Mill Tips and Tricks

[Rotary Ninja]

I was wondering why there isn't a sticky for mills like there is for lathes.

 

Anyway... I have trained a few rookies on mills so I thought I would share some tips that I have been told helped these guys out. I also have some Mastercam specific tricks I will add to this. I want to throw some screenshots together first. If you have anything to add please do so.

 

Vise Setup:

When bolting a vise to the table snug down both bolts by hand. Using a wrench slightly tighten the left side. This creates a fulcrum on the left side. Set your indicator at zero on the left side. Sweep to the right side tapping the vise to zero as you go. Lightly snug the right bolt and return to the left with the indicator. Re-zero the indicator and tighten the left bolt a little more and repeat. You should be able to get a vise within .0002" with two or three passes across the vise. Using this method I can get three vises lined up in just a few minutes.

[Rotary Ninja]

Parallels:

When placing parallels in the vise you can bend a piece of steel banding as a spreader to keep the parallels pressed against the jaws of the vise. Also, if you place a shorter parallel behind each of your parallels this will eliminate chips getting caught between your parallels and the vise jaws.

[Bob W.]

Parallels:

Also, if you place a shorter parallel behind each of your parallels this will eliminate chips getting caught between your parallels and the vise jaws.

 

That is a great idea! I will go ahead and start doing that here. We usually use foam packing material folded over to keep the parallels in place for thinner work pieces. For thicker we use the spring loaded parallel keepers.

[Bob W.]

One thing I did here was strictly safety related, and that was to modify my post so at the end of a program it posts "S50" right before the M30 to reset the spindle rpms at a safe level. I inadvertently hit the spindle start once with an indicator in the spindle and it spooled up to 12k. I was luck I wasn't seriously injured, or worse.

[Rotary Ninja]

I did the same thing that last Friday with my edge finder. I typed S1000 M3 in MDI and put my tool holder with my edge finder in the spindle. I turned back to the control and hit Spindle CW instead of cycle start. This was a dumb move all the way around since I usually preach to set the spindle in motion at the proper RPM before putting the edge finder in the spindle. It could have ended very badly. As it turned out I just need a new edge finder. So that is a very good idea that I will be implementing! Thanks.

[mkd]

love watching edgefinders spool up over 7K.

that's entertainmnet.

[Redfire427]

Parallels:

When placing parallels in the vise you can bend a piece of steel banding as a spreader to keep the parallels pressed against the jaws of the vise. Also, if you place a shorter parallel behind each of your parallels this will eliminate chips getting caught between your parallels and the vise jaws.

 

A die spring placed between the parallels works great too.

 

love watching edgefinders spool up over 7K.

that's entertainmnet. :whip:

 

Try 30K ............. it takes out the spindle.

[mkd]

ok, i got one:

 

when indicating a knee (aka angle plate or tombstone) on a Horz boring mill or the like, there is a fast way to get it to zero and a not fast way.

 

the not fast way is to jog back and forth along x while hap-hazardly handle jogging the b angle into zero. on a 100"+ machine this could take a while...along with avioding bolts and bolt holes...

 

fast way:

1 on one end of Knee, zero indicator and machine ref/operator coordinate system.

2 retract z

3 rapid jog to opposite end of Knee

4 handle jog z to zero indicator.

5 get x and z "delta" number for reference coodinate system.

 

6 (z divided by x)inv TAN= current angle

 

7 set offset to this angle

8 MDI machine to b zero on this offset

9 double check b axis is straight.

[Rotary Ninja]

^^^ That is a good one mkd. I usually am setting a rotary up on a small part (under 8" diameter). I will zero my indicator in the center of rotation then move in Y as far as I can go. Then I rotate A to re-zero the indicator. This usually gets me close.

 

Another cool trick which I am sure a lot of you know, but I bet some of you don't: To clear shavings from a drill spin it backwards about 6000 RPM at the end of the drill cycle. Give it a dwell of a second or two. On verticals I spin it as it is retracting in Z. It is sometimes best to do this after positioning somewhere away from the part. I can't tell you how many times I see drills in someone's tool carousel covered in shavings.

[mkd]

ok, i got one:

 

when indicating a knee (aka angle plate or tombstone) on a Horz boring mill or the like, there is a fast way to get it to zero and a not fast way.

 

the not fast way is to jog back and forth along x while hap-hazardly handle jogging the b angle into zero. on a 100"+ machine this could take a while...along with avioding bolts and bolt holes...

 

fast way:

1 on one end of Knee, zero indicator and machine ref/operator coordinate system.

2 retract z

3 rapid jog to opposite end of Knee

4 handle jog z to zero indicator.

5 get x and z "delta" number for reference coodinate system.

 

6 (z divided by x)inv TAN= current angle

 

7 set offset to this angle

8 MDI machine to b zero on this offset

9 double check b axis is straight.

not to blow me own horn, but,

 

this is just as good for small verticle rotaries AND vise work.

you can verify that your rotary went to the prescribed angle (backlash/ g61) or part setup in a sine plate arrangemnt this way.

use this contantly..............

[Brando]

One thing I did here was strictly safety related, and that was to modify my post so at the end of a program it posts "S50" right before the M30 to reset the spindle rpms at a safe level. I inadvertently hit the spindle start once with an indicator in the spindle and it spooled up to 12k. I was luck I wasn't seriously injured, or worse.

 

been there!! after somebody shot the tip of a edge finder across the shop from 14k,,, i modified the tool changing macro (most fanucs are O9001) to have a S0 in as well as the end of the prog

[Colin Gilchrist]

I was wondering why there isn't a sticky for mills like there is for lathes.

