Mill Tips and Tricks

[Bob W.]

"In my opinion that button has no business being there, especially where it is."

 

LOL, I've dented a few parts in my time.

 

Same crap on our Makino. You have to press the spindle STOP button to release the orientation after a tool change. This button is right next to the spindle start button, and both are above the control. The only 2 buttons in that location. I'm standing at my machine right across from the Makino when I hear that oh so familiar THWAK. Look over and the guy is as white as a ghost. Last programmed feed was 18500 rpm. It's not funny at all, quite serious actually. Every time i see this happen, the operator looks around for the pieces, hoping for just a bit of luck that the Interapid can some how be put back together.

 

I've managed to piece several axial supports back together after a few years. It usually takes 3 or 4 accidents to make one good one.

 

This is exactly why I modified my post processor to post "S50" right before the M30 at the end of the program. Resets the spindle to a safe level so if the wrong button is pressed it spools up to a whopping 50 rpm.

 

I know I mentioned this earlier in this thread so it is kind of redundant, but if it saves someone getting a test indicator buried in their forehead it is worth it.

[Rotary Ninja]

You can post that a hundred times. I think it's one of the best tricks in this thread. It's one I used and when I see the M30 and your S50 is there before it I feel safer just knowing it's there.

[Josh Kinney -Elite Engineering]

This is how I use stock model and have it follow my part throughout the operations. I also use it for Vericut Stock Origins.

 

I'll start with my tombstone, fixtures, part and stock boundaries. I created my normal wcs's for the op's that reference wherever I chose.

 

Here she sits:

 

 

Now this is the trick.

 

I create a new wcs called "Op1 Stock Origin". This needs to reference a point on the part that makes sense to you. I create a "point" and select it for my wcs. In this case I selected this hole.

 

 

Now you need to create a stock model that references this wcs. Set up your stock size and don't select any operations for the stock model. I usually name it like "Op1 Starting Stock".

 

Now you should have the stock showing like so:

 

 

Create all your Operations and then create a new Stock Model named "Op1 Final". Use the same wcs and now reference the first stock model and select all the operations for that Op. You should have a beautiful stock model representing the part as finished in that Op.

 

 

Now for the fun part.

 

In this case the part is now on the backside (B180) of the tombstone and rotated 90Deg like so:

 

 

Now we need to create a dynamic wcs and select the same hole feature and make sure our x,y,z are at the correct orientation to the part as our "Op1 Stock Origin" WCS was.

 

You can see the "Op1 Stock Origin' WCS in this pic:

 

 

And "Op60 Stock Origin" in this pic:

 

 

Now we need to create another stock model that references the "Op60 Stock Origin" and for the intital shape the "Op1 final" stock model. Don't select any actual operations.

 

We should end up with this stock model translated to the new position and full associativity to the first stock model. You can do this through as many op's as needed. Best part is if you have Vericut and reference these stock model wcs's in the Vericut interface it will flow all the way through.....

 

 

LMK if you have any questions.

 

One note:

 

Your first Stock WCS has to be in the same orientation as the "Top" view. The location can be different but xyz must be the same.

 

-Josh

[Josh Kinney -Elite Engineering]

I made an edit to the end of my stock model post about first origin. It doesn't work if this isn't correct out of the gate.

 

-Josh

[DBronson]

Has anyone used this "ICE-VISE" successfully? 

[The_kid]

I haven't personally used it.  I think most people just make or get a vacuum fixture.