Looking for advice on the designs of these components for 3 axis CNC milling.

[Neil C]

Hi hanermo2, I did't get notice of your post for some reason so sorry this such a delayed response.

These are connecting blocks for 31.8mm tubing, tube to tube, tube to plate and tube to axle with bearings. Good finish is acceptable everywhere except inside of the counter bores ether side of the bulging head parts, these are to hold bearings so interference fit. There are no other contact or clearance critical surfaces on the parts. So good enough is good enough.

The bulging head. The amount of each part to make one unit is x7, x4, x2, x2 in order respectively. So the bulging head or number 1 makes up a large proportion of the parts. I have it drawn up simply as a block too, but weight if not accuracy is a critical issue on these parts and straitening the sides will take the part from 161g to 235g. this will be a 28% increase in the overall weight of the parts. So yes I can have it just as a block but it's a big compromise so I'd like to see what the difference in cost to machine would be.

Material, that was daft of me. I've been staring at these so long I forget the obvious. It's 6061, T6 probably but aluminium to be sure.

This is to make up a prototype and then we'll need to spend some time testing. If it’s successful we’ll look at a patent and putting it out there and seeing what kind of reaction we get. Then based off that we’ll do a first run. But even if these were very successful the numbers would be small, it's a very specialised product.