ ] 17. Feeds/speeds match expectations for material/tool
[ ] 18. PPE on — glasses, hearing protection, dust mask
[ ] 19. Dust collection running
[ ] 20. E-stop accessible and tested
[ ] 21. Air cut test completed (recommended for new jobs)

Phase 5: First Cut¶

[ ] 22. Spindle started, program running at 50% feed override
[ ] 23. First pass monitored — correct depth, good chips, no chatter
[ ] 24. Feed override increased to 100% after confirmation
[ ] 25. Operator present for entire cut duration

Workholding Selection Decision Tree¶

START: What are you cutting?
│
├── Sheet goods (plywood, MDF, acrylic sheets)?
│   ├── Full sheet (4'×8')? → VACUUM TABLE (if available) or SCREW-DOWN in waste areas
│   ├── Half sheet or quarter sheet? → DOUBLE-SIDED TAPE + optional edge clamps
│   └── Small piece (<12"×12")? → DOUBLE-SIDED TAPE
│
├── Thick solid stock (>1" hardwood, HDPE block)?
│   ├── Multiple parts from one piece? → SCREW-DOWN in waste areas + TABS on profiles
│   └── Single part? → MECHANICAL CLAMPS (toe clamps or cam clamps)
│
├── Thin material (<¼")?
│   ├── Non-porous (acrylic, aluminum)? → DOUBLE-SIDED TAPE (full coverage)
│   └── Porous (thin wood veneer)? → VACUUM TABLE or TAPE
│
├── Metal (aluminum)?
│   └── → MECHANICAL CLAMPS (high cutting forces) + VISE if available
│
└── Foam or soft material?
    └── → VACUUM TABLE or DOUBLE-SIDED TAPE (low cutting forces)

Workholding Comparison Chart¶

Method	Hold Strength	Setup Speed	Accessibility	Cost/Use	Best For	Avoid When
Toe Clamps	Very High	Slow (5-10 min)	60-75% of surface	Low (reusable)	Thick stock, metal, one-offs	Thin material, full-sheet cuts
Screw-Down	Very High	Medium (3-7 min)	85-95% of surface	Very Low	Production runs, plywood	Parts without waste area for holes
Double-Sided Tape	Medium	Medium (3-5 min)	100% of surface	$0.50-2/setup	Sheet goods, thin stock, acrylic	Aggressive cuts, heavy plunge, porous surfaces
Vacuum Table	High (area-dependent)	Fast (1-2 min)	100% of surface	Power cost only	Large sheets, production runs	Small parts, porous material, through-cuts
Hot Glue	Low-Medium	Medium (5 min)	90%+ of surface	Very Low	Light cuts only, non-critical	Any serious cutting — unreliable

Collet & Tool Installation Reference¶

ER Collet Installation Sequence¶

1. Select correct collet size for bit shank
2. Snap collet INTO the nut (hear the click)
3. Thread nut onto spindle (hand-tight)
4. Insert bit shank — minimum ¾ of shank length inside collet
5. Do NOT bottom out the bit (leave ~2mm gap)
6. Tighten with TWO wrenches (or spindle lock + one wrench)
7. Pull test: tug on bit firmly — it must not slip

Torque Specifications¶

Collet	Recommended Torque
ER11	15–25 ft-lbs
ER16	25–35 ft-lbs
ER20	30–45 ft-lbs
ER32	50–70 ft-lbs
Router collet (¼")	Firm hand-tight + ¼ turn with wrench

Maximum Recommended Tool Stick-Out¶

Tool Diameter	Wood/MDF/Plastic	Aluminum
⅛" (3.175mm)	0.75"	0.50"
¼" (6.35mm)	1.50"	1.00"
⅜" (9.525mm)	2.00"	1.50"
½" (12.7mm)	2.50"	2.00"

Note: These are guidelines. Reduce stick-out whenever possible — deflection increases with the cube of unsupported length.

Touch Plate Z-Zero Procedure¶

1. Place touch plate on TOP of the material surface
2. Connect ground clip to collet/spindle body
3. In controller software: run "Probe Z" or touch plate macro
4. Machine jogs Z down slowly until electrical contact is made
5. Controller automatically sets Z = 0 (accounting for touch plate thickness)
6. Remove touch plate and ground clip
7. Verify: jog to Z = 0 — tool tip should just touch material surface

Troubleshooting Quick Reference¶

Problem	Likely Cause	Fix
Material shifts during cut	Insufficient workholding	Add more hold (clamps, screws, tape)
Z-depth inconsistent across bed	Spoilboard not flat	Resurface spoilboard with flattening bit
Tool pulls out of collet	Under-tightened, insufficient grip length	Re-install with proper depth and torque
Bit breaks at start of cut	Plunge too aggressive	Use ramping entry; reduce plunge rate
Burn marks on profile cuts	Feed too slow OR dull bit	Increase feed rate; replace dull bit
Chatter marks	Tool stick-out too long OR loose hold	Reduce stick-out; improve workholding

Last Updated: 2026-03-19