HSM

[Paul McGarr]

I am looking for anybody's recommendation on a superior HSM house. I am looking to have some 420SS injection mold inserts high speed machined and there are hundreds of features standing about .300in tall with only about .030in between features. Precision and surface finish requirements demand the best of the best, modern, precision equipment. Geometry is busy but simple, 3 axis friendly. I have prints and details to share, but I can't put too much on the forum in regards to specifics.

 

Anybody have recommendations to get me started? I hate to just search Google and hope for the best...

 

Thanks,

 

Paul McGarr

[High Performance]

I am looking for anybody's recommendation on a superior HSM house. I am looking to have some 420SS injection mold inserts high speed machined and there are hundreds of features standing about .300in tall with only about .030in between features. Precision and surface finish requirements demand the best of the best, modern, precision equipment. Geometry is busy but simple, 3 axis friendly. I have prints and details to share, but I can't put too much on the forum in regards to specifics.

 

Anybody have recommendations to get me started? I hate to just search Google and hope for the best...

 

Thanks,

 

Paul McGarr

 

Matsuura makes a damned good machining centre. Depending on the size of the parts, Im not sure of their currently available models, but I have worked with RA2, RA3, MC-1000, RA-IV mills all with 15,000-20,000 rpm spindles. They are box way machines, and are very rigid. We had minimal issues with them, and they were very accurate. We machined most parts to tight GDT tolerances and most required CMM. To give you an idea, we machined parts to .0002 tolerances consistently (machine on assembly, final op on the parts), We did have to dry run the machine to keep consistent sizes. But we made these parts in volume and held size (free machining brass was the material for that part).

 

Mazak and DMG also make several machines with linear motors that are very very fast. Rapids to almost 5000ipm. Check out DMG DMF 360 Linear, (and similar in case your parts are not that large), also Mazak Super Mould Maker, and FJV mills are dual column very rigid machines. If your parts are small enough to fit on a horizontal, Check out the Mazak Micro series horizontals, they are very accurate machines.

 

If you would like some advice feel free to shoot me a message with some more details.

[Greg Williams]

Paul,

 

 

No salesmans hat here, If I were looking for a High speed Die/Mold Mill it would be from (in no particular order), Okuma, Makino, Matsuura, Mikron or Kern.

[jeff]

Guys, I think he's looking to outsource the work, not a machine.

[High Performance]

I am looking for anybody's recommendation on a superior HSM house. I am looking to have some 420SS injection mold inserts high speed machined and there are hundreds of features standing about .300in tall with only about .030in between features. Precision and surface finish requirements demand the best of the best, modern, precision equipment. Geometry is busy but simple, 3 axis friendly. I have prints and details to share, but I can't put too much on the forum in regards to specifics.

 

Anybody have recommendations to get me started? I hate to just search Google and hope for the best...

 

Thanks,

 

Paul McGarr

 

Our industry locally is mostly oilfield components. Large, mostly round, tons of turning and less milling. I cant really point you to a specific shop, however Im sure there are still a few shops around Windsor Ontario that are very good at this type of thing, that area was mostly based on automotive mould making and the industry has collapsed in the area. Im sure theres still a few more than capable shops in the area. Might be a good place to look.

[YoDoug®]

Paul, I'm not sure where you are located but you could always call the service or apps department of your local Okuma, Makino, Yasda or other high end machine tool distributor and ask them for a recommendation in your area.

[Seanc]

I am looking for anybody's recommendation on a superior HSM house. I am looking to have some 420SS injection mold inserts high speed machined and there are hundreds of features standing about .300in tall with only about .030in between features. Precision and surface finish requirements demand the best of the best, modern, precision equipment. Geometry is busy but simple, 3 axis friendly. I have prints and details to share, but I can't put too much on the forum in regards to specifics.

 

Anybody have recommendations to get me started? I hate to just search Google and hope for the best...

 

Thanks,

 

Paul McGarr

 

Paul If I can`t cut it I`ll burn it. I can easily cut an electrode .300 of an inch and if you really want a shinny finish I`ll try to skim over the edm surface with diamond coated endmill or just have it eletro polished. [email protected]

[Paul McGarr]

Guys, I think he's looking to outsource the work, not a machine.

 

Yes, I am looking for a premier HSM vendor, not a machine recommendation. The features I am talking about machining are basically rectangular posts with corner radii. Sounds easy, but they are very tightly spaced and tall so they would need to be machined with a .022ish diameter bullnose endmill (Jabro/Seco comes to mind) that has just over .200 reach. They have a double angle cross section with constant vertical corner radii so they need to be 3D machined. This appears to be easy, but is difficult in practice. Precision is critical, as is surface finish. All the posts need to be the same size and there can be no steps where corner radii meet flat walls, etc. This insert just needs to be pristine. I know that is subjective, but I am very familiar with the CNC machining trade and this requires the best of the best to be done to our satisfaction.

 

Problem is, I don't know who this company is. I am expecting that Sodick or Makino equipment would be used. I am attaching a PDF file of this insert so you can see the detail. the post detail I am referring to is only shown in one corner of the block, but the pattern covers the entire face. There are nearly 1000 of these posts in the pattern. This print is old and will be revised with proper tolerancing and surface finish requirements. I know this insert is going to be super expensive, and I expect that.

 

I know that this can be EDM'd, but I am not convinced that is the best way. The electrodes would need high speed 3D milling anyway because of the constant radius up the walls of the posts.

 

Thanks for all of the responses. I see one post directing me to the machine manufactures for a recommendation. I might do that, but I am still hoping for recommendations from the forum. I've taken advice from here many times in the past and had good luck. Somebody out there must be up for the challenge.

 

Paul

Edited X00415.pdf

[robk]

My old employer does some good work Advance Mold

[mkd]

THAT is an EDM job, not a milling job.

wire for the holes

sinker for the raised features.

 

if the recast surface finish is a problem, electro-polish or chrome plate?

 

i can do the part for free, so long as you buy these machines for me.

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

THAT is an EDM job, not a milling job. wire for the holes sinker for the raised features.

EDM is the easy way out. IMHO. Challenging on a mill? Yeah, sure. Impossible or near impossible? Not even close to impossible. A good programmer and a good machine and it will be successful.

 

JM2C

[mkd]

i wouldn't try it on a mill when an EDM house is bidding 25% what a mill setup would cost.

best of the best milling or mediocre EDM? hhmmmm?

your money not mine.

 

humbly, have to say i have never attempted something that tough on a mill. there is some world class talent and technology to be had on this forum, so at least Paul knows where to find the best of the best!

 

just noticed Seanc beat me to the punch anyways..

[GoetzInd]

Wire the square holes but mill the rest. Like James said, not a piece of cake but far from impossible.

 

Mike

[OlderthanDirt]

Its gonna take a good mill to make the electrode.