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Warning

MillMage is in active development and in a prerelease state. Many operations and functions are not feature complete. Please report any unexpected behavior by searching for and reporting the issue or question in the MillMage Beta User Forum. Please include screenshots and as much detail as possible.

Beta Users: Finding Help

Find help and download the latest release candidate of MillMage in the MillMage Beta User Forum.

Users new to MillMage should follow the Getting Started guide.

Warning

This documentation is in active development and in a prerelease state. These documents are not complete and may include missing pages, broken links, and placeholders. Content is being updated as feedback is reviewed. Your patience is appreciated.

Warning

Secure the material stock to the CNC machine by following the CNC manufacturer workholding guidelines.

FAILURE TO FOLLOW CNC MANUFACTURER WORKHOLDING RECOMMENDATIONS CAN LEAD TO DAMAGED PROPERTY, BODILY HARM, OR DEATH.

Verify that the material stock is properly secured by vigorously pushing and pulling against the workpiece in all directions.

View the Workholding Guide for examples.

Workholding

In this guide you'll see several examples of mounting material stock securely onto your CNC machine.

The goal of all workholding is:

  • Active engagement
  • Movement prevention of both the workpiece and the product of every CNC operation
  • Ensuring that nothing moves free unless acted upon by the user with that intention

Good workholding prevents unplanned movements.

Because every CNC machine is different, and the material stock being used for each project will vary, the workholding method you choose may be different or unique to each project.

For some setups, the workpiece — or material stock — can be screwed directly into the CNC machine's sacrificial wasteboard, while other machines will require the use of clamps that slide into T-shaped tracks, are screwed into threaded inserts, or even inserted into custom jigs. Always secure the material stock to the CNC machine by following your CNC manufacturer's workholding guidelines.

How secure is secure?

You should be able to vigorously push and pull against the workpiece in all directions once the material stock has been secured to the CNC machine.

Choosing a Workholding Method

The most suitable workholding solution for your project depends entirely on:

  • the CNC machine you have
  • the size and type of material you're machining
  • the complexity of your project
  • the operations, tooling, and Feeds and Speeds you've chosen
  • your experience with your equipment

Always consider safety, efficiency, and the specific requirements of your machining tasks when selecting a workholding method.

Always Preview the operations set to output before starting the job or sending the GCode to the CNC machine. Always Preview the operations set to output before starting the job or sending the GCode to the CNC machine.

Workholding Examples

Below we showcase a variety of methods for securing workpieces on a CNC router, each with their own advantages and limitations. The most suitable solution will depend on factors such as the type of material you're machining, the complexity of your project, and available resources.

Remember — because every CNC machine is different, we're not going to teach you all about CNC workholding. We're going to introduce you to several common methods and their pros/cons instead.

Warning

Secure the material stock to the CNC machine by following the CNC manufacturer workholding guidelines.

FAILURE TO FOLLOW CNC MANUFACTURER WORKHOLDING RECOMMENDATIONS CAN LEAD TO DAMAGED PROPERTY, BODILY HARM, OR DEATH.

Verify that the material stock is properly secured by vigorously pushing and pulling against the workpiece in all directions.

View the Workholding Guide for examples.

Screw Workpiece Down

Predrill several pilot holes away from the machining area. Secure with screws appropriate for the material stock.

Clamp Workpiece

Use metal, wood, or plastic clamps to secure the stock from the top-down and/or sides.

Adhere With Double-sided Tape

Cover the flat base of the material stock with double-sided tape to adhere it to the CNC work area.

Adhere With Masking Tape and CA Glue

Cover both the flat base of the material stock and the CNC work area with tape and use CA glue to stick them together.

Jigs and Fixtures

Use custom-made jigs and fixtures to secure stock and for rapid cycle time when machining on multiple objects within the same operation.

Tack Down With Machineable Brads

Use machineable brads to secure the stock to the wasteboard, without risking tooling should collisions ever occur.

Use Vacuum Table

Hold down flat stock and release the material at a flip of a switch or automatically through MillMage.

Secure Workpiece in Vise

Securely mount a vise to the CNC work area and use the vise jaws to hold the material stock.

Workholding Optimizations

Workholding When Cutting Through Workpiece

Add custom tabs to keep objects in place when cutting through material stock.

For more help using MillMage, please visit our forum to talk with MillMage staff and users, or email support.