5-Axis Programmer Job Opportunity

[iowajim62]

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I suspect that if this top dog needs a manned second shift to keep the machine running, then he isn't such a top dog after all.

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Actually 2nd shift is for changing chip buckets and topping off coolant tanks and reloading parts and doing in-process inspection of finished product. 3rd shift is lights out labor free I'm sleeping making money time.

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

If each pallet runs for 6 hours, that's 192 hours, or 8 days unattended time. Some pallets run for over 9. So realistically the machine can run for over a week without a part being unloaded. Every morning change the chip barrel and top off coolant - 30 minnute if you take you r time. Each pallet can be unloaded and loaded in 10 minutes or less and I am being GENEROUS! I personally can do it in 3 minutes if I wipe everything down first. But you won't have to run the machine. Just program it. There's a guy that hangs out by it. It checks for broken tools automatically.

[iowajim62]

If you got all 32 pallets running why do they need a programmer ?

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Gotta mix it up. Currently ther are 4 OP02 pallets and 2 OP03 Pallets. For a total of 6 pallets in use. 2 of the pallets run for about 6:15, 2 pallets run for about 9:30, one pallet runs for about 15 minutes, and the last pallet runs for about 40 minutes for a total of about 32 and a half hours with no operator intervention. There are 26 more pallets to fill. So get to work!

[Joe788]

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Currently ther are 4 OP02 pallets and 2 OP03 Pallets. For a total of 6 pallets in use. 2 of the pallets run for about 6:15, 2 pallets run for about 9:30, one pallet runs for about 15 minutes, and the last pallet runs for about 40 minutes for a total of about 32 and a half hours with no operator intervention. There are 26 more pallets to fill.

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That is fantastic! 32 hours with only 6 of the pallets used = THOSE are the kind of parts that make the machine pay for itself in 6 months. What kind of tolerances are demanded on the parts that run for 9 hours? Is the machine able to maintain the tolerances easily, or are you continually checking/adjusting tool lengths with the laser?

[mgsanchez]

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There are 26 more pallets to fill.

So get to work!

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Why not just add a robot (or two) for loading and unloading and go 720+ hours of unmanned operation?

 

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[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Position Callout - ±.005

Diameters from ±.0002 to ±.005

True Position - .005

 

No problem to hold size and position . The toughest feature was a ±.0002 diameter if memory serves. That was the last feature to fall in. Forum Member Michael Whitten programmed the two parts running in the machine and is working on another I believe. He is an EXCEPTIONALLY talented programmer.

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Limited by the number of tools we can put in the machine. There's only 240 (including the spindle probe). Between the two parts we're using up about 125 Tools give or take.

[Joe788]

Very nice. Just curious, on a little part like that with a 9 hour cycle time, is it just a tremendous amount of very fine finish 3D milling, combined with about 70 other tools for other manifold-ish features?

 

I assume running it through Camplete means the guy doesn't have to hover over the cycle stop button for 9 hours in a cold sweat the first time it runs through?

[Bruce Caulley]

Is that magazine expandable? 240 tools is a bit light for 32 pallets??

 

Bruce

[mgsanchez]

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Is that magazine expandable? 240 tools is a bit light for 32 pallets??

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I was thinking the same thing.

 

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[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

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I assume running it through Camplete means the guy doesn't have to hover over the cycle stop button for 9 hours in a cold sweat the first time it runs through?

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Pretty much. It does not detect errant feed rates or incorrect drilling cycles, etc... but if CAMplete says there's no collisions, there's no collisions within the specified tolerance.

 

 

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on a little part like that with a 9 hour cycle time, is it just a tremendous amount of very fine finish 3D milling, combined with about 70 other tools for other manifold-ish features?

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Actually the external work does not take long at all. (maybe 25% or so... It's all the holes, bores, ports, threads, thread reliefs, forms, etc... that takes all the time.

 

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Is that magazine expandable?

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You can have from 30 tools(90 is standard) to 240 Tools in increments of 30.

AFAIK right now it is not expandable. They are making them with more in the future but for this kind of work, it's the perfect machine but you're right, it could use a few (hundred) more tools. Still though, you're looking at about $125k in holders(midrange to medium high end), cutting tools, and retention knobs which is definitely some change.

[Joe788]

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Actually the external work does not take long at all. (maybe 25% or so... It's all the holes, bores, ports, threads, thread reliefs, forms, etc... that takes all the time.

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I'd love to see the operations manager for that part! (I assume he programmed it with Mastercam, since he's a member here)? I've got some that go over 200 operations with only 20-something tools. A job like that must be 400-700?

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

The most complicated one so far is 4 for OP01, 344 for OP02, and 50 for OP03 for a total of 398 Operations. Pretty good guess.

[Bruce Caulley]

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AFAIK right now it is not expandable.

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Bugger. I'd hate to be 5 tools short and consolidating tools on 31 pallets just so #32 could be loaded up.

 

Anyway, sounds like a super-cool job. Hope they find the right bloke for it.

 

Bruce