When developing a foot bath, the prototype process directly determines whether the product can meet user demands for safety (like anti-slip design), funzionalità (stable heating, smooth massage), e durata (impermeabilizzazione). Among all prototyping methods, IL CNC machining foot bath prototype process stands out for its ability to replicate complex structures—such as curved basins, massage roller tracks, and heating pipe slots—but what makes this process a reliable choice for foot bath R&D? This article breaks down the core stages, Vantaggi, and key considerations of this CNC process to solve common development challenges.
1. Core Advantages of the CNC Machining Foot Bath Prototype Process
The CNC process addresses unique demands of foot baths (PER ESEMPIO., water circulation, Resistenza ad alta temperatura). Below are its four irreplaceable advantages:
| Categoria di vantaggio | Specific Performance | Value for Foot Baths |
| Complex Structure Machining | Handles curved basins (deep barrel/flat type), thin-walled heating pipe slots (<1.5mm), and precise roller tracks that 3D printing struggles with. | Enables integrated machining of basin slopes (15°–20° for smooth water circulation) and bubble vent holes (Φ0.8mm ±0.02mm) to avoid airflow blockage. |
| Multi-Material Compatibility | Processes plastics (Addominali, PC, acrilico), metalli (lega di alluminio, acciaio inossidabile), and supports silicone (for anti-slip pads via CNC-machined molds). | – ABS/PC for lightweight, high-temperature-resistant basins (withstands 80°C+ water).- Stainless steel for rust-resistant bubble vents and drain valves.- Aluminum alloy for heat-conductive heating pipe brackets.- Silicone (molded via CNC molds) for anti-slip bottom pads. |
| High-Precision Control | Dimensional tolerance controlled within ± 0,05 mm, accurately reproducing basin depth, roller spacing, and heating pipe slot positions. | Ensures heating pipe slot clearance is 0.1mm ±0.02mm (for tight fitting, no water leakage) and roller track coaxiality <0.05mm (for smooth rotation, no jamming). |
| Rapid Functional Validation | Machines assembly structures (scatta, fori per le viti, drain valve seats) for immediate prototype assembly—no extra post-processing needed to fit heating systems or massage components. | Cuts R&Tempo di 25%: Test heating speed, massage uniformity, and water tightness right after machining. |
2. Step-by-Step Breakdown of the CNC Machining Foot Bath Prototype Process
The CNC process follows a linear, repeatable workflow tailored to foot baths. It consists of 8 Fase chiave:
- 3Design del modello D. & Component Splitting
Usa il software CAD (SolidWorks/UG) to design all components, Concentrarsi su:
- Basin: Outline (deep barrel: 300mm×400mm×150mm; flat type: 400mm×500mm×80mm), internal slope (15°–20° for water circulation), and water level line logos.
- Massage System:
- Roller type: Track curves (radius 10mm) and roller spacing (30mm ±0.5mm).
- Bubble type: Vent hole positions (evenly spaced 20mm apart) and air duct grooves.
- Vibration type: Vibrating plate fixing slots (depth 5mm ±0.02mm).
- Functional Structures: Heating pipe slots (width 12mm ±0.05mm), drain valve seats (Φ25mm ±0.03mm), and anti-slip bottom pad grooves.
Split complex models into machinable parts (basin, upper cover, pannello di controllo, massage component bracket) for separate processing.
- Data Preparation & Tool Path Planning
- Importa il modello 3D nel software CAM (Mastercam/PowerMill) to set the machining coordinate system.
- Plan tool paths:
- Ruvido: Φ12mm flat-bottom cutter (remove 90% materiale in eccesso, leave 0.3mm allowance for basin contours).
- Finitura: Φ2mm ball nose cutter for basin slopes and roller tracks; Φ0.8mm drill for bubble vents.
- Special machining: Use long-edge tools (length 50mm) for deep heating pipe slots or electrical discharge machining (Elettroerosione) for small drain valve holes.