 

Anyway... I have trained a few rookies on mills so I thought I would share some tips that I have been told helped these guys out. I also have some Mastercam specific tricks I will add to this. I want to throw some screenshots together first. If you have anything to add please do so.

 

Vise Setup:

When bolting a vise to the table snug down both bolts by hand. Using a wrench slightly tighten the left side. This creates a fulcrum on the left side. Set your indicator at zero on the left side. Sweep to the right side tapping the vise to zero as you go. Lightly snug the right bolt and return to the left with the indicator. Re-zero the indicator and tighten the left bolt a little more and repeat. You should be able to get a vise within .0002" with two or three passes across the vise. Using this method I can get three vises lined up in just a few minutes.

 

Hello Kevin,

 

I started the Lathe Tips and Tricks Thread as a help thread for Mastercam Lathe programming help. Let's see where this thread goes. We can always make this one a sticky too...

[Newbeeee™]

For the parallels I like magnets (we do ally so it's ok!).

Get them off ebay for not alot.

 

Like the S50 idea Bob. Reminds me of psycomill telling the story once of someone doing something very similar with a gun drill. It was like a millisecond and the thing bent thru 90deg and sheard/flew past the operators ear at a gazillion mph. Also could have been F nasty (one up from V nasty )

[djstedman]

The biggest thing I am always telling the newer guys and seem to have to kind of beat into thier heads is the following..

 

Use the shortest tool possible for the job your doing, have the least extension possible and verify minimal runout on tools, this will maximize rigidity to increase tool life and accuracy.

 

Probably the simplest and cheapest way to drastically reduce cycle times while increasing tool life.

 

It seems like the natural thing is to want to leave a ton of extra extension to avoid operator 'heart attack' when the machines rapids down to position, however since this lowers the rigidity considerably its a terrbile idea..

[jeff]

One thing I did here was strictly safety related, and that was to modify my post so at the end of a program it posts "S50" right before the M30 to reset the spindle rpms at a safe level. I inadvertently hit the spindle start once with an indicator in the spindle and it spooled up to 12k. I was luck I wasn't seriously injured, or worse.

I've done this for years,after the tool change and the m30, the spindle would be oriented and locked into position. Well this caused a lot of heat and and we went through 2 sets of spindle bearings in like 6 months.

The motor was always having to clamp the spindle after the m30, and sometimes it would be like that for hours.

I made the change, and we never had an issue after that.. now it's just out of habit, and I use S50 just so that the spindle is free.

[headhunter]

Another parellel retainer...... I ended up using a hose clamp bent into a "W" for holding my parallels in place. It was one of those time when that was the only thing I had laying around when I needed something in a rush.... that was 15 years ago, and it's still in my tool box....

[The_kid]

Distance to go screen. Know what is going to happen before it does! its that ounce of prevention thing. This helps with the "operator heart attack" if he has rapid set low and feed holds before program engages in the routine. This also helps to elimanate the need for extra tool stick out. I'd like to know what common mistakes people make as well. Seems like everyone has wound up an edge finder once. But what other rookie mistakes do you see most?

[PLANET]

hit the spindle start once with an indicator in the spindle

 

That's called "flydicating". When you are such a bada$$ machinist that you save time by indicating stuff on the fly . I had a leadman years back that did 3 indicators that way in the 8 years I worked with him, he even got one of mine once. We teased him mercilessly about that.

[PLANET]

When setting tools on a 1-2-3 or gage block, move block out of the way, lower spindle, push block against cutter, raise spindle in .0001" until block slides under.

 

I see more people rapid down on top of whatever they are setting tools with...

[superdave8831]

thats what i do newbie. best way to touch off tools and not chip or break them by coming down right on top of a hardened surface. also the kid has it right, with the distance to go screen and the machine rapid at its lowest you should be able to catch any crash befroe it occurs.

[RaiderX]

When setting tools on a 1-2-3 or gage block, move block out of the way, lower spindle, push block against cutter, raise spindle in .0001" until block slides under.

 

I see more people rapid down on top of whatever they are setting tools with...

 

good common sense approach but since I work on haas I ad a step of raise spindle up keeping track of amount of movement usually about .002 then back down .0001 at a time till block will not slide in. compensates for backlash.

 

 

another one is use round bar stock on moving jaw side when you need your load tru to sold jaw (raw stock on bottom) same technique used to square a block. this also works for T extrusion when 90 deg is critical and extrusion is not true 90.

 

 

great tips keep em coming.

[Bob W.]

When setting tools on a 1-2-3 or gage block, move block out of the way, lower spindle, push block against cutter, raise spindle in .0001" until block slides under.

 

I see more people rapid down on top of whatever they are setting tools with...

 

If I am setting small or delicate tools I like to use a .25" dowel pin or gage pin on top of the 123 block. It gives a much better feel with the little tools and less chance of breaking them. Basically same process, only sliding the gage pin into the tool while raising the spindle instead of the 123 block.

[MWR15]

When programing a rapid point above the part I always tell them to stop atleast 2in above zero. It has saved me a plenty of tool's over the years.

[The_kid]

Also guys I have been both an operator and a programmer. I apreciate coments within the program to let you know what is going on. I like to see tool list on top of program as well as all the info for the work offsets. I have worked under programmers who would give you no info at all and leaves to to figure out everything. second use for a spot drill chamfer mill....

[The_kid]

Granted any operator worth anything can read code and figure it out. but I suppose this is mostly just preferance.