Renishaw TS34

[g huns]

Anybody got one? Like it? I have a quote from Okuma that includes one. We have no experience with contact tool setters, only lasers. Seems like a step backward to me.

[Matthew Hajicek - Singularity]

I have the Renishaw OTS probe.  It always repeats to the tenth.  I've never been able to trust a laser that much.

[g huns]

Just now, Matthew Hajicek™ - Conventus said:

I have the Renishaw OTS probe.  It always repeats to the tenth.  I've never been able to trust a laser that much.

Cool. Thanks.

I assume the OTS is the same thing just wireless.

I have a Blum laser that I trust closer than I can measure. Also have 3 Renishaw lasers that do ok. Within .0005" anyways.

[Matthew Hajicek - Singularity]

I've always had trouble with lasers and small tools (less than 1/32").  They were Blum too.

[g huns]

Just now, Matthew Hajicek™ - Conventus said:

I've always had trouble with lasers and small tools (less than 1/32").  They were Blum too.

Funny, our Blum is money so far down to .020 ball end mills.

I doubted it once. Was having some blending issues with pickout paths. Roeders sent me a program that ran a laser measurement, did a tool change, lasered that tool, went back to first tool and lasered again. It repeated that 100 times and recorded the measurements. I haven't doubted it since.

[Matthew Hajicek - Singularity]

I suppose it could have been the installation; the eye was on kind of a funky arm.  Not an OEM setup at all.

[Brad Lisle]

Make sure you get the Renishaw Set and Inspect app installed, it is very user friendly and helps shorten setups.

[g huns]

6 hours ago, Brad Lisle said:

Make sure you get the Renishaw Set and Inspect app installed, it is very user friendly and helps shorten setups.

Thanks.

The machine is an MA-600HB. It was ordered as pretty much a base machine, then the order was cancelled. I had them quote swapping out the 6K spindle for the 12K and adding a MP Systems dual pressure hp pump and mist collector. In your opinion, are there any other options that are must haves for a shop that builds molds?  

[T_MALENA]

High speed machining and spindle probe/tool probe package.  Currently I run Renishaw TS27, OMP40, OLP40 & OTS.  I believe the TS34 is for Horiz mills and the OTS/TS27 is avert application.  Ive used contact probes & Laser measurement before. I'm a little more biased to the contact ones. - but just an opinion. 

ghuns When will your MA-600 arrive? I have two MA-600's coming towards the end of the year. Both will be loaded with Renishaw.

[g huns]

5 minutes ago, T_MALENA said:

ghuns When will your MA-600 arrive? I have two MA-600's coming towards the end of the year. Both will be loaded with Renishaw.

Still just a quote, but it's falling apart fast.

There is an auction coming up with a 2003 MA-60. It's immaculate with around 4000 hours. It does not have coolant through spindle. I inquired with our dealer about whether they could tell me, based on serial number, if it's an easy add on. And what the footprint and weight is for the MA-60. I need to know it will fit through the door and NOT create a basement. 

Being a good salesman, he says, I have two brand new MA600s that were ordered and cancelled, we'll make you a sweet deal. It is a sweet deal, but the machines are base models with 6K spindles set up for cast iron. I asked if it's possible to swap in a 12K spindle in it and add all the goodies, probes, HP pump, mist sucker, etc.

I get a quote. Still pretty sweet. Then my boss notices the quote is for a loaded up 12K MA-500. Not quite as sweet.

Apparently swapping spindles, while possible, would make the sweet deal on the 600 go to being closer to a sticker price deal. So he just quoted me an in stock 500.

I already have a 500. It's not always big enough, hence the original inquiry about the MA-60 at the auction. At no point did I ask; what MA-500s do you have in stock?

[Sticky]

If the machine is mostly doing mold bases 6k isn't going to limit you much.

If you are using lots of tools under .25" then the added spindle speed is needed.

I build moldbases and inserts/lifters/slides on a 15k HMC, but only really ever go over 6k on the small stuff.

[g huns]

Just now, Sticky said:

If the machine is mostly doing mold bases 6k isn't going to limit you much.

If you are using lots of tools under .25" then the added spindle speed is needed.

I build moldbases and inserts/lifters/slides on a 15k HMC, but only really ever go over 6k on the small stuff.

We don't do any mold base work in house. Our MA-500 has a 12K and it gets wound up frequently for drilling wire EDM start holes.

It's funny seeing a 2mm drill hanging out of a CAT50 holder and that massive spindle.

The 6K spindle on the one at the auction doesn't bother me. Buying used, for cheap, I'd live with it. It's whether it's prepped for coolant through. That machine without coolant through is useless to me.

Buying new, even for good deal, I'd have to have 12K. It would end up being used as an overflow finish machine.  

[mkd]

2mm drill running 12K in tool steel

Man, i'm behind the times 'cause the scares me.

[g huns]

Just now, mkd said:

2mm drill running 12K in tool steel

Man, i'm behind the times 'cause the scares me.

I'm exaggerating. It's really a 2.4mm diameter and it prolly only spins between 7 and 8K. Which are both more than 6. 

I do remember that the feedrate is 11IPM. It's a little baby 30X Walter coolant through drill.

The 2mm don't scare me. What's the worst that can happen? Break it and have to hole pop it?

It's the 30X 7/16" drilling water lines and hitting cross drilled holes that seems to ruin my days. 

[Sticky]

We just use single lip gun drills for waterlines when it comes to big stuff. It's "slow", but peaceful and not stressful. Sure I could drill a 30xd 7/16 hole in 15s with a spiral flute drill, but they suck on cross holes, and when they blow up it hurts the pocket book and usually your part. Same hole with a gun drill takes 2min, costs about 20% as much as the sprial drill, and does cross holes with reliability.

[g huns]

Just now, Sticky said:

We just use single lip gun drills for waterlines when it comes to big stuff. It's "slow", but peaceful and not stressful. Sure I could drill a 30xd 7/16 hole in 15s with a spiral flute drill, but they suck on cross holes, and when they blow up it hurts the pocket book and usually your part. Same hole with a gun drill takes 2min, costs about 20% as much as the sprial drill, and does cross holes with reliability.

Yeah, but once my boss saw that 15 sec hole, there was no turning back.

We are getting better at it. Getting our designers to actually draw them in a way we can drill them is our biggest hurdle.  

[Brad Lisle]

13 hours ago, g huns said:

Thanks.

The machine is an MA-600HB. It was ordered as pretty much a base machine, then the order was cancelled. I had them quote swapping out the 6K spindle for the 12K and adding a MP Systems dual pressure hp pump and mist collector. In your opinion, are there any other options that are must haves for a shop that builds molds?  

If you do a lot of ballmill/spline surfacing I highly recommend Super-NURBS. I would also recommend Fixture Tracking  (CALL OO88) if you are planning on running 3+1. If you plan on running small tools at high RPM (12k) for long durations I would also look into a coolant chiller to keep the temp stable. You will get better finishes and hold tolerances tighter. The machine can only control and compensate for the machine growth/shrinkage itself, keeping the work material and workholding from thermal growth/shrinkage is just as important for some.