Author Topic: My boss is buying me a new toy  (Read 9877 times)

Offline steamer

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Re: My boss is buying me a new toy
« Reply #30 on: August 11, 2017, 01:52:48 AM »
I have the 1100 and have been running it for just over 2 years.  One of the nice things about the 440 is the 10K spindle speed (1100 only goes to 5K.)  But I was able to cut some .040" slots .040" deep in 303 stainless with a 1/32" ball end mill at 5,000 rpm.  Piece of cake and it took all of 4 minutes.
I will be interested on your learning curve with Fusion 360.  I got the Sprutcam sold by Tormach, which is Russian translated (sort of) into English.  Made for a pretty good challenge on top of learning CAM.

John

it's not bad thus far...I've got some tool paths running....I just haven't really thought about parts in terms of CAM....just set up...so I'm getting those two halves of my brain to start talking to each other....and fast!   Machine will be here in about a week!
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Offline Jasonb

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Re: My boss is buying me a new toy
« Reply #31 on: August 11, 2017, 07:40:27 AM »
The people I mentioned above have made up simple brackets so a high speed spindle like a Kress can be mounted at the side of the main spindle and used with small cutters, machine can run the program much faster with the cutter at its optimum speed. One was on a 1100 machine, not sure what the other is without looking back, both have 4th axis

Offline kvom

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Re: My boss is buying me a new toy
« Reply #32 on: August 11, 2017, 02:41:12 PM »
The people I mentioned above have made up simple brackets so a high speed spindle like a Kress can be mounted at the side of the main spindle and used with small cutters, machine can run the program much faster with the cutter at its optimum speed. One was on a 1100 machine, not sure what the other is without looking back, both have 4th axis

I did the same:  http://www.modelenginemaker.com/index.php/topic,7312.0.html

My machine is a bit beefier than either Tormach model, but as a model maker I run very modest cuts.  I also use Solidworks instead of Fusion for modeling, and do the CAM work with CamBam.  I'm not sure how Fusion is for F&S calculations.  I use GWizard and rarely break tools.

Offline steamer

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Re: My boss is buying me a new toy
« Reply #33 on: August 11, 2017, 04:39:45 PM »
We use Solidworks for cad and fusion because a 1 year licence came free with the machine.
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Offline Dave Otto

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Re: My boss is buying me a new toy
« Reply #34 on: August 11, 2017, 04:56:30 PM »
I'm curious to see how this works out for you Dave; sometime between now and when I retire I would like to add a new CNC to the home shop. I get along with my converted knee mill but it does have it's limitations.
Can you tell us what type of work you will be doing with the Tomach, or is it top secret?

Dave

Offline Walsheng

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Re: My boss is buying me a new toy
« Reply #35 on: August 12, 2017, 01:25:51 AM »
The people I mentioned above have made up simple brackets so a high speed spindle like a Kress can be mounted at the side of the main spindle and used with small cutters, machine can run the program much faster with the cutter at its optimum speed. One was on a 1100 machine, not sure what the other is without looking back, both have 4th axis

Tormach also makes a water cooled high speed spindle, 24K rpm I think, but I don't need the high speeds enough to warrant it.
I use the machine for prototype work and model engine parts or rather model engine parts and prototypes!

One of the things that helped me really get cranking was forcing myself to use it even though to begin with I could machine something faster on the manual mill.  Of course I didn't have the boss asking why something is taking so long!

John

Offline jadge

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Re: My boss is buying me a new toy
« Reply #36 on: August 12, 2017, 11:03:37 AM »
I've had a Tormach PCNC1100 Series II for over 8 years now, in the UK. I've made hundreds of parts for work, and my traction engines, in all sorts of materials; plastics, aluminium, cast iron, steel, stainless steel, silver steel (aka W1) and gauge plate (aka O1) with over a thousand hours of running.

Most of the (few) issues I've had with the machine have been electrical/computing. There have been some intermittent spindle issues. These have been traced to poor crimps, a dry joint, and a very poor copy of an industrial connector not making reliable contact. My original PC (not from Tormach) was problematic. I also had some problems with Mach3, particularly in 4th axis applications. Pathpilot seems much better, albeit slightly odd when working in metric units.

I imported into the UK via a shipping agent; I think the total cost was around £2000. About two thirds of that was VAT (government sales tax) and import duty. The single most expensive part of the shipping was a truck from Liverpool to Cambridge.

I bought the mill, 4th axis and some tooling. I made my own stand and tray with built-in coolant. This was partly due to cost, partly because the Tormach stand wouldn't fit in the space available, and because at the time the stand was only available with a 110V 60Hz pump.

Subsequently I've bought more tooling, I use the TTS system on my Bridgeport as well, a power drawbar, not fitted yet  :embarassed:, and an electronic tool height setter.

On the Tormach I tend to use relatively small cutters (mostly <10mm) and run fast with high feedrates. A fundamental part of the equation is CAD/CAM. I design in 3D CAD, and was doing so before I bought the Tormach. If a part is going to made on the CNC mill it helps to orient the part correctly in CAD to start with, rather than faff about in the CAM program. The way I design parts is influenced by the cutters I will use, for instance when setting internal radii or creating narrow channels that need to be milled out. I program the Tormach exclusively in metric for convenience, even though a lot of the traction engine parts are, and are designed in, imperial.

