Computer Controlled Machining

For this assignment I designed and fabricated a storage cabinet dedicated to organizing my climbing equipment. Climbing requires carrying several types of gear such as boots, climbing shoes, ropes, harnesses, carabiners and backpacks. Normally this equipment ends up stored in multiple locations, which makes it difficult to organize and access quickly.

The goal of this project was to design a piece of furniture that could store all this equipment in a structured and accessible way. Instead of building a conventional piece of furniture using traditional woodworking techniques, I designed the cabinet specifically to be manufactured using a CNC router.

Using computer controlled machining allows complex geometries to be cut precisely, while also enabling the entire furniture structure to be manufactured from a single sheet of plywood. This approach reduces waste, simplifies the assembly process and allows the design to be reproduced easily.

The final cabinet dimensions are:

• Height: 120 cm
• Depth: 35 cm
• Width: 52 cm

Before starting the CAD design, the first step was to analyze the different types of climbing equipment that needed to be stored. Each type of gear has different dimensions and usage patterns. This analysis allowed the cabinet to be divided into different functional modules.

The cabinet was organized vertically into five different zones:

• Bottom compartment: dedicated to climbing boots. This section requires more height because boots are bulky.
• Second level: designed for climbing shoes. These shoes are smaller but still require ventilation.
• Third level: intended for climbing accessories such as harnesses, chalk bags, carabiners and belay devices.
• Fourth level: a perforated pegboard panel that allows hanging equipment using hooks.
• Top compartment: storage for backpacks or climbing rope.

This modular organization improves accessibility and keeps equipment organized according to how it is used.

The perforated panel was particularly useful because it allows flexible storage configurations. By using hooks, different equipment can be rearranged depending on the user's needs.

The entire cabinet was designed in SolidWorks. Using CAD software allowed precise control of the dimensions and made it possible to verify the assembly before manufacturing.

During the design stage the following considerations were taken into account:

• Material thickness of the plywood sheet
• Press-fit tolerances for joints
• Structural rigidity of the furniture
• Ease of CNC manufacturing

The cabinet was designed using interlocking joints that allow the pieces to be assembled without screws or nails. This type of joint is often used in CNC furniture because it simplifies assembly and ensures structural stability.

Another important aspect of the design was reducing the number of unique parts. To simplify manufacturing the entire cabinet was composed of only three types of components:

• 1 back panel
• 2 side panels
• 5 horizontal shelves

Reducing the number of unique parts simplifies both fabrication and assembly.

Back panel

The schematic was organized into functional blocks for clarity.

Download .SLDPRT

Lateral Panels

The lateral panels include the press-fit joints that allow the cabinet to be assembled without screws.

Download .SLDPRT

Shelves

The shelves were designed to fit perfectly between the lateral panels, with cutouts that allow them to lock into place using the press-fit joints.

Download .SLDPRT

Once the 3D model was completed, all the parts were exported as 2D DXF files. These DXF files represent the outlines that will be cut by the CNC router.

The parts were then arranged in a layout corresponding to the dimensions of the plywood sheet used for machining. The sheet dimensions were:

• 2400 mm height
• 1200 mm width

This step is often called nesting. The goal of nesting is to arrange the parts in a way that minimizes wasted material.

By carefully arranging the pieces, all parts of the cabinet were able to fit into a single plywood sheet. This significantly reduces material cost and improves manufacturing efficiency.

The DXF layout was imported into VCarve to generate the toolpaths for the CNC router. VCarve is a CAM software used to convert vector geometry into machine instructions.

Inside VCarve the following steps were performed:

• Import the DXF geometry.
• Define the material size (2400 mm × 1200 mm).
• Define the material thickness.
• Select the cutting tool.
• Create profile toolpaths.
• Add holding tabs.

Holding tabs are small connections that keep parts attached to the sheet during machining. Without tabs the pieces could move once fully cut, which could damage the part or the tool.

The software also allows previewing the machining simulation before sending the file to the CNC router. This helps verify that all parts will be cut correctly.

The machining process was performed using a CNC router. The plywood sheet was first secured to the machine bed to prevent movement during cutting.

The machining workflow followed these steps:

1. Fix the plywood sheet to the CNC bed.
2. Install the cutting tool.
3. Set the machine origin.
4. Zero the Z-axis on the material surface.
5. Load the toolpath file generated in VCarve.
6. Start the machining process.

During cutting, the router followed the toolpaths generated in the CAM software, removing material to produce the final shapes of the cabinet components.

After machining was completed, the parts were separated from the plywood sheet by cutting the tabs. The edges were then lightly sanded to remove any rough surfaces created during cutting.

The cabinet was assembled manually using the press-fit joints designed in SolidWorks. These joints allow the pieces to lock together without requiring screws or adhesives and varnished to protect the surface.

This type of assembly method is very common in CNC furniture design because it simplifies manufacturing and allows the furniture to be disassembled if necessary.