Advice

[Gus]

I'm currently doing a job, and our machininst has convinced my boss to pull the plug on it because he doesn't think our machine can handle it. I do the programming and pathing, and I think they're both wrong, and need some advice.

We have a Haas VF4 vertical mill. The job we are doning is simple. I have 4000 holes I have to drill and counterbore in plates ranging from 1" - 2" thick.

 

Material is 400AR wear plate (48BHN from what I've read up on)

The 1" plates( we are doning now ) have a 13/16" through hole with a 3/4" deep counterbore.The other plates are the same , just a deeper counterbore.

 

I had my tooling supplier come in to help me setup tool selection, speeds and feeds for optimal machine setting and this is what we are running at based on his recommendations.

 

Drilling using 13/16" DR indexable drill Feed 4.0 rpm 1620.

 

The counterbore using a 5/8" stub verimill, contour ramp, ramp motion "depth" , depth .125"

Feed 9.0 rpm 1320.

 

We also tried pocket with .375 step down , 50% tool width Feed 10.0 rpm 1420.

 

Theres some vibration throughout the machine, but we're so used to cutting alumninum and other soft materials, and not the hard stuff , don't know if this is normal, Boss doesn't think so and wants to kill the job.

 

All I need to know is , Is this machine capable of handling a job like this with this material or not. I've called our Haas sales rep and he hasn't returned my calls and doesn't seem like he is interested in helping out now that the sale is complete.

 

Sorry for the story.

Need direction Thanks

[Namliek_J@TheeCircle™]

You should have no problem handling this job. Just make sure you get the correct tooling and speeds and feeds and let 'er rip. Sometimes the vibration is just the tool working.

 

For instance, I used to work in a shop wear we made stainless steel cabinet bases. They were 31" x 24" x 1.25" thick. In the middle of this part was a pocket about 25" x 18" x .75" deep. We cut it with a 2" Face mill. I used a zig zag pocket with a .2 step down running 600 RPM and 15 IMP. When the tool would movie from one long cut to the next, the machine would vibrate. Sometimes thought it was gonna start moving across the floor and we never had any prolems at all.

 

I'd tell your boss that pulling jobs isn't a good way of making money and to keep the job going.

[Guest]

considering the hardness listed and speeds and feeds, haas is very capable of this.

sounds like the boss likes to baby his/her machine. not a bad thing untill you accept a job that your not willing to run in your machine. doesnt look good to send a job back not done?

[Gus]

I appreciate the feedback... the more ammo on my side the better.. because ultimately I quoted the job I got the order, and he'll make me make the call to the customer.

thanks

[T_MALENA]

I'd agree, keep the job & just do it. But remember this & either no quote it or put the price high enough to run it next time.

Feeds & speeds sound Ok. The Bhn should be 400 right? That’s something like 43Rc sounds doable to me.

[Eeyore-nonhuman forum member]

All I need to know is , Is this machine capable of handling a job like this with this material or not. I've called our Haas sales rep and he hasn't returned my calls and doesn't seem like he is interested in helping out now that the sale is complete.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

yES ,IT IS

Man ,I used to mill on Haases jobs that are ten times worse than this

Vibration ?

It depends ....

Steel is not alluminium

Drop your rpm 10 % IT MAY BE ENOUGH .

Especially Varimill .

aND ANYWAY to mill steel is more interesting than

alluminium

BTW I like Iscar Gun drills with cooling through tool -great stuff

Your own interest is to learn how to mill steel ,Stainless and hardened steels

[Gus]

Money is not the issue. The job was quoted fairly and we are making good money. I too am convinced the machine can do it and I did my homework, and got the tool suppliers involved before I even got the job.

[Eeyore-nonhuman forum member]

So what`s the problem ?

When I came to my current place guys refused to mill alluminium with my feeds and speeds .

You need to see my first meeting with them

I simply told them -Just do it ,I am responsible

[Gus]

Your right I agree. I'm a welder by trade and a computer gooroo who picked up mastercam and programming skills along the way. Macining is new too me which is why I researched everything as I go. The problem Is a machinist who doen't like to do production, and likes one'zee and two'zee jobs, convincing my boss the job is to hard. His work against mine.

I apologize ahead of time for the venting....I needed to unload somewhere...this seemed like a good place.

[Gus]

His word against mine.......Sorry for the spelling.. I'm just so pissed my hands are shaking!!!

[Eeyore-nonhuman forum member]

HFor me it looks like this If you are really capable and this is big money ...

 

Just tell the guy that if you are not making money he we`ll be fired first by your boss

Than you `ll make programming and machining both .

I made it for 9 years .

On such part as this :]

[Don S at Barefoot CNC South]

We have haas VF2s VF3s VF8s and Minimills we cut this material and 300 400 SS all the time without any problems, as stated you will get vibration as we do. With good tooling you should be fine. We also drill holes larger than that in Inconel and Chrome Molly. We also mill aluminuim, we cut it so fast we get vibration on it also. You can use your machine tools to do what they were made for or just cut plastic and wax and aluminuim.

HTH good luck, cut it and make money!

[Troy Gossett Indepak Inc.]

It seems you have the solution before you, print this out and show your boss. Go to haascnc.com and print out the machine specs.

 

As far as your Machines sales support, go directly to HAAS, and they have a very good online help section with good response time for any questions you may have. I would also let HAAS know about your expirience with your sales rep.

 

Good luck sounds like you were helping the company you work for by making a sale, and they have little expirience with machining steel so they are holding themselves back from making the money they could. I feel sorry for the customer who was willing to let you spend the time to research this job and now you may be telling them they will have to go somewhere else.

[Colin Gilchrist]

I've also had very good luck with the Application Engineers at Haas. Don't call the salesmen, go to Haas directly. I was able to get a huge amount of Data about the spindle Speed/Torque curve to help with tooling selection for a Haas VF-4 SS that I used to program for. The haas will vibrate, but look at the spindle load. If you are running under 120% you should be good to go. Does your machine have the option to view the axis loads? Our VF-4 had individual load meters for each axis; X,Y, and Z.

 

HTH,

[Gus]

Printing this was my plan from the beginning, so the more feed back the better

 

Thanks