Yes that's correct. The turrets have Sankyo name on them but are made by Sandex (same manufacturer as for the milling machine toolchanger camboxes). They have a servo drive with encoder to give position, and a cam slot for the index, with needle roller bearings running in the cam slot. We had (allegedly but not sure) insert go on a boring bar which was deep into a 2.5" billet and it caused the billet to eject from the soft jaws. Apparently. Anyway, the billet definitely came out....resulting damage was the needle roller exploded in the slot which dented the cam slot, which because there was no hirth/clamping, we had float on that turret position for ever more. Not much, and as it was radial float (about 5 thou), it didn't affect the diameter/size, so we used that as a permanent rough pocket going forwards. Other damage was the Z rails needed replacing - if you look at the machine design, and see where your tool is in contact to the work, follow it up and back over to the roof of the machine - there is a HUGE amount of mechanical advantage (leverage) from tool tip upto the Z rails. Hence them getting "dented" in the crash. So treat it with care and it will do some good work. Treat it as a robust heavy duty mill-turn, and you'll snap it in half!

Yes - Reading the comments I was going to add that machine models didn't just have Yasnac, but also Mitsubishi as well as others with Fanuc back ends. All front ends were Hitachi own proprietary software written by their own sub-contracted software house. You're lucky having Mitsubishi as yasnac support is next to useless. Don't bang the machine as the turret has a roller cam box with no positional clamping....the Z rails are up and over running on the roof of the machine and if you have a smack, these can be taken out too. Also the Y axis rails are about 12mm wide..... Treat it gently and they work well - trochoidal tool paths for any milling is advised as 12mm dia is a large cutter which is great for making "grippy surfaces" but not so good if you want to cut a good finish.... :)

Hicel 23....It's just a single spindle CY with the majority of code the same as a Fanuc?

Looks like Siemens shopmill/turn.....offline = NX or Top Solid....?

You've answered your own question....If the part comes back with unknown sizes, it has to be measured. Or as Matt says - you cut safe (air).

Click Click Clickety Click Clicky. Hmmmm....extra mouseclicks sounds familiar.... :lol:

That's what killed this place - too many emotions and the overlords shut it down.... Pretty ironic - I just earned "top rank" (?) for December 2006. I know I'm stuck in my ways - can I return back there please?

I know we all laughed....and laughed.....but the reality is I found it quite offensive TBH. There's a ton of things that can and do go wrong in our game, and thinking them all through to ensure REPEATED good parts only comes with experience. Not a mouse click.... Oh, and IBTL

Hahahaha - yes, as Klaus Schwab said, "we can't all be robot polishers"..... If AD bought them, they're as good as history.....

A few years ago a local shop had Mazaks and #2 came in with the spindle direction flipped so had a new post. Then they bought #3 so had 1x post for 2x machines, and another post for the other. I would have changed the spindle direction parameter and had 1x post for all 3....

This. Drill to nearly break through, then spiral ramp with an 8mm cutter so you have plenty of tool movement through the cross hole to the solid, then continue drilling.

Depending on application....I've mentioned before that in a couple of times the only thing that worked for me was an ER25 holder. Schunk hydraulic, Showa micron chuck, shrink, all rang like a church bell. ER25 was quiet as a mouse. Just checking and these parts were ally, and the tools were:- 6mm Dia 2Flute x 7mm LOC x 88mm relief x 130.0mm O/A - 90mm out 10mm Dia 2Flute 40Deg x 10mm LOC x 90mm Relief x 130mm O/A - 90mm out Harmonics are a funny thing....

Haven't read all....but holders. I had a feature similar dia to length ratio (although a 5mm cutter) and couldn't stop it ringing like a church bell. My mate said use a ER25 holder. I told him he was having a laugh, as we tried hydraulic shcunk, showa microchuck (mechanical), and just tried a shrink and was now outta ideas. ER25 was gravy. Harmonics are a funny thing....

+1 Dream drills in the UK, are one of if not, the best value for money carbide available. Great size and finish.

+1 as they work REALLY well in this situation. Other option is Seco Jabro/Tornado - can't remember the number, but it's a 2 flute slow helix but sharp hook. With extrusions, 3 flutes and high helixes can drag in or lift, where the straighter flutes (high hook) just cut a treat. I'd use a 12mm dia max..... I snapped a 12mm VX5 once cutting 304 - it didn't shatter, just snapped at the top of the flutes. It had only done a couple of parts and the snapped/bottom still had razor sharp teeth. The sound it made was like a shotgun going off - one hell of a bang! Only one I ever had a problem with - great cutters!