THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE

CNC ROUTER STEP-BY-STEP

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

CNC ROUTER DOCUMENTATION

Using the CNC Router
The school has a Shopbot CNC Router with a 60 by 96 bed. The CNC Router is located
in the design lab in Goldsmith Hall 1.108.

CNC Routing Hours

Monday-Friday: 8am -6pm, and Saturday and Sunday: 1pm-5pm
Training
Each student must rst complete CNC Router training. Students are allowed a maximum of 3 hours per week of router time. Students who overbook the router past the
allowed 3 hours/week may risk losing router privileges.
Availability
Check availability online at:
http://soa.utexas.edu/reserve/room_reservation/show_building/9
Then make your reservation in-person at IO Central in the basement of Sutton Hall,
room 1.110.
Cost
Each hour of CNC router time costs $3.00 and the least amount of time that one can
book the router is 30 minutes ($1.50) during any one session. CNC router time is paid
with BevoBucks.

MATERIALS
Students must supply their own materials. Bring your les on a USB memory stick or
access your les from Charles from the computers in the design lab. Copy les to the
computer desktop. Your les must use the template discussed below.
Acceptable Materials
- Foam - EPS is prefered because it can be recycled
- Formaldehyde-free MDF
- Wood - Plywood is prefered to solid wood because of warping
- Acrylic
Prohibited Materials
- MDF made with formaldehyde
- Metals
- Ask rst about anything not on either list
Local material sources:
Foam:
- Polyplastics, 10201 Metropolitan Dr. Austin, TX 78758
512-339-9293
- Austin Custom Foam, 1515 Dungan Lane, Austin, TX 78754
512-834-3626
Formaldehyde-free MDF:
- EcoWise, 110 West Elizabeth, Austin, TX 78704
512-326-4474
- Fine Lumber, 9407 Brown Ln # 2, Austin, TX 78754
512-836-8990

STEP-BY-STEP
Material Limitations:
minimum 18 x 18 and maximum 60 x 96
Blade Limitations:
3-axis router - x + y + z directions
see bit graphic attached for cut length limits
you cannot cut 90-degree inside corners
Training breaks down into three parts:
i. 2D software (proles and pockets)
ii. 3D software (surfaces)
iii. machine interface in woodshop

PART 1: 2D software, Partworks

Consider router capabilities: 2D design needs to be much more
premeditated and thoughtful than 3D design. There are 3 common toolpath types:
1. Prole toolpaths will create a cut line along your drawings vectors. Within the
prole toolpath option, there are 3 settings to choose from:
i. Outside: (closed geometry onlyie. circle, square) moves the router bit
along the outside of your vector.
ii. Inside: (closed geometry only) moves the router bit along the inside of
your vector
iii. On the vector: (closed and open geometries) cuts through the center of
your vectormake sure you have accounted for the diameter of the bit
when using this method.
2. Pocket toolpaths (closed and simply-nested geometries) will clear an area
inside a closed polyline. These never cut all the way through your material.
3. Drill toolpaths drill a hole the diameter of the bit in the center of the chosen
object.
Measure your materials width and height. measure your materials
thickness with calipers. To maintain precision, do not rely on your materials original
edges and corners as square or measured.
AutoCAD conventions
1. Check that your units are inches.
2. Draw a rectangle the same size as your material, and put it on a layer called
material. the bed is 60 wide in the y-direction and 96 long in the x-direction.
You generally want to offset any cuts within the boundaries of your materials
edges.
3. Consider the order of your layers: rst, make cuts that dont cut all the way through
your material (ie. etches), then make cuts that penetrate all the way through your

material and organize these cuts from interior to exterior.

4. Name layers according to order, type of cut, and depth to cut though: for example,
op02_hinge_prole_inside_675 would be the layer name for the following type of
cut: the second operation toolpath that is a prole cut to the inside edge of the line
at a depth of 0.675 inches (note that decimal points should be written as
underscores).
5. Move the lower left corner of your material box with all cut lines inside to position
(0,0).
6. Turn only the layers on that are to be cut pathsturn all other layers off.
7. Run the Overkill command to delete any duplicate lines.
8. Use the Pedit command to convert all lines to polylines
NOTE: be wary of two-point control splinesthe ShopBot software might misinterpret
their geometry
9. Save as AutoCAD 2000 dxf.
Open Partworks 2D
1. Open Partworks software by going to Start --> All Programs --> Shopbot -->
Partworks
2. Once in Partworks, go to File --> Open and select the dxf le you just exported.
3. Check that the x and y directions are the same as in your original le.
Material Properties
1. The rst step is to ll out the material properties window:

check that your units are accurate and in inches

enter your materials thickness from the caliper measurement
zero the Z-axis at the top of your material

zero the X and Y axes at the bottom left corner

hit OK

2. After you hit OK, the next step is to check and edit vectors
NOTE: make sure to keep your layers intactevery operation you perform will
move the selected object into the active layer!
3. Select all vectors (CTRL-A)
4. Run the Join Open Vectors commandthis is especially useful for ellipses,
splines, etc.be thoughtful about changing the tolerance distance if you need to.
5. Run the Select Duplicate Vectors command, and delete any duplicate vectors
if needed
Assigning Toolpaths
1. Assign toolpaths to your vectors by layer using the toolbox palette on the right. Use
the step-by-step conventions below to avoid glitches within the ShopBot software.

