How it’s made! CNC machine cutting out a slant cap.
- Thread starter Above The Tie
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Thats cool. Any chance of seeing a video?
@Rosseforp might find it interesting to, being a machinist.
@Rosseforp might find it interesting to, being a machinist.
so, I know that's not milk, but what is it precisely cooling the metal down?
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We actually do have some video footage, but we still need to edit it. I will definitely be posting that when it’s done!
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It’s water. I’m not sure if it has sand or anything in it to help the cutting process.
That's cutting fluid; which is usually water-based (for cooling) and contains a small amount of emulsified oil (for lubrication).
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Thank you! I know they mix things with the water depending on what they’re doing, but I wasn’t sure what it was.
Yes, it looks to be a water based coolant. Commonly used products such as Hysol MB 10 are use in a 5%-10% solution to water. Side-by-side Kurt Angle-Loc vises, also a standard of the industry, in use to clamp the product being machined. Those chips are the result of some pretty serious hogging, must be a fairly rigid machining center.
Yes, I would enjoy a video
Me too!
I was initially surprised by the size of the bar stock but I guess you'd need a pretty big chunk.
Actually, Mike, this is almost exactly how I pictured the set-up to be after receiving my ATT SE1. Very typical of a skilled Tool & Die Maker. That was the first thing I thought when I got it. It looked like the work of a Tool & Die Maker.
For this type of set-up Mike, a large portion of the stock is used for holding purposes, being machined away on the final operation. The top of the cap is being machined on the right side of the vise, then flipped and finished on the left side. Take a close look, and you can see the center stud sticking up from the bottom of the cap on the left side.
The probable order of operation would be the 1" diameter roughing end mill, followed by several smaller end mills in succession, maybe a custom ground end mill with a tapered profile, then a thread hob.
Total machining time of 10 minutes for aluminum, 13 minutes for brass, 15-18 for stainless would be my estimate for this type of set-up.
I was going to say "You would be surprised at the feed rates achievable by a rigid machine with some $$$ spent on good tooling" but it sounds as if perhaps you are already awareYes, it looks to be a water based coolant. Commonly used products such as Hysol MB 10 are use in a 5%-10% solution to water. Side-by-side Kurt Angle-Loc vises, also a standard of the industry, in use to clamp the product being machined. Those chips are the result of some pretty serious hogging, must be a fairly rigid machining center.
Yes, I would enjoy a video
I have seen some impressive videos, but in a real world situation with possibly less than easily machinable material..... I do not often push the threshold. Tool life is often more $$ dictating than a little extra machine time in my world. Not like you cannot be off doing something else while the machine does its thing.
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Thank you so much for all the information!Yes, it looks to be a water based coolant. Commonly used products such as Hysol MB 10 are use in a 5%-10% solution to water. Side-by-side Kurt Angle-Loc vises, also a standard of the industry, in use to clamp the product being machined. Those chips are the result of some pretty serious hogging, must be a fairly rigid machining center.
Yes, I would enjoy a video
How long would you think it might take on a manual machine?
It is a Slant cap, Mike. Even with a rotary table, it would be a nightmare on a manual machine. For a standard style cap, triple the machining time, add two weeks to build the tooling and fixtures. Not too many left guys out there that would even want to do that.
So, basically, you're saying CNC machines are at least 3x's as efficient, assuming the operator is well versed working and designing in CAD software.
How long would it take to become proficient in AutoCAD lol? You might be making them by the dozens if you're waiting for me hahaha.
We use solid works I believe. It actually is fairly easy to pick up on....until it updates and changes things every little bit. That is frustrating. On some of our production work, I had turret lathes set up with homemade tooling and an air chuck. I could make certain parts in about half the time on bardens oliver turret lathe from the (1940's?) than another shop could with their cnc lathe. But not if you had tight tolerances. I spent a good bit of my life on manual machines and still believe they have their strong points. Will likely never be 100% cnc.....but I have moved alot closer as I use them more and in more intricate detail.
And I did whip out a brass safety razor on a bridgeport and an engine lathe in an afternoon while the cnc's were miding themselves lol
My grandfather was a machinist first for Emco Canada and then GM where he retired in 1982. I still have a white Brass set he made and I have to say, it is very precisely made. CNC can do the same thing quicker but its less of an art I think.
There is some satisfaction in using numbers and buttons to make a machine do amazing things. However the art as you say, feeling the cutter as you turn the hand wheels. Looking at chip color and shape. Listening to the cutter. All these things going into determining feed rate, rpm, depth of cut. It is just a different experience. More intimate if you will. "One with the machine" lol. I can find joy in it all. Except large production runs. Blah haha
Which allow the government jobs to get done. Lol
Something is to be said about the rigidity of a plain bearing head. I have a Brown & Sharp turret lathe from the 1920's. A lot can be done with form tools and box turning tools.
I believe the HAAS Mini Mills come with preloaded CAD software. Design, program, and run the whole part on the shop floor.
