LINEAR SCALE UPGRADE

[dprovost71]

I'm looking into upgrading to linear scales on a couple of our machines. (Retrofit)

 

Our customer(s) are asking for tighter tolerances that are next to impossible to hold with our present machines. Anyone with some info about this? Someone in the Northeast would be great.

[jeff]

What type of machine?

[35K chipper]

If you get the glass linear scales get the micron options for your machine software also.

then you will have 0.0001 metric and 0.00001 english. that's what on my 35k Okuma.

 

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35k

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Keep in mind, scales have issues all their own that you will need to take into consideration. My favorite scale issue is "harmonics". WHen machining, on occasion you may chirp the tool... well depending on a lot of factors, you could loose position and a part because of this. Sustained heavy squealing, no bueno either.

 

Other than that, they're great.

[dprovost71]

What type of machine?

One I would think of doing is a Matsuura MC-660 VG with a Yasnac I80 control.

Not sure if its worth the cost yet; thats why I'm inquiring. I haven't a clue whats involved.

[Joe788]

Dprovost, what kind of tolerances are you trying to hold, and on what type of features? Do you already have a temperature controlled shop? What year is that Matsuura?

 

I'd be looking at shop temperature control, coolant temperature control, and laser calibration before I thought about trying to retrofit scales.

[YoDoug®]

If the machine is loose (roll/pitch/yaw) glass scales may not help very much.

[Newbeeee™]

Ballbar the machine before going any further

[dprovost71]

Dprovost, what kind of tolerances are you trying to hold, and on what type of features? Do you already have a temperature controlled shop? What year is that Matsuura?

 

I'd be looking at shop temperature control, coolant temperature control, and laser calibration before I thought about trying to retrofit scales.

Our shop has air conditioning but not "controlled". No coolant control and I don't think any of the machines have been laser calibrated....and the machine(s) I was think about is 2001 vintage.

More than anything right now I'll look into the laser calibration. I will have to ask the preventative maintenance folks on this one. We have had the ballbar tests done.

The last place I worked did do the laser calibration but those machines had the linear scales so I assumed that the laser calibration was for linear scales...

[Joe788]

What kind of tolerances are you having trouble holding? Bore diameters? Contours? Z depths?

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

...laser calibration was for linear scales...

 

Laser calibration is for a "linear" accuracy check, as well as squareness and parallelism regardless of feedback method (encoder or scales). Ball bar is for checking roundness, reversal spikes, backlash, and it does check squareness as well. BOTH ballbar AND laser should be a part of a machine's routine health check IMHO.