click on the toolpaths icon to open it and then hold it in

place by clicking on the thumbtack in the right corner
Toolpath Operations Menu

click to view Layer Manager in separate window

2. In the layer manager window, turn off all layers using the light bulb icon.
3. Turn on your operation 01 layer and make it your active layer by selecting it (it should
be hilighted in gray)this is the layer that will be cut rst.
4. Select all (CTRL-A) the vectors in this layer.
5. From the tools menu on the right, choose the appropriate toolpath: refer to the
description at the beginning of this tutorial for the differences between toolpath
types (prole, pocket, and drill)

6. After you click on the toolpath to use, a specications window will pop up. Fill this
out appropriately--see the attached material spreadsheet to help determine values.

Start Depth is typically 0.0, and your Cut Depth varies

Click on Select and choose the bit you intend to use in the
next menu. Make sure all of your settings (pass depth,
stepover, feed rate, plunge rate, etc.) are all appropriate to
your material type and appliaction--see attached
spreadsheet for settings selection.
If you are using a Prole Toolpath, select one of the three
options as described previously in the tutorial.
Almost always select Climb as your rotation direction
Name your toolpath
Click Calculate

NOTE: When using prole cuts that go all the way through, be smart about your cut
depth and pass depth values. To get the cleanest edge on the bottom side of your
material, cut the same vectors in two separate toolpath passes. For the rst pass,
adjust the cut depth to 0.05 less than the material thickness. For the second pass,
adjust the cut depth to 0.02 more than the material thickness. (you should get an
error message when cutting more than the material thicknesscheck the difference
thoughtfully, and then click OK.) The cuts that go all the way through should always
be the very last cuts that the router should make. For more information on techniques
(bridging, pass depth tricks, brass screws) when cutting out smaller pieces, ask IO
Central.
7. Hit calculate after completing each toolpath setup.

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

8. This will bring you to the preview toolpath window (material selection is just for
visualization). Double check the image to make sure youre cuts will come out as
expected.

Toggle back to vector view with this tab.

Your completed toolpaths are listed here. You can edit
them, delete them, rearrange their order by
selecting the toolpath, and then clicking on the
desired icon below.

9. Repeat the above steps, 1-8, for each layer.

NOTE: if possible, use the same bit for all of the layers so that you dont have to change
bits halfway throughthis will save you time.
Preview, double-check, and save your cut paths.
1. Thoughtfully reorder toolpaths if necessary.
2. View cuts in 2D preview mode and conrm its what you wantcheckfor weird
artifacts at corners or complicated geometries by zooming in.
3. Re-check the depths of all your cuts in relationship to each other and to the material
thickness.
4. Click the Save Toolpaths button to save an .sbp le to use at the machine.
5. Also go to File --> Save to save a .crv le so that you can tweak parameters within
Partworks
6. Save both les to Charles or a thumb drive, go down to the shop and follow
instructions there.

PART 2: 3D software, Partworks 3D

The 3D software is a little simpler than the 2D because you typically only have to assign
one toolpath for the entire surface. It does start to get complicated, however, when
your les thickness is greater than 2-1/8 because of the 1/4 bits cut depth (see bit
graphic). This forces the user to horizontally slice their model to thicknesses less than
2-1/8 and then post-laminate.
1. Cutting foam is much faster and much less risky than cutting wood so you will need
to run a few jobs with foam before you can use other materials.

3D modeling conventions (Rhino, SketchUp, 3D scanner, etc.)

1. Check that your surface geometry ts within the dimensions of your material and
that it is a single, logical solid.
2. Unlike the 2D version, do not draw a box to represent your material.
3. Export your surface as an .stl (stereolithography) le
Open Partworks 3D
1. Open Partworks 3D software by clicking on Start --> All Programs --> Shopbot -->
Partworks 3D
2. Once in Partworks, go to File --> Open and select the .stl le you just exported.
3. Check that the x and y directions are the same as in your original le and that it will
t on the bed in that direction.
Enter Surface Properties
1. Check that your units are in inchesyou can use the scale mm to inches button and/
or rescale your surface if needed.
2. You can reorient the surface if desired, but it is recommended that youdo these type
of manipulations in your 3D modeling software instead. Assuming your model was
imported correctly (side to be machined is facing up), under Top Surface, select Top
and under Sides to Machine, select Top.
3. Hit Apply button
4. Hit Next button

