Project:CNC Mill dust extraction
| ProjectInfoBox CNC mill extraction | |
|---|---|
| |
| Status: | done |
| Release Date: | 08.05.2026 |
| Initiator: | LabCrow |
| Materials Used: | PLA |
| Tools Used: | 3D Printers |
| Software Used: | Onshape |
Idea
Effective chip and dust extraction is vital for CNC milling aluminium because it prevents the "recutting" of debris, which causes poor surface finishes and can lead to tool failure. Aluminium is a gummy material that tends to fuse to the cutting bit when heat builds up; by extracting the chips immediately, heat can be carried away from the workpiece rather than trapping it. Beyond protecting the tool, a dedicated extraction system preserves the machine's mechanical integrity by keeping abrasive, conductive particles away from precision linear rails and sensitive electronics. Ultimately, maintaining a clear cutting path ensures dimensional accuracy and creates a significantly safer workspace by eliminating the respiratory risks of airborne metallic dust and the physical hazards of sharp, scattered shards since the machine is not enclosed.
Since the CNC mill in the metal room doesn't have such an extraction system yet, this project should fix this.
Creation Steps / Process
I chose a similar approach to the extraction I did for the BlackBox CNC mill that is being renovated: A two part module that binds together using 10x40x3 mm neodymium magnets and encloses the machining area with brushes (that are plugged in and secured with glue) and connects to an adapter for the vacuum. This time it's the Festool adapter. Also since this machine is supplied with ethanol based coolant, there needs to be a hole for the Loc-Line hose (or similar). Another difference is that the module is not mounted to a horizontal metal plate but needs to be directly attached to the spindle. Because of this the main part is clamped around the spindle using M5 screws.
To avoid the relatively heavy hose of the vacuum to burden the adapter (especially when still being made from PLA), the hose is mounted from above through a second mechanism that allows it to follow the movements of the CNC more easily. This was achieved by embedding a M6 flat head screw with a very lose fit into a clamp while printing. To mount it to the wooden wall, the screw sandwiches the board with two nuts.
To test the design and since the longevity is not yet tested, most of it was printed in PLA but the main part was made using PETG since it exerts less creep than PLA which should help maintain the clamping force.
Results
Learnings
Since I already did a similar project there wasn't much I learned. What I wasn't that used to is to design based on a blueprint as I did for the vacuum adapter. Connected with this I learned that the height of the teeth of the adapter is not that important since mine were ~11mm instead of 8mm but still fit.
