CUSTOM CNC ROUTER PARTS
Our Bread & Butter is pumping out parts for our clients by way of our very powerful CNC Routers.
We guarantee our parts accuracy & get them to you FAST.
THE CNC ROUTER JOB SHOP THAT HAS DONE IT ALL
Running CNC departments for movie and tv productions over the years has developed our knowledge and abilities to the cutting edge. We process many materials, break down 3D models for builds, or route out simple 2D designs for your project.
VEIDT STATUE
Watchmen | HBO
SCULPTURAL WALL
Thunder Force | Netflix
tUNNEL FLOOR
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle | Columbia
OUR CNC WORKHORSE
The Laguna Smartshop III 5×10 CNC Router with FANUC control
Workspace Dimensions:
X: 61″
Y: 121″
Z: 12″
Servo Motors for accuracy of parts up to +/-.005″
MATERIALS WE CAN PROCESS
CNC Routers are capable of processing many different materials. The materials usually come in the form of sheets which are generally 4’x8′ in size. The thicknesses range usually from 1/4″ to 1″, however we can mill foam sheets as thick as 6″.
MDF
Medium Density Fiberboard is a common material used for construction. It’s a cheaper material that has good qualities all around.
Plywood
Plywood is usually routed for structural parts in construction builds. CNC routers are often used to cut curvilinear parts for custom framing.
Hardwood
Hardwoods can be milled on CNC routers to create anything from custom furniture, countertops, cabinets, and specialty craft goods.
Plastics
Plastics cut very well on CNC routers. We cut everything from acrylics, ABS, HDPE, PVC, and others. These materials work well for functional parts and signage.
Foam
Foam is heavily used in the film industry to create sculptural forms of any kind. CNC routers can carve EPS and HDU foams with great detail and give hand sculptors a head start.
We have the cad/cam software to get the job done right
Our team is trained to use the software needed to make CNC router jobs happen in a efficient and professional manner. We typically use two workflows for either 3D or 2D CNC projects.
For 3D projects involving complex parts or carving. We typically start our CAD breakdown from 3D model to machinable parts using Rhinoceros. From Rhino, we import our parts into Fusion 360 for toolpaths on the CNC model parts.
For 2D work, we go for speed and efficiency and the best program for this type of work with CNC routers is Vectric’s VCarve Pro.
To accommodate our clients we also have Sketchup Pro for model viewing and exporting.
FILE REQUIREMENTS FOR CNC ROUTER PROJECTS
For simple 2D router projects, the designer will need to provide a vector file to route. This file will need to include layers for different operations such as profiling, pocketing, and any chamfers or fillets for edges. Usually accompanying construction drawings are helpful to instruct the CNC programmer. The files acceptable for 2D CNC routing jobs are .dwg, .dxf, .ai, .eps, .pdf.
3D work requires a different set of files in the form of 3d models. We prefer to work in Rhino and use .3dm for our native rhino files. We can also import models from Solidworks and most other 3d modeling software. We also can carve files from mesh files such as .step, .iges, .stl, and .obj. Usually mesh files will be ‘digitally sculpted’ files such as figures or objects featuring a lot of surface texture.
INDUSTRIES WE SERVE WITH OUR CNC ROUTER
Most people know us for our movie props and serving construction crews with plywood and MDF parts quickly and reliably, although we are able to service many other industries with our machines and are happy to.
- Movie & TV Productions
- Events
- Tradeshows
- Signs
- Experiential marketing
- Residential & Commercial Construction
- Automotive shops/Restoration shops
What is CNC?
CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machines are automation tools that utilize computer code (G Code) to process raw materials into finished parts. Although 3D printers are technically CNC machines, CNC is usually referred to subtractive manufacturing machines, meaning the machine cuts or mills away stock material to get to the finished product or part. CNC machines & digital manufacturing allow for superior precision and repeatability in manufactured goods, and thus one can thank CNC machines for playing a part in producing most of the consumer goods that we enjoy in our modern world.
CNC’s are built in an infinite number of sizes and configurations to satisfy the requirements of various industries and applications. CNC’s vary in the method of material removal as well, utilizing either milling, lasers, waterjets, and plasma cutters to name the most common. Faux Real boasts a number of machines at our disposal including two routers, a rotary milling machine, a plasma cutter, and 3D printers. Our industrial CNC routers are designed to to quickly and accurately process sheet goods such as wood, plastics, foams, and non-ferrous metals for fabrication & construction purposes.
What are the benefits of CNC?
CNC Machines are heavily relied on for their efficiency, accuracy, and repeatability. They also are incredibly versatile, capable of producing parts for just about anything imaginable, from kitchen cabinets, to fully 3 dimensional sculptures.
CNC machines main calling card is raising productivity for shops when product volumes outgrow their staff. CNC’s allow shops to produce more than ever before all while becoming more systematic in their approach, ultimately resulting in lower prices for the end user because the output is higher. Since CNC machines are robots and only need instructions to work, they can run day and night sometimes without supervision in some cases. Additionally, most are built to be insanely fast in their linear and rapid movements (just look them up on YouTube). Mass production and CNC go hand-and-hand.
Efficiency is great in the context of time but the real beauty of these machines are their dependability to produce an accurate part over and over again. Our workhorse 5’x10′ Laguna router can hit tolerances of +/-.005″ (5 thousandths of an inch). This precision is greatly appreciated by the carpenters that use our parts to build things and have the confidence that everything will come out exactly to plan (a very good feeling, indeed). If the part needs to be square, it’s square. If it requires a certain sized hole, it will be exactly that and accept whatever goes in perfectly. Not to mention, it’s always nice to stow away proven files and be able to instantly reproduce it, even years later, in the exact same way.
DIGITAL FABRICATION IN A DIGITAL WORLD
We believe in building with a digital first workflow when we decide to take on a project or job. That means everything is configured, assembled, and envisioned in a digital space. In our case, it is usually within the virtual playground of 3D space provided by the wonderful CAD software Rhinoceros or Autodesk Fusion 360. This gives us the confidence in our builds during execution because everything is planned out before any material hits the shop floor. And because we make parts using digital machines, we are also confident that when those bits turn into atoms, the resulting physical manifestation of the part will reflect what we created in CAD. It’s truly a magical feeling when things come off the machine and piece together like a perfect, 3D puzzle.
OUR CNC ROUTERS
We have 3 CNC routers in our shop (We also have a Shapeoko for fun!) Our workhorse CNC is the Laguna Smartshop III 5’x10′ machine. The large machine is equipped with a FANUC control and servo motors for unbeatable precision and speed for a router. This machine can fly through plywood, as well as carve out intricate 3D Designs out of foam. This machine can do it all. The 8 tool automatic tool changer makes programming complicated jobs with many operations a dream.
Our other Laguna router is the Swift 4×4 machine. This machine is usually used concurrently with our Smartshop when we are busy with jobs.
Our third machine is a custom built CNC specifically designed to process large foam carving jobs. It’s Z axis accommodates over 2 feet of travel and also has a large rotary axis for processing cylindrical objects such as columns or statues! This machine is definitely fun to play with.
Products We Produce on CNC Machines
The sky is the limit when it comes to what you can produce on CNC machines. You are only limited by your imagination and execution. We have made everything from inlay countertops, custom signs, structures for studio sets, statues, and the list goes on and on! We will list a few more, but if you have an idea you want to produce, most likely it can be done using CNC!
- Plywood Structures
- Custom Signs
- Custom Engravings
- Kitchen Cabinets
- Inlays and Epoxy Tabletops
- 3D Carvings
- Faux Statues
- Wall Art and Home Decor