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

Enter material properties

1. Fill out the material properties menu.

Zero the X and Y axes to this corner

Enter your materials boundaries and the thickness
Zero the Z axis at the top

Congure yourground zero cut plane, see below

2. ShopBot will assume material size based on the extents of your model, but you will
need to adjust this to your specic material
3. Change the thickness of material to actual thickness based on your caliper
measurement.
4. Under Machining Margins, if you select Symmetrical equal to zero the bit will cut
a rectangle the same dimensions as the extents of your model at a clipping plane
depth so that your surface will protrude above a ground zero cut plane. You can
extend the margins by increasing the number next to Symmetrical. If you select
Use Model Silhouette, the bit will leave the top surface intact so that your model
is embedded within the original surface of your material. you can also increase that
margin, and it will offset the outline of your model.
5. Depth of Model Below Surface set at zero will oat the highest point of your model
to the top of your material. To be careful, however, its recommended to set that
value at 0.02 in order to avoid height variations of your material.
6. Set the Cut Plane thoughtfully depending on your bit and your desired thickness.
Bottom is the most common selection.
7. Click Apply
8. Click Next

Roughing toolpath
This is not needed for foam. After you have run a few jobs with foam, you can cut wood,
and you will most likely want to create a roughing toolpath (it saves time). Come talk to
IO Central when you are ready for this step.
Finishing toolpath
1. Under Bit Selection, select an appropriate bit, pass depth, feed rate, plunge rate,
stepover, etc. See chart labeled Material Spreadsheet attached to back of this
tutorial for selection criteria.
2. Choose a raster angle that is perpendicular to the dominant grain of your surface.
3. Select Create an extra pass at 90-degrees for increased resolution
4. Click Calculate to preview the bits travel paths.
5. The time estimation is not accurate unless you keep track of similar projects and
establish a scale factor.
6. Click Next
NOTE: Increased resolution is highly dependent on the type of model and material
you are using. It can be achieved with a smaller stepover rate, a smaller bit, and/
or increased passes. All of these techniques will take more time. Creating an extra
toolpath at 90-degrees is generally the most effective method.
Cut Out Toolpath
1. If you want the Router to cut out your model after it has routed the surface, select
Create Cut Out Toolpath
2. Enter the properties similar to all other toolpaths (bit selection, pass depth, etc.)
3. Click Calculate
4. Click Next

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

Preview and check toolpaths

1. Click the Finishing Toolpath Preview button and conrm that the toolpath is doing
what you want
2. If it looks correct, click Next
3. If something looks wrong, click the icons at the top to navigate to previous screens
and change applicable settings. After you have made changes, be sure to hit
Calculate, and proceed until the Finishing Toolpath Preview looks good.

Use these buttons to go back if you need to make changes

Finishing Toolpath Preview
If needed you can
reset the preview
here

Save your les

1. Select Finishing Toolpath Save to save a .sbp le for use at the machine.
2. Also go to File --> Save to save a .3dv le so you can go back and tweak parameters
in Partwork 3D.

PART 3: Shopbot, in the woodshop

You are ready to take your les to the shop. Youll nd step-by-step instructions above
the monitor. Good luck!

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

CNC ROUTER BITS

overall length
cut length

diameter

FOAM UPCUT BITS:

- 1/8 diameter, 1 1/8 cut length:

- 1/4 diameter, 2 1/8 cut length:

- 3/8 diameter, 3 1/2 cut length:

WOOD STRAIGHT, DOUBLE FLUTE BITS:

- 1/8 diameter, 0.31 cut length:

- 1/4 diameter, 1 cut length:

g

/8 diameter, 1 1/4 cut le

llength:
ngth:
- 3/8

/ diameter
/ cut length:
- 1/2
diameter,, 2 1/2

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE

solid wood

plywood

formaldehydefree MDF *

(pink insulation foam,

EPS foam)

foam

material

220-260

240-260

240-260

180-200

(controlled in the shop)

spindle
speed settings

1-2 / 1-2
more - less
dense wood

1-2 / 1-2
more - less
dense wood

1-2.5 / 1-2
more - less
dense wood

8/8

feed rate /
plunge rate

SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

straight cut wood bits

1/8 - 1/4 - 1/2
(see bit graphic for more
info)

straight cut wood bits

1/8 - 1/4 - 1/2
(see bit graphic for more
info)

straight cut wood bits

1/8 - 1/4 - 1/2
(see bit graphic for more
info)

upcut foam bits

-1/4 for 2 cut depths or
less
- 3/8 for 3 1/2 cut
depths or less

(always use shortest bit

necessary!)

bit options

MATERIAL SETTINGS

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

equal or less than

diameter of bit

equal or less than

diameter of bit

equal or less than

diameter of bit

equal or less than cut

length of bit (see bit
graphic)

pass depth

- always (doesnt matter the size) screw solid wood to a separate piece of
plywood or MDF because it WILL warp during routing
- solid wood can be bought in many variations, and the settings need to be
adjusted accordingly

- if material is smaller than 18 x 18 , screw it down to a separate piece of

plywood or MDF
- plywood can be bought in many variations, and the settings need to be adjusted
accordingly

* must have Aries stamp, sold at Fine Lumber, not sold at Home Depot
- if material is smaller than 18 x 18 , screw it down to a separate piece of
plywood or MDF

- greater resolution comes with higher density foam (ie. pink foam)

special notes