- Generate G-code and simulate paths to avoid tool collisions (critical for thin-walled basin edges).
- Selezione del materiale & Preparazione
Choose materials based on component functions, then pretreat blanks:
| Tipo di componente | Materiale consigliato | Pretrattamento & Motivo chiave |
| Basin | ABS/PC | Cut into 500×600×200mm blanks; clean surface to remove impurities (ensuring smooth spraying). |
| Massage Rollers | Pom | Cut into Φ20×50mm cylinders; anneal to reduce hardness (for wear resistance and smooth rotation). |
| Bubble Vents/Drain Valves | Acciaio inossidabile 304 | Cut into Φ5×10mm blocks; deburr edges (to avoid scratching skin or blocking water flow). |
| Heating Pipe Brackets | Lega di alluminio 6061 | Cut into 80×40×15mm blanks; drill heat dissipation holes (Φ3mm) to improve thermal efficiency. |
| Anti-Slip Pads | Silicone (molded via CNC mold) | Machine an aluminum alloy mold (tolleranza ± 0,02 mm) Primo; then pour and vulcanize silicone (for anti-slip coefficient ≥0.8). |
- Serraggio & Posizionamento
- Grande parti (basin): Fix with vacuum adsorption platforms (avoids deformation from fixture pressure, critical for thin-walled basins).
- Piccole parti (rulli, Prese d'aria): Clamp with custom fixtures (align to machining axes for coaxiality).
- Use laser edge finders to set coordinates (ensures ±0.01mm positioning accuracy for drain valve seats).
- Macchinatura ruvida
Prioritize large surfaces (basin exteriors, cavità interne) with high feed rates (100mm/min) to quickly shape parts, protecting delicate structures like bubble vents and heating pipe slots.
- Finitura
Focus on user-critical details:
- Machine basin slopes to Ra0.8 surface roughness (for smooth water flow and easy cleaning).
- Cut roller tracks (radius 10mm ±0.02mm) and bubble vents (Φ0.8mm ±0.01mm).
- Drill water level line logo grooves (depth 0.5mm) and heating pipe slot heat dissipation holes (Φ3mm ±0.05mm).
- Post-elaborazione
- Sfacciato: Use 400-grit sandpaper to remove knife marks from basin edges and vent holes; use a polisher for internal basin surfaces (to avoid scratching feet).
- Trattamento superficiale:
- Parti di plastica (basin, upper cover): Spray matte finish (anti-fingerprint, anti-scratch) or laser engrave water level lines (permanent and clear).
- Parti metalliche (Prese d'aria, valvole): Anodize (anti-corrosion) or sandblast (anti-slip for valve knobs).
- Silicone parts (anti-slip pads): Secondary vulcanization (150° C per 1 ora) to improve water resistance and elasticity.
- Assemblaggio & Test funzionali
| Tipo di test | Scopo | Pass Criteria for Foot Baths |
| Prova di riscaldamento | Verify heating speed and temperature control accuracy. | Reaches 40°C from 20°C in ≤5 minutes; temperature variation ≤±1°C (avoids scalding). |
| Massage Test | Check massage uniformity and component stability. | Rollers rotate smoothly (no jamming); bubbles distribute evenly (all vents work); vibration has 3 adjustable levels. |
| Waterproof Test | Ensure no water leakage (critical for electrical safety). | No leakage at seams, drain valves, or heating pipe slots after 2-hour water immersion (0.1Pressione MPA). |
| Anti-Slip Test | Validate bottom pad effectiveness. | Anti-slip coefficient ≥0.8 on tile floors (no sliding when filled with 5L water). |
- Assemble components: Basin + massage system (rollers/bubbles/vibrators) + heating pipe + drain valve + pannello di controllo (use waterproof glue for seams).
