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Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2025-08-25 Origin: Site
Epoxy boards (also known as epoxy glass cloth boards) are composite insulating materials made by combining fiberglass cloth with epoxy resin. They are well known for their high mechanical strength, excellent electrical insulation, and good heat resistance, making them widely used in electronics, electrical engineering, mechanical manufacturing, aerospace, and other industries.
In practical use, epoxy boards often need to be processed into specific shapes or sizes. Since the material is both hard and tough, it requires the right processing method, chosen based on material properties, desired precision, and efficiency.
Cutting is the most basic and widely used processing step.
Laser cutting – High precision and fast speed, suitable for fine contours.
Waterjet cutting – No heat-affected zone, making it ideal for temperature-sensitive materials.
Flame cutting – Can handle thicker boards but offers lower precision.
In actual production, cutting is typically used first to obtain rough dimensions, followed by finer finishing with other methods.
Traditional lathes and milling machines can also be used to process epoxy boards, especially for making flat surfaces, grooves, and curved shapes. They are particularly suitable for thicker boards. However, since these machines are primarily designed for metals, processing efficiency is lower, and the friction heat generated may damage the epoxy material. As a result, this method is more suitable for small batches or parts with lower precision requirements.
CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machining is currently the most popular method for high-precision epoxy board processing.
Advantages:
Great flexibility, capable of handling complex geometries (e.g., insulation rods, gears, precision gaskets).
High precision, with tolerances down to millimeter-level or tighter.
Supports multiple processes such as milling, cutting, and drilling in one setup.
Because of its accuracy and efficiency, CNC machining is widely used for electronic components and mechanical parts that demand consistent quality and strict dimensional accuracy.
Drilling is often used as a supporting process, for example in mounting, fastening, or through-hole connections.
CNC drilling machines ensure accurate positioning and consistent hole diameters.
Commonly combined with other steps, such as “drill first, then mill.”
When machining epoxy boards, the following points should be carefully managed:
Material condition: Ensure the boards are fully cured before processing to prevent resin sticking to tools.
Temperature control: Maintain the working environment at 20–25 °C. Excess heat can soften or deform the resin.
Dust management: Machining produces large amounts of glass fiber dust. Use wet cutting or dust extraction systems to protect workers and the environment.
Quality inspection: After processing, check size accuracy (tolerances typically within ±0.1 mm), surface roughness (Ra ≤ 3.2 μm), and look for defects such as delamination or cracks.
Processing epoxy boards requires selecting the right method based on application needs. Cutting is best for initial sizing, lathes and milling for simple shapes, CNC machining for complex and high-precision components, and drilling for essential hole-making. By properly adjusting process parameters, controlling dust and temperature, and ensuring thorough quality inspections, manufacturers can fully leverage the advantages of epoxy boards and deliver products that meet demanding performance requirements.
