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Low-Volume Manufacturing Solutions for Photoelectric Module Holders
Learn how WayKen’s 3+2 axis machining ensures precision and cost-effectiveness for photoelectric module holders, balancing quality, efficiency, and budget.
At a Glance of the Project
| Information | |
|---|---|
| Industry | Energy Industry |
| Product | Photoelectric Module Holders |
| Challenges | Thin-wall machining, 10 machining orientations, tight tolerances |
| Technology | 3+2-axis machining |
| Material | Aluminum 7075-T6 |
| Surface finish | TYPE III, Class II anodizing 35-50μm, Ral 9005 Black |
| Quantity | 50 sets |
| Lead Time | 20 Business days |
Project Background
Photoelectric instruments have a wide range of applications in the energy, medical, aerospace, and marine fields, and have become indispensable of many high-tech equipment due to their high precision and reliability. In addition to electronic components, the structural components are also critical, requiring high material levels and machining precision.
Recently, WayKen supported a customer in the energy industry with structural components for photoelectric instruments, balancing quality with cost.
Product Requirements
Due to these kinds of structural products frequently updating the design for testing and market validation, the customer required custom-machined components for this project. This demand called for a manufacturing solution that could balance flexibility and efficiency. They wanted to find a more cost-effective approach that maintained the same high quality while enabling fast delivery. This case study will share WayKen’s solutions for manufacturing these structural parts in low-volume production.
Optical Module Holder: Structure Analysis & Machining Solutions
This project involved 27 machined parts, but we focused on the module holder component. The holder features a complex structure with a top, bottom, and eight side surfaces, totaling 10 machining orientations. It also requires high precision, with a 0.02mm tolerance for flatness, parallelism, perpendicularity, circular runout, and coaxiality.
For prototyping several parts, we commonly used simultaneous 5-axis machining to improve efficiency. However in this low-volume production project, we considered that the overall structure of the holder is a cavity, and most machined surfaces are planar. Therefore, we would first choose these two machining approaches: 3-axis + 3+2-axis machining and 3-axis + continuous simultaneous 5-axis machining. Below is their comparison.
| 3-axis and 3+2-axis machining | 3-axis and continuous simultaneous 5-axis machining | |
| Applicable parts structure | Flat parts: such as boxes, plates, etc; Simple surface parts: parts with relatively gentle surface changes; Deep cavity parts: the tool can be tilted at a certain angle to settle tool interference, deep inside the deep cavity for machining. | Complex curved parts; Parts with complex multi-surface structures; Parts with high precision requirements. |
| Clamping times | 3 times | 2 times |
| Programming difficulty | Relatively simple | Complex, requires specialized programming |
| Equipment cost | Lower | Higher |
| Available equipment | Many, easy to obtain | Fewer, more difficult to obtain |
| Machining time | Longer | Shorter |
While simultaneous 5-axis machining reduces fixturing steps and machining time, it requires specialized programming and higher-cost equipment. Additionally, its hourly machining cost is double that of 3+2-axis machining, making overall costs higher.
Considering the budget, scheduling flexibility, and cost-effectiveness, we suggested 3-axis + 3+2-axis machining, which offers lower machining costs, easier programming, and broader machine availability while meeting quality and timeline requirements.
Optical Module Holder Machining Process
With the machining plan in place, we will introduce the three-step clamping process used for manufacturing this holder.
Step 1: 3-Axis Machining Clamping Position
The photoelectric module holder measures 94.5 × 71 × 47mm, and we used 100 × 100 × 50mm blanks. First, a 3-axis machine is used to machine the clamping position, preparing the part for subsequent operations.
Step 2: 3+2 Axis Machining Side Structures
We clamped the part in the 3+2 axis machine through the clamping position first. Then, we machined the side structures and internal cavities. The machining order is carefully planned to ensure accuracy and stability.
With thin walls (2.5mm, and only 1mm in some areas), the module holder part requires strict flatness and parallelism control. If the cavity is machined first, the lack of internal support can lead to deformation when machining the side structures.
To prevent this, we first machine the side structures using 3+2 rotary positioning, keeping the internal material as reinforcement. After completing the side structures, we machine the internal cavities with small cutting depths and feeds to minimize cutting forces and reduce deformation risks.
Step 3: 3+2 Axis Machining Clamping Structure
After the above steps, we left the clamping position structure and the side holes unmachined. To improve efficiency, we machine two parts per cycle on one machine. Additionally, a clamping structure with internal cavity support is designed to further minimize deformation.
Strict Inspection to Ensure Quality
We produced one unit for the First Article Inspection (FAI) according to the planned machining process. The QC department then conducted a detailed inspection. After the customer confirmed the FAI report and quality, we finalized the key inspection dimensions for low-volume production. We also created a balloon drawing and followed the MIL-STD-105E sampling standard with Zero rejects to take 13 out of 50 pieces, ensuring all details met the requirements before delivery.
Get Start With Your Project at WayKen
This photoelectric module project is a typical low-volume customized production. For this kind of manufacturing project, customers usually need the manufacturer to accurately realize complex designs, ensure dimensional accuracy and performance quality, and deliver the products within the specified time to meet the project tempo, as well as to control the production cost under the premise of ensuring the quality.
WayKen has advanced equipment and a professional team to realize high-precision custom CNC machining and strictly control the quality. Through optimized processes and efficient management, it ensures on-time delivery and provides cost-effective solutions, making it a reliable partner for your low-volume manufacturing.