- Conduct critical tests (Vedi la tabella sotto) to validate performance:
3. How Does the CNC Process Compare to Traditional Prototyping Methods?
The CNC process outperforms 3D printing and silicone duplication for foot baths. Here’s a direct comparison:
| Evaluation Metric | Processo di lavorazione CNC | 3D Stampa | Silicone Duplication |
| Precisione | ± 0,05 mm (ideal for heating pipe slots/bubble vents) | ± 0,1-0,3 mm (risk of water leakage or roller jamming) | ± 0,2-0,5 mm (poor for functional parts like drain valves) |
| Material Suitability | Metalli + plastica + silicone (via molds) (supports high-temperature, parti impermeabili) | Only plastic filaments (can’t replicate metal vents or heat-resistant basins; deforms at 60°C+). | Epoxy/resin (no metal compatibility; silicone parts lack water resistance). |
| Qualità della superficie | Liscio, deburred edges (Ra0.4–Ra0.8) for safety/comfort | Layered texture (requires extra sanding; rough basin surfaces scratch feet). | Smooth but lacks fine details (can’t replicate precise roller tracks or vent holes). |
| Efficienza dei costi (10+ Unità) | Lower per-unit cost (reusable G-codes/molds) | Più alto (spreco di materiale + post-processing for waterproofing). | Più alto (silicone molds degrade after 5–7 uses; necessita di frequenti sostituzioni). |
4. Key Precautions for the CNC Process
To avoid common flaws (PER ESEMPIO., water leakage, roller jamming), follow these three critical steps:
- Thin-Wall & Slot Protection
Use low cutting force (≤200N) e alta velocità (8,000 RPM) when machining thin-walled basin edges (<1.5mm) per prevenire la deformazione. For heating pipe slots, machine in 0.5mm incremental layers to ensure uniform width (avoids loose fits and leakage).
- Waterproof Structure Calibration
After machining drain valve seats and heating pipe slots, use a feeler gauge to check clearance (0.1mm ±0.02mm). If too wide, apply waterproof glue; if too narrow, perform 0.01mm secondary cutting—ensures tight fitting without damaging components.
- Silicone Mold Machining
When making anti-slip silicone pads, machine the aluminum alloy mold with precise groove patterns (depth 1mm ±0.02mm). After molding, trim flash with a sharp knife (avoids uneven pad thickness, which causes foot bath instability).
5. Yigu Technology’s Perspective on the CNC Machining Foot Bath Prototype Process
Alla tecnologia Yigu, we believe this CNC process is the backbone of reliable foot bath R&D. Its ±0.05mm precision solves two core pain points: waterproof structure accuracy (critical for user safety) and massage component stability—issues 3D printing can’t fix. Per esempio, a client’s deep-barrel foot bath prototype used our CNC-machined ABS basin and stainless steel vents: it passed 2-hour waterproof tests, heated to 40°C in 4.5 minuti, and had zero roller jamming. We recommend combining CNC (for basins/functional parts) con stampa 3D (for non-functional decor) to balance cost. Alla fine, this process validates user-centric details early, cutting mass-production risks.
Domande frequenti
- How long does the CNC machining foot bath prototype process take?
It takes 9–16 days: prototipi semplici (flat-type with basic heating) take 9–11 days; disegni complessi (deep-barrel with roller + bubble massage) take 13–16 days (including silicone molding and waterproof testing).
- What’s the cost range for a prototype using this process?
The cost ranges from 1,000 A 4,500 yuan per unità: plastic-only prototypes (ABS basin + basic heating) cost 1,000–2,000 yuan; metal-silicone prototypes (stainless steel vents + silicone pads + multi-massage functions) cost 2,500–4,500 yuan (due to mold and material costs).
- Can this process make customized basin sizes (PER ESEMPIO., compact travel foot baths)?
Yes—we use 5-axis CNC machines to make compact basins (250mm×300mm×100mm) for travel use, with the same ±0.05mm precision for heating slots and drain valves. The process also supports custom massage layouts (PER ESEMPIO., targeted roller positions for acupressure).