As the popularity of King Color Core (Plastic) grows, the knowledge on how to cut and shape parts with a CNC router must grow as well. Here is how we created a simple yet eye-catching sign on the Kimla BPF CNC Router with Black & White King Color Core plastic material.
First off, lets dive into King Color Core and the Kimla BPF CNC Router. King Color Core is made with high-impact-resistant polymer, more commonly known as HDPE, to handle more abuse than conventional sign materials. It is durable, never needing refreshing, and versatile with layers of contrasting colors. Each side has a matte finished face. It is environmentally stabilized to withstand the harshest outdoor conditions meaning that it will not rust, delaminate or rot when exposed to UV, humidity, or water.
Ideal applications include:
- Signage
- Marine Applications
- Children’s Furniture & Tables
- Displays
- Games
- Museums
Kimla CNC Routers are the hottest routers on the market. They’re in a league of their own due to precise and intentional manufacturing. Customer needs are always at the forefront, which is why we have no problem recommending them to any and everyone. For this project, we used the Kimla BPF. If you’d like to learn more about the Kimla machine line, reach out to Specialty Machinery Inc.
King Color Core can be cut with an array of different CNC bits but we found that the best one for speed and quality was the XR2062-CB and XR2063-CB which is the Razor Series from X-Edge Tools. This is a three-flute upcut tool with chip-breakers built in, made for cutting plastic materials. The additional flutes allow for higher speeds. The chip-breakers help decrease chip size and material melting. The upcut/up-spiral direction helps this tool provide top notch quality.
Cutting King Color Core
For this project, a simple cutout and v-groove was all that was needed. This material has an array of different capabilities when it comes to tooling options. From roundover bits to keyhole slot cutters, there’s a lot that can be achieved here. First, we engraved “CNC Tooling Shop” into the material with the XIV6012 which is a 60 degree v-groove insert cutter. The replacement inserts in the cutter allow you to cut costs by simply replacing them when becoming dull instead of replacing the entire tool. The sweet spot for XIV6012 was a feed rate of 100 IPM and a spindle speed of 21,000 RPM. Lastly, we cutout the rectangle shape of the sign with the XR2062-CB which, as stated above, is a three flute upcut tool. This tool was ran at a whopping feed rate of 500 IPM and a spindle speed of 22,000 RPM. It’s amazing how well this tool cuts at high speeds.
Standard Cutting Parameters:
Advanced Cutting Parameters (following standard cutting parameters)
- Cutout Cleanup: (.03″ Removal) XR2062-CB | Feed Rate: 60 IPM | Spindle Speed: 22,000 RPM | Direction: Climb
Feel free to reach out with any questions or tool recommendations for cutting King Color Core, other plastics, aluminum, composites, or wood.
Greg Smolka (Author)
CNC Tooling & Application Manager
Here to help with tooling recommendations (bits, knives, collets, tool holders, maintenance kits, torque stations, etc.) and cutting recommendations (feeds/speeds, tips/tricks, # of passes, etc.).
Contact Info: greg@cnctoolingshop.com
