Today, we are writing our TwoTrees TTC450 CNC Router Review as we look at this desktop-sized CNC router. By concept, it is similar to laser cutters but with distinct differences in their cuts.
The TTC450 is a notable product worth considering. If you are curious, continue reading our TwoTrees TTC450 CNC Router Review to learn about the product. Here, we will discuss its design, functionalities, features, specifications, and how it performs.
TwoTrees TTC450 CNC Router Packaging
TwoTrees ships the TTC450 in a standard brown cardboard box displaying a few product details. The company ensured the CNC router remained safe and protected during shipping.
The TTC450 is 70% pre-assembled out of the box, so you will not bother with tedious setup processes. Also, TwoTrees included the following items inside the box for your convenience:
- A set of 2020 cross-members
- 2040 Bottom Crossbeam
- Left Y-axis Assembly
- Right Y-axis Assembly
- Left Y-axis Shield
- X-axis Assembly
- Z-axis Assembly
- ESP32 Control Box with Drag Chain
- TS35 Touch Screen Kit
- 775 Motor Chuck
- X-axis Stepper Motor
- 2x X-axis Limit Trigger Plate
- X-axis Limit Switch
- 2x Y-axis Limit Switch
- Z-probe
- SD Card
- Card Reader
- 6x Fixture
- 2x Mainboard Fixing Piece
- 3x Open-end Wrench
- Oblique Pliers
- One-way Screwdriver
- 4x Hexagonal Wrench
- 10x 30° Carving Cutter
- Milling Cutter
- V-Shaped Cutter
- Brush
- 2x Density Plate
- 10x Nylon Tie
- 18x Profile Seal
- Coupling
- 4x Rubber Foot Pad
- ER-11 6mm Collet
- 1x File
- 1x Protective Glasses
- Assorted sets of screws
- Sets of T-nut
TwoTrees TTC450 CNC Router Review – Design and Functionality
This product is for precision cutting with a 460 x 460 x 80mm working space. It can handle 3-axis X/Y/Z movements, 2D and 3D and sports a 32-bit microcontroller. The TTC450 also has a touchscreen control display and supports a WiFi connection.
Moreover, this product can read files on SD cards whenever an offline operation is necessary.
In our tests for this TwoTrees TTC450 CNC Router Review, we learned it uses various materials like the following:
- Acrylic
- Wood
- Plastwood
- Carbon Fibre Sheet
- Aluminium
- Metal
- A variety of engineering plastic materials
Its body is metal with 4080U aluminium beams, providing durability and strength. You can find its power socket on the side of its control box on the left corner of the engraving machine.
There is also a microSD card slot along its control box for operating the TTC450. It can be a Class 10 or 4, and it should support a capacity of up to 64GB.
The TTC450 has a push-on power button on the right side of the microSD card. It has a control box with an emergency stop button to halt operations in case of problems.
X, Y, and Z Axes
Its X-axis drive unit moves through a 460mm T8 lead screw driven by a Nema17 stepper motor. It features a torque that is 52N-cm.
The CNC router has two Y-axes that move through a 460mm T8 lead screw. Each has 2mm pitches driven by a Nema17 stepper motor with a 52N-cm torque.
The Z-axis moves through an 80mm-long T8 lead screw driven by a Nema 23 stepper motor with a 1.89Nm torque.
The workpiece is on the CNC router via a metal plate screwed to its primary plates. This setup conveniently lets you fix or position the material while supporting various shapes.
MKS DLC32 V2.1 Control Board
This part of our TwoTrees TTC450 CNC Router Review discusses the control board, an offline engraver controller for desktop engravers.
This system uses the ESP32-WROOM-32U module with WiFi capabilities. It interfaces with an 8.9cm colour touchscreen with support from A4988 motor drivers. These boast a drive current of 1.3A and are compatible with 12V and 24V DC power supplies.
The control board is compatible with LaserGRBL and Candle GRBL software, offering flexibility if you prefer desktop solutions. Additionally, it conveniently controls the CNC router directly through a web browser or smartphone application.
Key Features of the TwoTrees TTC450 CNC Router
The CNC router market offers many options, but which among them is the best? What makes the TTC450 from TwoTrees better? We will discuss all the details about its primary features to answer these questions.
High-speed Spindle
This CNC router has a standard 80W spindle operating with 7000 RPM speed. It also has a 500W spindle that can work as fast as 12000 RPM, offering smoother engraving performance. The high-speed spindle also quickly dissipates heat and operates quietly.
Spacious Working Area
We enjoyed the enlarged working area of this product while testing it for this TwoTrees TTC450 CNC Router Review. It measures 460x460x80mm, offering adequate space for a comfortable working experience. Plus, it meets most engraving needs and allows unlimited engraving, making it suitable for batch manufacturing.
Robust and Durable Construction
The TTC450 features a metal frame with high-quality screw rods. These allow for smoother and more stable operation.
Offline Engraving Supported
The TTC450 is a user-friendly CNC router you can connect and control easily. It supports offline operation via USB and TF cards. Plus, it works with LaserGRBL and Lightburn using a 20W laser module.
Accurate to the Millimetre
The TTC450 offers 0.01mm high engraving accuracy. Its limit stops on all axes for safe operation.
Wide range of applications
The TTC450 can perform 2D and 3D works on various materials, including acrylic, plastic, metals, etc. We also enjoyed engraving multiple materials when we tested the product for this TwoTrees TTC450 CNC Router Review.
