Brother TC-22B 5-Axis machine ??

[Aeroguy]

Hi all.

My boss in his infinite wisdom has decided to move me to a different machine. It is a Brother TC-22B-0 5-Axis.

When I say 5 axis, it really looks to me like a 3 axis with a small trunnion set-up on the table. I am not even sure if it is a true 5 axis.

I have never used it before, and the guy currently operating and programming it is a dumba$$ that can't seem to properly explain it to me either. That or my ukranian is a little too rusty.

Anybody have any experience with Brother machines?? And not just the photocopiers either Do I program it like I would any other 5 Axis machine or is there something else that needs to be done?

 

Cheers

[Mic]

At my prior job as AE I helped setup several "5X" Brother's.

 

To be honest it's only a 3+2 machine. The controller only supports G1 motion for XYZ + one rotary axis so it would be possible to position the swivel axis and then run 4X simultaneous. But the controller doesn't have inverse time feedrate so you would need to recalcualte all feedrate like CAMplete feedrate leveling does.

 

We build a macro which worked a little like G68.2 tracking the datum point around while indexing. This simplyfied programming and allowed to move the part without reposting.

 

I you remenber it's only a 30 taper machine then you can do a lot this this little nice machine.

 

Make sure to get the controller updated to the newest software release, this will give you the new and improved highspeed function.

[Aeroguy]

Thanks Mic, I figured it was just a 3+2 set-up, but the way the previous operator is explaining it to me is that he was picking up a different fixture offset for each angular rotation. ie. OP#1 no rotation is G54, OP#2 Rotation is A90. B90. is G55 etc etc.

This didn't make any sense to me being as the boss is insisting the thing is a 5 axis positional machine.

I've looked at a few of his previous Mastercam files, and to be honest they make no sense to me.

I guess I will have to experiment a little with the machine and see how it behaves.

[Mic]

Sounds very time consuming to probe all these datums.

 

You've 2 options:

 

1. Program everything from pivot point and let the post handle the coordinate transformations.

 

2. Make a makro in the controller that "tracks" the datum for you based on initial datum and A and B angles.

 

All the machines I helped install was with option 2.

[Aeroguy]

Hi Mic, Yes, it does sound extremely time consuming, and I certainly am not interested in picking up multiple offsets for each rotation.

Any chance you would happen to have that macro hanging around that you could send me?