How Does CAD Software Impact Precision in CNC Prototyping?

What does CAD software have to do with CNC prototyping precision and accuracy? The answer is that whatever you create in your CAD software will affect all the aspects of your finished prototypes or product samples, including its accuracy and precision. Moreover, there are many ways the CAD software can affect the precision in your CNC prototyping operations.

The Connection between CAD Software and CNC Prototyping Precision

The design you create with CAD software will get converted to the format that the CNC machining equipment will understand, and then the machine will configure the machining steps necessary to create prototypes or product samples according to your design blueprint. With the fully computerized operations, you can transform your design blueprint into the prototypes or product samples that match exactly with your design requirements and with utmost accuracy.

Here are the important points about the connection between CAD software and CNC prototyping precision:

• Converting the CAD design into computerized CNC programs. CAD software can affect the precision of your CNC-machined prototypes because you will convert the design file into computerized CNC programs. The computerized CNC programs will uncover the steps you will need to use to create the CNC prototypes using various machining operations, such as turning, milling, cutting, and many others. This conversion to CNC programs ensures that the prototypes or product samples will follow the CAD design file to the letter.
• Taking care of every nook and cranny of your CNC products. CNC machining will follow every nook and cranny of the design blueprint to produce the prototypes or product samples that match exactly with the design blueprint made with the CAD software.
• Translating each sharp corner into actual shapes in your prototypes. With CAD software designing, you can create sharp corners for your prototypes or sample products in case you need them for specific functions. The good thing about CNC prototyping is that you can replicate and produce sharp corners with the exact accuracy that follows the CAD design file in the exact measurements.
• Configuring the right CNC machining operations for the design requirements. CAD design can also impact the accuracy and precision in CNC prototyping by allowing the CNC machining equipment to configure the best machining operations that can be performed to produce the prototypes or product samples that follow your design blueprint requirements.
• Transferring each design geometry into actual shapes in the prototypes. With CAD software, you can create various designs that have their own complex geometries. Sometimes, it will be difficult for you to create prototypes or product samples that feature complex geometries in their designs. However, with the computerized CNC machining operations, you can transfer each design geometry into actual shapes in your prototypes or product samples, without having to worry about any dimensional inaccuracy.
• Translating the actual size or measurement calculations from the CAD software. You can measure each shape in your CAD design blueprint using the actual size or measurement calculations, and the CNC machining equipment will translate it into actual dimensional measurements in your real prototypes or product samples. This is another way CAD software can impact the precision of your product samples or prototypes.

Using CAD Software for the Best Accuracy and Precision for Your Prototypes – Best Practices to Follow

You can use the CAD software, whether it is open-source or commercial, to start working on the design blueprint for your CNC prototypes or product samples. Here are the best practices of using CAD software for the best accuracy and precision for your prototypes:

• Match your design with the features of your CNC equipment. When designing your prototype using the CAD software, it’s best for you to configure the software to work with the CNC equipment that you actually have. Then, you will need to design your prototype based on the CNC equipment features you want to use. Don’t make a design blueprint for your prototype whereby it will require you to use certain features not available in your CNC machining equipment.
• Think about the tolerances and tool reach. How much tolerance do you want to apply in your design? You need to know that tighter tolerance means more precision for your prototype or product sample. However, the tolerance that is too tight might not be suitable to use for all materials. You also need to know that tool reach can also affect your machining accuracy, because the deeper the tool reach, the more difficult it will be for the CNC machining operations to keep its accurate precision.
• Use sharp corners only when it is absolutely necessary. Sharp corners are not recommended to use in rapid manufacturing, because it can impact your precision the most and might not be quite practical to use for your product samples. To maintain the best accuracy, it’s best to avoid making sharp corners or use it only when it is absolutely necessary for you to add to your finished product. Internal sharp corners are the worst kind of sharp corners you can make in your prototype design..
• It’s best to avoid using deep internal features in your prototypes. You might need to add certain features that you can use within the internal body of your prototype. However, it is very important to avoid using internal features that are too deep into the body of the prototype, as it can affect the precision of your product samples.
• Use fillets to keep the best balance for your prototypes. Fillets will be a good addition for your CAD design blueprint, as it will help balance the overall body of the prototype. It will also help keep the product sample or prototype precision at its maximum level and make it easier for you to assemble and disassemble the product parts later.

Conclusion

With the right design process that involves the use of CAD software, you can ensure that your CNC machining operations can create prototypes or product samples with utmost accuracy and precision. 

TEAM Rapid provides you with the complete prototype services that follow your design guidelines, and we can also walk you through every step of the way, for the purpose of creating the best quality product samples or prototypes that you need for your project.