Specifications
- Machine size: 782 x 670 x 390mm
- Engraving Size: 460 x 460 x 80mm
- Machine Material: Aluminium profile + plastic
- Lead Screw Type & Size: 4mm lead 5-start acme lead screw, T8 2mm pitch,
- Height Adjustment Method: Automatic Lifting Module Adjustment
- XY Axis Positioning Accuracy: 0.1mm
- Stepper Motor: A4988, NEMA23 20mN.m, 1.3A / 17HS8401S
- Engraving Speed: 800mm/min
- Engraving Precision: 0.01mm
- Spindle: 80W (8000RPM) and 500W (12000 RPM)
- Carving Material: Wood, acrylic, plastic, soft aluminium, PVC, PVB, and other soft materials
- Continuous Working Hours: 6 hours or less
- Engraving Mode: Graphic Engraving, Pixel Engraving, Scan Engraving, File Engraving, Contour Engraving
- Software Recognition Format: GCODE, DXF, BMP, NC, JPG, PNG
- Control Panel: ESP32 32-bit main control board
- Power Supply: 24V / 5A / 120W
- Compatible Operating Systems: Windows, macOS
- Supported CAM Software: Candle, Carveco, Artcam, Easel
- Languages: Chinese, English, Italian, French, German
Hands-on with the TwoTrees TTC450 CNC Router
We used the product to share its performance and our experience in this TwoTrees TTC450 CNC Router Review. Before we discuss everything about using the machine, we will focus on the touchscreen interface and software utilities.
Touchscreen Interface
The TTC450 has an 8.9cm colour touchscreen LCD for setting up a WiFi connection. It also allows accessing the settings, viewing the current position, and commanding the movement of the three axes. You can adjust the speed and distance of the axes or switch on/off the spindle.
Tools Mode shows the board model, firmware version, CPU information, WiFi connection, and language settings.
After connecting to a WiFi network, you will see the IP address of the TTC450. You can type this in the web browser to access the web interface.
The web interface offers many of the features found in the integrated display. You can control the X/Y/Z movement, speed, distance, parameters, and other settings. In addition, it works with GCODE or NC files converted from CAM software to run commands via the network system.
With this web interface, you can work on projects using files saved in a microSD. Also, the web interface allows using the CNC router without connecting it to a computer.
CNC Control Software and Candle GRBL Firmware
The CNC control software enables the computer to interact with the TTC450 to read GCODE formats converted by CAM software. Examples of these include Autodesk ArtCam, Easel, and Carveco.
GRBL is a widely used open-source firmware for CNC routers. It works on an Arduino or ESP32 controller board within the machine. This firmware enables 3-axis movement control via a USB connection to a computer.
We used the free Candle software when we tested the CNC router, which works with Windows or Linux. It is user-friendly for beginners since it has an intuitive, straightforward interface, and we figured out the basics quickly.
It took us a while to find the proper configurations for the TTC450. After some trial and error, everything proceeded seamlessly.
Before printing, connect the TTC450 to your computer with the USB-A to USB-B cable. Then, set the serial port and connection speed in Candle before clicking OK.
If your computer fails to detect the TTC450, install the CH340 driver before trying again. Once detected, you can start working. Go to the File tab in the top menu and click Open to open the working file.
The design will appear in Candle after selecting the file. You can adjust the position of the CNC router and send the GCODE.
Once you open the file, control the movement of the X/Y/Z axes. Adjust their distance and movement speed, and set the machine to the centre position.
Also, the movement speed should not reach over 500mm per minute. To send the GCODE to the TTC450, click Send to start its operation.
Performance of the TwoTrees TTC450 CNC Router
We used the included plastic piece for our tests before testing other materials. While preparing the machine, we noticed the 45.7cm square working surface of the TTC450. Its size is suitable for small projects.
Workholding is essential when using CNC routers since the workpiece needs to be steady. Fortunately, the TTC450 had several bolts and toe clamps. We used these on each corner and tightened the bolts with the included wrench.
Although these hold-downs were not secure like other work-holding tools, they worked well with this CNC router. It kept the material in place, so we prepared the tool paths via the computer.
Once the toolpaths were ready, we started cutting, which took around 10 minutes to complete. It delivered solid results for an entry-level cutter. Although a few chips were hanging onto the finished workpiece, it had clean, sharp edges.
We used another test file with a more detailed design, which took almost three hours to complete. Its engraving speed was likely due to the fine detail and what we set in the configuration.
It delivered smoother and cleaner cuts, and the details had higher quality.
We loved the responsiveness and real-time feedback during our machining tests. The TTC450 was accurate and efficient, which impressed us since it was highly efficient for its price.
This product is a reliable and budget-friendly CNC router. It is user-friendly, efficient, and works well for engraving and cutting designs on different materials. Overall, it is an excellent product we recommend.
TwoTrees TTC450 CNC Router Review Summary
The TTC450 is a versatile CNC router that works well with many materials, including wood, plastic, metal, acrylic, etc. What makes it better is it can operate online and offline. It connects via WiFi for online use and USB when connecting to a computer for offline operation.
This CNC router uses durable materials, making it robust, durable, and sure to withstand heavy use in the long run. We loved the 500W spindle that runs with speeds up to 12000 RPM, as TwoTrees promised. This feature significantly improved our engraving projects with smoother and more detailed cutting and carving.
Another thing we noticed while testing the product for this TwoTrees TTC450 CNC Router Review was its sturdy base plate. It has screws holding it into place, allowing the machine to work with unique shapes with excellent precision.
The TTC450 can work with 2D and 3D pieces. You can cut and carve various objects made of plastic, acrylic sheets, industrial plastic, etc. Aside from hobby and business purposes, the machine is also handy for STEAM education.
We highly recommend the TTC450 if you want a cost-effective and high-quality CNC router for your hobbies, business, or education. It meets the requirements of many users and comes with all the accessories and items needed for your first cuts.
Visit the official product page of TwoTrees for more details about the TTC450 CNC Router.
