Setup sheets are an essential aspect of CNC machining. They serve as a critical tool for standardizing and documenting the setup process, which is essential for consistency and repeatability in manufacturing. Setup sheets serve as a comprehensive guide that outlines all the necessary steps, tools, and offsets required to set up a specific job. They help reduce errors, save set up time, and ensure a consistent, robust process with predictable results. 

Components of a Setup Sheet: 

• Job information: Part name, number, and revision.

• Workpiece details: Material, size, and orientation.

• Tooling information: Tool numbers, details, and operations.

• Workholding details: Type of fixture, clamping methods, and positions.

• Work Coordinate Offsets: Workpiece origins and work coordinate systems (WCS, i.e. G54).

• Special notes or instructions: Any unique considerations or precautions for the specific job.

Creating a Set-up Sheet

Most CAM programs offer a function to generate a setup sheet from the information provided to develop the CNC program. These pre-made setup sheets may be overly complex and provide more information than needed. You may want to consider developing your own setup sheet template or finding one.