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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.

Clamp Workpiece

Clamp the workpiece using side clamps or top-down clamps, taking care to place tall portions of the clamp away from areas the router will travel over. Anchor the clamps in T-tracks or into threaded inserts within the CNC work area.

Pros

  • Versatile and adaptable to various workpiece sizes and shapes
  • Enables quick setup and adjustment
  • Multiple clamps may be required
  • Clamps can be made out of multiple different materials to securely hold the workpiece without marring surface finishes
  • Can be purchased or made
  • Adapts to multiple material thicknesses
  • Can flatten or straighten warped material

Cons

  • Top-down clamps only restrict vertical movements
  • Side or toe-clamps only restrict horizontal movements
  • Limited by the number and spacing of T-slots on the machine bed
  • Clamps or fixtures may obstruct cutting paths if not planned around
  • Collisions with metallic clamps may lead to damaged bits and tooling
  • Cutting through the workpiece may cut through the CNC table
  • Clamp strength is dependent on clamp material
  • Can block portions of the machineable area on the workpiece

Project Setup Notes

Safe Clearance Height

Always include the height of any top-down clamps or other potential obstructions when calculating the Safe Clearance Height of your operation.

Refer to Project Setup and Project Setup Wizard for additional details.

Safe Clearance Height with clamps gif

Clamps and Safe Clearance Height
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.

Other Workholding Methods

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.