Metal CNC Mill "Betongsuggan"

Beta. Keep the machine under close watch and don't use expensive material until you trust it. New to CNC? Learn on the Carvera Air first.

CNC mill for plastics and non-ferrous metals. Concrete (UHPC) frame with cast-in steel rails, 3.7 kW spindle, closed-loop servos.

Doors open	Doors closed
Betongsuggan with doors open: spindle, MQL nozzles, vise and controls	Betongsuggan with doors closed

Doors open

Doors closed

Betongsuggan with doors open: spindle, MQL nozzles, vise and controls

Betongsuggan with doors closed


Location	Machining room in the Metal workshop, opposite the Portalfräsen
Access	Anyone who can operate it safely. No booking.
Materials	Plastics, aluminium, brass, copper
Work area	~400 × 350 × 200 mm
Tools	ER20, max 12 mm shank
Emergency stop	One only — control panel, front left
Help / faults	Slack `#metal-cnc`

Materials

Only materials on this list. Anything else: ask in #metal-cnc first.

Material
Plastics	✅
Aluminium	✅
Brass	✅
Copper	✅
Steel and other ferrous metals	❌ not yet — will be allowed later
Wood	❌ — use the Portalfräsen or Carvera Air
Carbon fibre, glass fibre (incl. FR4, G10)	❌ never — harmful dust

Control panel: front left, with the emergency stop and power buttons.
Controller: LinuxCNC on a Mesa 7i76E. Computer on the wall to the right; login on the sign on the machine.
Files: USB stick, or your member folder on the network drive. Any CAM that outputs LinuxCNC G-code (most use Fusion).
Doors: not interlocked — opening them does not stop the machine. Keep them closed while cutting.
MQL (tool lubrication): blue unit front right, below the enclosure. Only touch the on/off switch. The regulators are marked DON'T CHANGE (1.5–2 bar).
Central lubrication: an oil pump lubricates the rails and ballscrews.
Tool wrenches: two, shared with the Portalfräsen; one is a Wera torque wrench preset for ER20.
Workholding: small vise on the table.
Chips: no dust collection — chips fall through the steel frame and collect under the machine (chip drawer to come).

Eye and hearing protection.
Clamp the work firmly.
Doors closed while cutting.
Know where the single emergency stop is.
Workpiece moves, tool breaks, strange sounds or smoke: emergency stop. Don't open the doors until the spindle has stopped.

Connect the 3-phase supply.
Press the green power button. All lights come on, an alarm beeps a few times (water cooler starting) and a fan starts (spindle drive).
Start the computer, log in, start LinuxCNC.
Home all axes: Machine → Homing → Home All.
Clamp the workpiece, fit the tool.
Load the G-code, set the origin.
Close the doors, start the job and watch it to the end.
Clean up: brush or vacuum chips from the work area and the floor underneath.

Problem	Action
Workpiece moves	Emergency stop. Wait for the spindle to stop before opening the doors.
Tool breaks, unusual noise	Emergency stop, report in `#metal-cnc`.
Won't home	Check the emergency stop isn't pressed in.

Fix what you're comfortable fixing — and write up what you did in #metal-cnc.


Frame	UHPC concrete with cast-in steel rails, on a steel stand (doubles as chip funnel)
Table	50 mm solid steel, heavy linear rails and ballscrews
Drives	Delta closed-loop servos
Spindle	3.7 kW, 800 Hz, max 24,000 rpm, water-cooled
VFD	Simphoenix V350, 400 V, 7.5 kW
Collets	ER20, max 12 mm
Work area	~400 × 350 × 200 mm
Lubrication	Central oil lubrication; Dynacut MDE MQL for the tool
Controller	LinuxCNC, Mesa 7i76E

When to use the MQL (e.g. for aluminium).
What each control panel button does; how to switch off.
How to set the origin; post-processor settings (the Portalfräsen used: radius arcs on, helical moves off).
Where the wrenches, extra vises and clamps are kept; whether there are shared tools.
How to check the central lubrication and who refills it.
When ferrous metals will be allowed.

Add answers here or in #metal-cnc.