The steepest learning curve for me was fixtures and initial stock size, ie, how am I going to hold this part, what am I going to use for work references and how am I going to set them, what stock will be sacrificial, and so on.

Naturally I can't show most of the work related parts, but here is the first ever part I made, it's a former for a custom differential choke that holds the winding wire equally spaced around the cores:



And this is the internals of an inverter heatsink, about 300mm square, machined a few weeks after I started from knowing diddly squat about CNC:



It was a pretty intense learning period though, with a lot of sleepless nights!

For my traction engines I've made all the wheel spokes, simple but tedious, as well as assorted gears, particularly bevel gears:



And complete sets for the differentials:



When I made the steering worm, I had a lot of issues with CAM and Mach3. In the end the G-code was hand written, and I used inverse time feedrates (G93):



The Tormach also allows me to make tooling I couldn't do otherwise, like spline cutters:





A couple of thoughts while I remember. Getting the electronic tool setter and sorting out tool tables was one of the best things I did. I use a program called NCPlot to look at the G-code I use. Experience has shown that my CAM program doesn't always generate G-code that reflects the toolpath it thinks it is using, which could be embarrassing. NCPlot also provides a useful view of maximum excursions in each axis to check there are no rogue lines of code that will drive the cutter to where it shouldn't be.

I have recently fitted a high speed spindle, up tp 24000rpm:



I've used this both for work (a heatsink with a lot of narrow and deep internal fins) and for making bevel gears for the traction engine governors:



Overall I'm very pleased with my Tormach and wouldn't be without it. Of course there's a strong feeling within the UK modelling world that CNC is 'cheating' but do I give a 4X?  ;D Having the Tormach has changed the way I design and machine parts, allowing me to save time, get a better part, and make parts I couldn't do any other way.  :ThumbsUp:

If the machine is good for me it should be great for a company.

Andrew

Offline Vixen

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Re: My boss is buying me a new toy
« Reply #37 on: August 12, 2017, 12:38:22 PM »

Of course there's a strong feeling within the UK modelling world that CNC is 'cheating' but do I give a 4X?  ;D Having the Tormach has changed the way I design and machine parts, allowing me to save time, get a better part, and make parts I couldn't do any other way.  :ThumbsUp:
Andrew

Oh, so true.

Mike
It is the journey that matters, not the destination

Sometimes, it can be a long and winding road

Offline steamer

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Re: My boss is buying me a new toy
« Reply #38 on: August 12, 2017, 12:45:05 PM »
I'm curious to see how this works out for you Dave; sometime between now and when I retire I would like to add a new CNC to the home shop. I get along with my converted knee mill but it does have it's limitations.
Can you tell us what type of work you will be doing with the Tomach, or is it top secret?

Dave

Small wearable medical device.    About all I can say....think "tiny" engine parts and that's about the right size.


Dave

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Offline kvom

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Re: My boss is buying me a new toy
« Reply #39 on: August 12, 2017, 12:48:07 PM »
Quote
The steepest learning curve for me was fixtures and initial stock size, ie, how am I going to hold this part, what am I going to use for work references and how am I going to set them, what stock will be sacrificial, and so on.

I think the most thought needed on every part is of this type.

Offline steamer

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Re: My boss is buying me a new toy
« Reply #40 on: August 12, 2017, 01:40:28 PM »
Thanks for that Jadge!   I've been working with Fusion, and getting simulations to run.   But you are so right....where to start!...What fixture?   What are the next steps?

It's starting to gell....just gotta keep at it!    Machine is coming in about 4 days....

 :o

Dave
"Mister M'Andrew, don't you think steam spoils romance at sea?"
Damned ijjit!

Offline mikemill

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Re: My boss is buying me a new toy
« Reply #41 on: August 12, 2017, 05:53:10 PM »
I concur with Andrews last point, we live computers in most aspects of life these days why not embrace these wonderful machine tools.
Regarding the question of work holding I made plate with holes at 0.5in centres and a bar that works with eccentric centred squares, my copy of MiteBite clamps, works a treat.

Mike

Offline steamer

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Re: My boss is buying me a new toy
« Reply #42 on: August 18, 2017, 11:24:00 PM »
She's up and running and waiting for a command!    Next week I start making chips!

"Mister M'Andrew, don't you think steam spoils romance at sea?"
Damned ijjit!

Offline b.lindsey

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Re: My boss is buying me a new toy
« Reply #43 on: August 18, 2017, 11:45:12 PM »
Beautiful Dave, is that its final location?? Looks more like a conference room or office from the picture.

Bill

Offline steamer

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Re: My boss is buying me a new toy
« Reply #44 on: August 19, 2017, 12:13:28 AM »
Yup that's where its going.    I just spent some time putting in a Derbyshire 750 right next to it

across from it, a Gesswein moto tool station and a baldor style grinder for lathe bits.   And the usual hand tools ect.


This place NEVER had a model shop....now.     They do.

Dave

"Mister M'Andrew, don't you think steam spoils romance at sea?"
Damned ijjit!

 

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