Multitasking center advise

[K10LT1]

Good morning,

The company that I work for wants to put a 16" dia x 22.25" long piece of 4340 into the 18" chuck on our E420hs integrex. Is this possible to hold on to without support? If we try to face it will it get kicked out of the jaws?

 

I figured that it weighs 1250lbs.

 

It looks like we are going to be able to get some steel jaws around the part but not hard jaws.

 

Anyone ever turn anything this big on a similar sized lathe.

 

Thanks in advance

[Randy Morton @ Clem Industrial]

I run an Integrex e500HSII. All be it I have a slightly larger chuck, 21" dia, I run parts up to 22.5" and they have been up to around 25" long. Lots and lots of weight, but our main spindle is rated for 13,000lbs. I dunno what yours would be rated for, call Mazak and find out.

 

I would say go for it tho. Err on the side of caution for the facing rpm tho. That, imo, will be where it will walk or move if anywhere. Hard jaws are good as well, but if unavailable then use some good tuned steel (soft?) jaws.

 

JM2C

[chris m]

Depending on what the swing is on the machine, you can overhang the jaws a little on the chuck to give yourself a little more meat on the diameter. There is NFW that I would grip a 1,000lb piece of stock with an inch of jaw on a side; jaw flexion could become a serious problem there. If you're going to try it I'd suggest putting some hardened grippers in the jaws, or at the very least coarse knurling the inside of the jaws to give yourself some extra friction in the jaw-workpiece interface.

 

Do you not have a tailstock? If you do, I strongly recommend using it and dealing with the part face in a secondary operation if need be; at least that way your biggest fear would be spinning the part, not losing containment. I would be afraid to stand in front of the machine with the small chuck / no center scenario; if I wouldn't want to do it I'd never expect, or ask, one of my guys to do it.

 

C

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

quote:

---

There is

NFW

that I would grip a 1,000lb piece of stock with an inch of jaw on a side...

---

There. Fissed.

 

Be VERY, VERY, VERY careful. I had to testify in court on a case where a setup guy did something like this and the outcome was a fatality. Part came out, blew the door off, and the guy got killed. Oh, and that part weighed less than yours.

[K10LT1]

Thanks for the replies.

 

We actually decided to send the part out and have some of the work done to the part and we are going to finish all of the details on that machine.

 

Man so close to actually having a part that "is perfect for the integrex"

 

Anyone else having problems finding the right work for multitasking machines.

[GoetzInd]

You have a sub spindle. Why not chuck up a center and use it? I know its a pain in the a$$ but Proper Planning Prevents xxxx Poor Performance.

 

Mike