CNC cutting for foam and composites — protective packaging, case inserts, fiberglass profiles and composite panels. Router and knife cutting from one supplier, with the case study to prove it.
Two different problems, often in one shop
- Foam — case inserts, packaging, patterns. Wants high feed rates, knife or router cutting by density, and vacuum that holds featherweight parts without crushing them.
- Composites — fiberglass, carbon, G10, SMC. Abrasive materials that destroy ordinary tooling; wants rigid machines, coated carbide, serious dust extraction, correct chiploads.
Proof over promises: Protectolite Composites, a 60-year Toronto composites supplier, replaced slow, costly waterjet cutting of fiberglass profiles with a CNC router from us — faster cutting, lower cost per hour, expanded capacity for their utility and transit customers. In their words: “For accurate, 2D cutting of fiberglass profiles to precision sizes, it is hard to beat a CNC router with a vacuum table.”
What we recommend
| Composites / rigid foam | Mikon Orka — 11.5 HP HSK63, ATC, all-steel frame; tooled with coated carbide from our own catalogue |
|---|---|
| Soft foam / mixed media | Router/knife combination — current pre-owned inventory includes a 5×10 with oscillating and tangential knives plus camera vision |
| Thick / heat-sensitive composite | Waterjet — ask; we carry it |
Frequently asked
What tooling survives fiberglass?
Coated carbide, burr-style and compression geometries, run at correct chiploads — supplied with the machine from CNC Router Store, with the parameters included. Composites eat tooling when the parameters are guessed.
Dust?
Composite dust is a health and housekeeping problem; extraction is specified with the machine, not bolted on after.
Can you prove it on our material?
Free material test — send foam or laminate, get parts and parameters back.
Talk to a specialist
(905) 738-7954 or the quote form — answered within one business day.