Envisioning New Markets with Roland DG MDX Technology
Amir Tayyebi | Atlanta, Georgia
Amir Tayyebi of Atlanta, Georgia, really enjoys designing intricate products. Amir earned two master’s degrees in product design and manufacturing and is a senior product designer for SoftWear Automation, an automation and robotics company. Amir fills his off hours with work on his own designs, including a line of high-end eyeglass frames made from buffalo horn and other premium substrates.
To accomplish his off-hours production, Amir purchased a Roland DG MODELA MDX-540 benchtop milling machine with the optional rotary axis. “Primarily, estimated service life, maintenance cost, and cutting versatility dictated which mill I must buy,” said Amir. “The MDX’s quality and performance made it the clear winner.”
Benefits of Subtractive Technology
“The MDX-540 is perfect for my production needs,” he continued. “It’s very fast and accurate, has a large milling surface area, and it allows me to mill a wide variety of substrates.”
Also, Amir commented, the speed of milling is often 2-3 times faster than 3D printing. “In terms of design tolerance and surface finish, what you get from a CNC milling process is even better than an injection molded part,” he said.
“Accuracy and repeatability are crucial to my business. The MDX-540 always repeats within a tolerance of 50 microns,” he said.
Industrial Strength Production
In addition to his eyeglass line, Amir has used his MDX to mill prototypes and working models of his designs for oral hygiene products and surgical instruments.
He notes that although the MDX-540 can run at maximum of 12,000 RPM, it can also run as slow as 400 RPM. This range allows the spindle to stably respond to changes in cutting load which allows for better heat dissipation management as well as longer tool life and surface integrity.
“The MDX makes anyone creative - your imagination is your only limitation,” said Amir.
To accomplish his off-hours production, Amir purchased a Roland DG MODELA MDX-540 benchtop milling machine with the optional rotary axis. “Primarily, estimated service life, maintenance cost, and cutting versatility dictated which mill I must buy,” said Amir. “The MDX’s quality and performance made it the clear winner.”
Benefits of Subtractive Technology
“The MDX-540 is perfect for my production needs,” he continued. “It’s very fast and accurate, has a large milling surface area, and it allows me to mill a wide variety of substrates.”
“The MDX makes anyone creative - your imagination is your only limitation.”
Amir knew he needed a subtractive solution for creating accurate prototypes and custom products. “At work, I often 3D print to evaluate how the product looks, but I use a CNC mill to create fully-functional prototypes,” said Amir. “3D printer output can be deceiving. The source material does not always maintain its integrity and strength after it’s put through the 3D printing process.”Also, Amir commented, the speed of milling is often 2-3 times faster than 3D printing. “In terms of design tolerance and surface finish, what you get from a CNC milling process is even better than an injection molded part,” he said.
“Accuracy and repeatability are crucial to my business. The MDX-540 always repeats within a tolerance of 50 microns,” he said.
Industrial Strength Production
In addition to his eyeglass line, Amir has used his MDX to mill prototypes and working models of his designs for oral hygiene products and surgical instruments.
He notes that although the MDX-540 can run at maximum of 12,000 RPM, it can also run as slow as 400 RPM. This range allows the spindle to stably respond to changes in cutting load which allows for better heat dissipation management as well as longer tool life and surface integrity.
“The MDX makes anyone creative - your imagination is your only limitation,” said Amir.