What Gloria Wants to Know
I had call this week from a jeweler looking at CAD/CAM for her store. Gloria already has the CAD software and has been thinking about buying a CNC Wax Mill to make some of her designs in house. Gloria is a long time customer so I was happy to help
Over the past few years CNC Wax Milling has become very affordable and tailored specifically for the jewelry industry. I have tested many of these machines and most of them are appropriate and very affordable now. There are some companies who focus their efforts in the jewelry industry like.
.
These firms market complete systems with jewelry design software along with all the training she would need to get started. These companies also have web forums for jewelers to share ideas and expand their abilities. ( I like this approach when someone creates a community )
My friend Gloria is the kind of independent woman who likes to change her own oil and rides motorcross.
There might be some other options for her to consider. There are several mainstream companies that
manufacture CNC Wax Mills like.
Roland
, Minitech, and 
MaxNC. 
These firms, along with many others, market the CNC Mill hardware With this option, Gloria would then have to buy jewelry specific software to run the machine from Proto-Wizard and pretty much go at it alone for her training. I recently spoke with a young jeweler in Michigan, Matthew Gross who took this choice several years ago. He struggled and in the process found a niche for training other jewelers about CNC. Matthew created a DVD with all the bells and whistles on his website for training.
For Gloria, and for most jewelers I think, the technology choice is about how much value to place on a user community. After all it is not just buying a CNC Wax Mill, it’s how you learn the art of milling. If anyone has some advice for Gloria….send me your comments…I am always looking for a good technology tip to pass along
David Olson commented:
Any jeweler that complains about the price of CAD/CAM and beleives
in the value of an online community should go directly to
www.3dwaxmill.com check out the gallery and international jewelry
community and join the revolution!
Jeff Dunnington commented:
Steven For a very affordabble solution (under $4500) with training
and a members forum of over 4 years. Gloria and others might want
to look at the 3D Wax Mill Desktop Jewelers Solution at
3dwaxmill.com. Based on the Roland MDX-15 mill and software with
the 3dwaxmill Rotary, it is hard to beat this solution for twice to
3 times the money. Take a look at over 400 pieces of jewelry
created by jewelers using this system at www.3dwaxmill.com/gallery
. I am a jeweler with 35 years of design and bench experience. I
have passionately developed this solution for the past 5 years to
give jewelers who want to get into CAD/CAM with out breaking the
bank. This also gives them the ability increase produtivity and
produce high quality, precision waxes not possible to do by hand.
harryman commented:
Not trying to steal your thunder Steve, but I would suggest Gloria
check out 3dcadjewelry.com, it's a free forum where jewelers using
a variety of CAD/CAM software, milling and RP machines share info,
tips and problems. She could find out the strengths and weaknesses
of the milling machines jewelers use, from the users themselves and
not just from their salesmen. I don't know if your a member, but I
hope to see you there. A disclaimer, I have no finiancial interest
in the site, only wanted to spread the word. Umesh, you can mill
prongs that small, you need an accurate machine and most
importantly, it has to be perfectly aligned.
Umesh.G.Chavan commented:
I am from India. I use J-CAD, RHino, Ideas software for making
designs & carry out rapid prototyping using Viper or
Envisiontec.I have an accuracy level to 25 microns. I am presently
working on the micro pave with 0.4 mm prong size in the cad files
can this be done in CNC? THe machines We have in India donot have
the capability. Resin out puts are good. Have any suggestions?
Umesh.G.Chavan Phd, F.G.A(London), M.B.A
