Hot Wire
Using a tensioned Ni-Chrome wire heated by electrical resistance, our CNC hot wire cutter effortlessly slices through polystyrene foam, carving out precision shapes and contours. The 1/64" wire leaves a path through the foam only 1/16" wide, evaporating the material around it. Our hot wire cutter has an operating area of 96" x 96" and is able to work on foam blocks 48" tall. The temperature of the cutting wire is adjustable, with the peak temp for many cutters being almost 400° Fahrenheit. To prevent scorching, we typically operate at 90 percent heat, a little less than 350° F. For the most delicate projects, we run the wire more slowly and with the heat turned down to 35 percent, about 130° F.
After the project is programmed, the wire is capable of operating on multiple planes to create contours and smooth edges. It is also able to change directions and back out of cuts, giving us the ability to carve the interior of some projects without slicing completely through. The hot wire cutter produces products such as inserts for hot tub covers, packaging, and sheets of insulation. This machine also allows us to create lightweight architectural pieces like columns and crown moldings, and even toys like airplane gliders.
Examples of products fabricated by this machine:
NOTE: Rough edges and markings will be cleaned for any and all finished products.