mesmi27
CNC Coaster
Manufacturing
the coaster using
a CNC mill was
the final step in
MECH 200, but just
the beginning of the
future of manufacturing.
Advice
Since the entire coaster was made using a pre-programmed program and just a small amount of actual manual tinkering, it wasn’t a difficult process other than just pressing a few buttons.
What I do recommend is to definitely take advantage of the fact that the class is basically covering a machine that’s popular to this day, with its price ranging from $10,000 all the way to $100,000. Look over all of the HAAS website portions, and make sure that you truly understand what the machine does before using it, as this would just be the first time of many in which you’re using a CNC.
Cost Estimation
Raw Material-
Aluminum:
1/4" X 3-1/2" 6061-T6511 Aluminum Flat = $8.35
Total Cost of Raw Material: $8.35
​
Labor Cost-
Aluminum:
-
Look over CNC process: 1 hour
Total Time in Production: 1 hour
​
Total Labor Cost: 1 X $26.23 = $26.23
Total Raw Material Cost = $8.35
Total Final Cost of Coaster: $34.58​​
Mass Production
Total Raw Material Cost (for one coaster): $8.35
Total Raw Material Cost (for 10,000 coasters): $83,800
Total Time of Production: ~10,000 Hours/ 1.14 Years
Although the production of the coaster is quite simple, as you could in theory make around 12 coasters a day, it would still take around 1.14 years in order to finish all of those coasters. This would be around $345,800 worth of work, which would mean someone is getting paid six figures a year if that was their job!
Improving Production Efficiency
While the CNC is making the product itself, designing a specific vice in order to fit the material itself so that there isn’t any trouble in securing the work into the vice the wrong way would definitely help the manufacturing process for the coaster.