4th Axis Pauses In The Cut

[Lloyd]

Hi All,

 

I know this has been covered in here somewhere but my searches are getting me no where.

 

We have a Haas VF-4 with an HRT310BL 4th Axis. I'm trying to cut a partial helix on the outside of a cylinder. The movement is a straight horizontal move in X, then the helix, so simultaneous X & A moves. The problem is that at the end of the straight move, just before the rotary move the feed stops so the A axis can unclamp.

 

Is there any way around this so the tool doesn't pause while in the cut?

 

Thanks.

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Yeah, unclamp at the start of the X move instead of waiting.

 

 

JM2C

[Lloyd]

Is there a button or setting somewhere in Mastercam to do this or just a manual entry?

[Glenn Bouman]

With a Haas rotary table the clamp/unclamp is automatic, handled by the control. I do not know of a way of turning that off.

 

Ask the Haas Question Man

[dale@raptormfg]

M10 A axis clamp

M11 A axis unclamp

 

Use these m-codes in the program

[Lloyd]

Thanks for the info,

 

I was hoping to avoid manually editing all the X moves. But this is quite in keeping with what I've come to expect from a Haas

[Guest]

How about not using the lock at all?

[Lloyd]

Hmm, that's a good question. I wonder if M11 is modal or not? Have to check it out. Thanks for the idea.

[Guest]

There should be a switch in the post to disable the M11/M10 output. I wouldn't recommend doing it all the time but in this case, perhaps.

 

Depending on the post it may look like this

code:

---

rot_lock     : 0     #Use rotary axis lock/unlock codes (0 = no, 1 = yes)

---

[Lloyd]

I guess a preliminary question would then be what will keep the 4th axis from twisting with the torque of the end mill on the straight X axis movement?

 

I'm only using a 7/64" ball nose to cut the helix with 0.01" DOC, so there won't be much force trying to twist the 4th axis, but it won't take much to break the end mill either.

[Guest]

without much force it will stay. With that size cutter, I can't imagine it would move.

 

This may be one you have to try and see if it'll work for you.

 

 

Heavy, even fairly moderate material removal, probably not a good idea.

[Lloyd]

Right now the program is up and running, finally. I think I'll leave it alone until I get to the last one after the initial order has been filled.

 

One of the big delays has been trying to figure out what I think is a posting issue. I have 3 transform operations in the program to rough mill a conical feature and then this helix feature and then finish the conical feature. The transform is to do the above on 4 places around a cylindrical part.

 

When I post it all as one program the finish operation gets posted out of phase in the C axis to the rest of the program, scraping the part and breaking the cutter. If I post the first 2 transform operations in one program and the finish transform operation in a separate program it all comes out fine.

 

I'd put it on the FTP site, however, its R&D for some oil company and the last thing we need is a visit from their lawyers!

[chowquoe^]

I agree with John, some light cutting should not cause serious issues as your servo motor should have enough umph. to handle a very lite load.

 

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

"normally" the post will leave the rotary axis unlocked for rotary moves, but will lock for positioning. Are you using MPMaster?

[Lloyd]

Yes, a slightly modified version of MPMaster.

 

My Mastercam dealer just called and we found the solution to the posting problem. It could be solved two ways, fix the operator (post doesn't support my method of drawing the geometry), or flip a switch in the post.

[Chris Rizzo]

we had a new mocon board put in our Haas a while back and lost all of the 4th axis settings, subsequently all my transforms and tombstone rotary stuff behaved very wrong. The quickest way to get answers is call Haas direct at 1-800-331-6746.

 

I now limit myself to spending a max of 5 min. trouble shooting a Haas' before I call that support number. It's written in black sharpie along with the s/n on the side of all the machines here. Let them trouble shoot the p.o.s' they sell.

 

oh, a 210b will run fine with a .250 cutter without the airbrake hooked up. that was about 6" or so offcenter/leveraged. you can hear the gain really hum when your leaning on it.