cnc machining
Computer numerically controlled machining is an excellent prototyping and manufacturing technique when part performance demands production material properties.
We use 3d files and program them for export to our machinery. Once the required material is sized up and secured in the machine, milling or turning of the part can begin. Using high speed steel and carbide cutters the part is machined in progressively finer steps until the final part geometry is realized.
Metropolis is able to machine in many materials including: wood products such as mdf, low density foams, rigid high density pattern making foams, commodity and engineering grade plastics, ferrous and non-ferrous metals including aluminum, stainless, brass, bronze and titanium. We are also able to work with composites such as fiberglass, carbon fiber and aluminum filled epoxies. material selection plays a large part in the machining process; therefore we typically review the project with you in detail to ensure its success before work begins.
Metropolis has three vertical mills, each with three-axis capabilities. Our large milling platform has 48” of travel in the x, 20” in the y, and 20” in the Z dimension. These vertical mills are perfect for building prototypes, short run production jobs, or performing re-work on existing manufactured parts where engineering change orders need to be made.
We also have a Bridgeport EZPath CNC lathe for turning parts where a high degree of accuracy is essential.
Metropolis has recently acquired a new Mori Seiki NL 2500 turning center with live tooling. This CNC machine improves the efficiency and accuracy with which we can produce prototypes and gives us the capability to do small, medium, and large quantity production runs. This machine allows us to build complicated parts that previously required multiple lathe and mill setups to be made in a single setup on one machine. Now we can produce these parts faster and more cost effectively. Mori Seiki is widely regarded as the manufacturer of the highest quality CNC machines and we are excited to add it to our capabilities.
Accuracy is very high, typically within .002 in. Machining to tolerances of less than .001 is routinely accomplished when required.
