3-d Broach in 3 axis mill

[Matt Berube at Ferron Mold]

Hi,

 

This is a little over my head.

 

I have a difficult electrode to make and decided that the best way to proceed would be to scrape the detail into my electrode with a custom broach.

 

This broaching motion does not go straight inline with the z axis. I have lines in the .z2g file that show the actual required motion. The broaching would take place at 8 locations around the electrode (45 deg spacing).

 

My goal is to program this with "multi-passes" and to be able to use comp to adjust the exact size of the cut.

 

Hopefully the file is pretty self-explanatory. It shows the electrode, the broach tool, and the desired tool motion (orange lines).

 

I have trouble with the ftp site so I uploaded it to my "box.net" account.

 

The file is a .z2g and for those that don't know it can be opened by unzipping with winzip or any other compression utility.

 

Thanks in advance for any assistance !

 

download my file here

[Guest]

Matt,

 

I don't know what you are using for a host site but as soon as I clicked on that link my Zone Alarm barked and locked me out of that site.

 

Might want to use the FTP instead.

[vince cannarozzo]

hi matt,

i looked at the file. could'nt you cut those

grooves set up in a harig fixture?

[Matt Berube at Ferron Mold]

John,

 

Check your G-mail account please.

 

Vin,

Yes it could be cut that way but I don't really have the correct equipment...

 

I could rig something up to index this but we have to make probably 50 or 60 of these and I was hoping to simplify it...

[Guest]

I did Matt is it is in the X2 folder on the FTP

[vince cannarozzo]

hey matt,

what about cutting surface contour around the trode. i assume the lenth of the grooves can be cleared. also,is this carbon or copper? you can use a .015 flat bottom cutter.

[Matt Berube at Ferron Mold]

It's graphite. I was thinking about the flat end mill too but it's a nuisance to clear them that deep.

 

I think JP got me what I need for the broaching program by using the 3-d option of a contour toolpath. So simple I am embarrased that I didn't think of it.

[edmBosto]

MAtt,

May I suggest you wire your electrode lying on its side. I do realize it's on an angle.

So you could wire it with it angled @ 5 degrees or straight . If straight the steel will be on a 5 deg. angle when it is burned.

Make it a single sided trode on it's top edge only or you can wire the shape with one wired contour on ea. side for a 2 sided electrode. Shoot for a .002 to .0025 spark gap.

 

You could side burn the steel or use a right angle head on the edm machine.

EDIT:

Just reread your post Matt. 50 or 60 of these?

Ok my suggestion would be too time consuming.

[Guest]

Matt,

 

You could get wear by using the actual geometry instead of offsetting it out like I did, chain the one, set finish multi-passes, turn your lead in/lead out off and add 1/2 the diameter of your tool into the XY stock on box.

 

See if that gives you what you need.

[edmBosto]

Matt,

Why don't you think about just making a 4 sided electrode and CNC mill it on its side. Index the electrode using the 4 pins on a 3R cube. You can use a .015 carbide reg length ball bill that way.

Have the geo. steel size and program it as .0125 dia. cutter for your gap.

[Matt Berube at Ferron Mold]

edmBosto,

 

We work that way sometimes but I was just figuring that if we can get it all in 1 operation we'll be way better off.

 

John Paris,

 

I tried to get comp to work but the direction seems to be wrong. I think I can deal with it though...

[edmBosto]

MAtt,

quote:

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This is a little over my head.

---

quote:

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If something's hard, then it's not worth doing. - Homer Simpson

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[Matt Berube at Ferron Mold]

Doh !

[vince cannarozzo]

"listen kids,you tried your best

and you failed misrably, the lesson is....

never try."

 

 

Homer Simpson