Using CNC mill as a cnc lathe

[RayEdwards]

hi

 

has anyone had experience in doing some basic lathe type turning/ contouring using their cnc mill... what are some of the techniques that some of u guys have used. Do i program contours in mastercam mill in the XZ plane or do i use mastercam lathe........what happens with the post processor . i have an anilam 3000m controller on a 3 axis mill. any input is apreaciated.

 

ray

[Goldorak]

i did small part once by holding the tool holder in a vise and the part in a collet chuck , now you got a 15k RPM lathe for small part

 

 

for the rest contour and ramp can do a really good job

 

 

 

BTW Welcome !

[MotorCityMinion]

I used to bore shop made extensions for long tools in this same fashion to help minimize run out.

[YoDoug®]

A few years back I worked at a shop that had a Tree three axis tool room mill and no CNC lathes. There was one small turned part that the manual lathes guy couldn't keep up with demand so one of the other programmers made a gang style tool mount on the table for turning tools and mounted a 3 inch scroll chuck to a tool holder. He programmed it by Code only, no CAM software there at the time. It worked great. A poor mans inverted spindle CNC lathe.

[robk]

We do it pretty often in here to modify our tool holders.

I always use milling module and just use a UDE to change my plane (I use NX for programming).

[RayEdwards]

We do it pretty often in here to modify our tool holders.

I always use milling module and just use a UDE to change my plane (I use NX for programming).

guys thanks for the replies.......so using the milling module and then changind to xz plane would be the go.......i plan on just turningsome small parts from 25mm bar stock held in a 25mm ER32 collet...i was a member on the old forum years ago when the FTP site was still available but looks like it has taken me back to 0 posts now ...

[Bruce Caulley]

I have a Tormach mill in my garage and make small turned parts with it regularly. I have a gang block, but sometimes it is easier to put a few turning tools in a vice separated with some parallels.

 

Bruce

[ibgad]

hi

 

has anyone had experience in doing some basic lathe type turning/ contouring using their cnc mill... what are some of the techniques that some of u guys have used. Do i program contours in mastercam mill in the XZ plane or do i use mastercam lathe........what happens with the post processor . i have an anilam 3000m controller on a 3 axis mill. any input is apreaciated.

 

ray

look at my blog

ibgad.blogspot.comMy link

[ibgad]

hi

 

has anyone had experience in doing some basic lathe type turning/ contouring using their cnc mill... what are some of the techniques that some of u guys have used. Do i program contours in mastercam mill in the XZ plane or do i use mastercam lathe........what happens with the post processor . i have an anilam 3000m controller on a 3 axis mill. any input is apreaciated.

 

ray

ibgad.blogspot.com

ibgad xe1.zip

[Matthew Hajicek - Singularity]

I used a MaxNC-10 mill as a lathe about 15 years ago for turning green Boron Nitride ceramic. You can fit a lot of tools on the table, and gravity is working with you to get the chips out. You can also put a parts catcher under the parting tool, and since it's in a different place than the other tools it won't get filled up with chips. Did the programming long hand. Hey, I suppose you could have multiple stock pieces prepped in toolholders in the ATC. That would be great for a 2nd turning op, or turning on a casting.

[Dan Sturges]

Hi Guys,

Here's what we use to do turning on our mills (we also invented it): Sturges Turning Head

 

We are new coming to market with this, so I'd love to answer any questions or hear your thoughts about it (e.g. performance, how it works, price, etc.).

 

Thanks!

[Mic6]

Click

[strabe]

Hey Dan. That's pretty cool. Can it single point threads?

 

Ken

[Dan Sturges]

Hey Dan. That's pretty cool. Can it single point threads?

 

Ken

Thanks Ken!

 

As far as single pointing threads, it really depends on the milling machine. If the mill has an input for a revolution sensor, and the mill has the software capability to synchronize with that revolution sensor, then it could be done.

 

The Tormach is a good candidate mill. I'm not sure to what extent other mills could be configured to synch with a revolution sensor.

 

We are looking into providing this revolution sensor on the Turning Head spindle if someone wants it and can use it.

 

With the available tailstock, a set of dies can also be used to do a lot of the threading.

 

If it's critical, we just leave the single point threading operation for last and finish the part on our engine lathe.

 

Any idea if your mill could synch with a revolution sensor?

 

Thanks,

-Dan

[greenxman]

anyone have any pictures would be cool to see.

[Matthew Hajicek - Singularity]

Looks like you'd need a spindle C axis to orient your tool. Does the Tormach have that?

[Dan Sturges]

Just posted a bunch of videos here.