Advice on machining Carbon panels

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#1

Hello everyone,

I’m a new member to the forum from the UK and I’m looking for some advice on how best to machine carbon fibre panels.

My aim is to make purely decorative CF panels to use as a nameplate for a display stand I’m currently working on. I’d like to ‘engrave’ onto the panel and in fill with paint and then machine around to cut the desired shape out.

What is the best method to use (laser cut, CNC machine, water jet etc.) to enable me to:

  1. engrave onto the surface so as not to cut completely through the panel

and then

  1. completely cut out a perfect edge around my engraving

Also, as this is completely non-structural am I better off using a substitute to carbon such as Diolen to make this less expensive? Are there any differences to machining Diolen against Carbon?

Thanks in advance guys

#2

  1. CNC milling, preferably below water, to reduce dust. Carbon dust WILL kill electric components.

  2. Water jetting. Make sure you either begin on a scrap piece, or buy a machine which injects abrasives directly at the nozzle, or the first splash of (unabrasive) water will kill the looks.

Alternatives should be sought in the easy-to-mill products, diolen, aramide and dyneema are not among them. There is black glass, but it is harsh on the router bit.

#3

Hi herman thanks for getting back to me!

I have access to both CNC milling machine and waterjet at University so will have a try and see what happens.

Thanks again!