I just ran some parts here and tried out the OSG Aero UVX line of cutters. Ran like a champ with high SFM and decent feed rate. I'd have to go dig up what it was at this point. Tool lasted thru the entire run, I expected the 1/8 cutter to die on me just because of the small diameter. We HT to 160-180 KSI and machine it all from there. For all out hogging we run Iscar's FF geometry tools. Need a little modification on the body, but I run at 100+ IMP on a 3flt body. Inserts last a decent amount of time given how abrasive the material is. Might want to look into those. .060 DOC max. Otherwise use a dynamic toolpath and run the OSG like the book tells you to. One cutter might be enough to get you thru the entire 28 pc lot. I run them wet here on our Hass machines.

We use the PDF version of InspectionXpert.We get our prints via .tiff or pdf. I find it to solve 90%+ of the problems that we had before starting to use this software.

I'm definitely interested in the same sort of system here. Having problems with operators not using the trigger points in the system to submit requisitions for replacement tools. I usually find out when I go to kit new work and find there isn't anything in stock. Hasn't been helped that a good portion of our current tools are being phased out by the manufacturer for who knows what new grades that may or may not yield the performance I'm expecting. Haven't played with Access in over a decade, maybe it will prove to be a worthwhile option. Currently I'm just trying to wrap my head around using a Pivot Table to show the owner how poorly our shop floor is running.

Have you looked into long distance jaws for subplates? They aren't confined to the normal vise dimensions. Of course you could buy the two Kurt double vises that are large paperweights here and have two more vises to use.

How long? Was just thinking soft jaws with rings milled for the part to set in. As long as you don't need to index during the cut. Of course lack of print or other info makes this a fun game of what if. ;-)

The UVX line has info for all steels. The variable helix may just help with the thin walls. I really only have to worry about drilling thru hollow pins around here. I'm not much more help than that. Can you set it up between centers like a HA5C indexer and tailstock? Just a thought on another way to run it. Rovi ID Arbor and a plug for the tailstock end.

What Material? I've had good performance luck with a couple OSG Aero EM. For Aluminum the Blizzard line has shown no issues with any con figuration I've thrown it at. For steels I've run both the Aero-SUS line in 15-5PH and the Aero-UVX line in 4340 at Rc36-44 with great results as well.

I've noticed an improvement on both of our '96-'99 generation Mills using G103. It dramatically improved what I was getting since I was watching the machine move slowly around corners. That pretty much made dynamic paths worth very little. I also noticed that with a new 2013 generation VF2SS that I would get some improvement with the G187 and G103 running together. I just consult and tune for the VF2SS, so I do not have long term cycle improvement feedback other than what the owner gives me when I stop in to see him. I check his cycle times and make sure his tool are living up to the expected life I said they should be getting. We saw reduction in cycle times when we applied the G103 P15 to his roughing code. We do not have the high speed options on these machines. VF2SS does have the option. I have both set to .001 on setting 85. That may also be a big reason that I am seeing such a difference. We keep it that tight to ensure interpolation of .001 tolerance holes stay where we want them in the end. It has come down to tuning my code to the individual machine as far as using the G187 and the G103 codes. I can't say that everyone will have the same results or that there is something that is unique to how the code is output by MC either. I can only say that those are the two things I look at when I need to wring every last little bit of time out of the programs that we are running here. YMMV. I hope that helps people tune for their specific machines in the end.

Don't forget to use your G103 for look ahead on the program. You can't use it with Tool Wear offsets, but you can open up the control's ability to move at a constant speed. I use G187 all the time to try to open up the old HAAS Vf-1 and Vf-4 we have here. V9 and V10 controls. When I'm roughing I tend to run G187 E.05 and G103 P15. Cancel using G187 and G103 on separate lines. I leave our Setting 85 at .001 here to ensure we keep features at size when finishing. I'm doing a couple Dynamic path test and I found that keep the tools down using this combo and running the machines at F300. for rapid moves was faster than rapiding up and around. In the past before I found my tuning tweaks it was always faster to rapid up and around the part with the tools. The the "P" designations also can drive a huge increase in productivity on newer controls. I've managed to successfully refine a couple programs on the latest version of the VF-2SS for a friend. Ask if you need something else clarified and I'll do my best to help guide you to the best method for your Haas.

They may be limited on RPM due to L:D. High RPM will have that warping and running out that small. Our bar puller takes 10 sec per cycle. I factor that into every job we run. No way to get around that delay. I can see this taking 45 seconds, especially if they are hand breaking the parts off instead of using a parts catcher to prevent damage as the part is removed. Lots of factors on the lathe to consider. This does sound like a good parts for swiss though. Being able to keep the material from warping at RPM is a huge time factor.

OSG makes one, List 4470. I have no experience with there High feed solid EM's, but I have had lots of good luck with several other newer generation tools.

The posted menu has you go into the work offsets and scroll left or right and the screen will appear. just scroll left or right on the offset you want it to use. Been learning probing while helping get a friend up and running on his VF2SS. It's a great tool that I have convinced the owner to add when he replaces our slow old Vf1.

We run two Daewoo Lynx 220 machines here. 1.75" thru spindle and 6K RPM spindle. No complaints for what they are and for our work. We run a mix of 15-5, 4330, 4340, Aluminum, 440 and 304 stainless. No major complaints with productivity or performance.

I've had great luck with OSG's Aero-SUS line in 303. We only have a lathe job that is 304. I don't do anything extreme but I have found that line to run fast and hold edges for a good long time in some deep and fast slotting. Primarily in 15-5PH Condition H1025.

Try running 135° or 140° split point carbide drills and following that up with a 4flt 90° chamfer mill. It's how I've been handling holes with 90° chamfers for a few years now. The split point all drill within .0005/.001 of diameter with no walking or issues on getting straigh holes so far. mostly 15-5, 17-4, 304 Cond B, 4340, 4130. Accupro has been my line of choice, but if you can get a better deal they are the exact same drills as the Melin Job Shop line...... a little birdie forgot to clean up a PDF I downloaded for S&F on the tools. Traced it back just fine after that. Now they have scrubbed all traces from their website.

I checked my control this morning and this is what I see on both of my old machines. Nothing below setting 85. Could setting 44 be part of my problem? I'll have to see if I have one of the videos I've shot of it running that show how much slower the machine gets on my radial moves while roughing. The only thing is that I am not using CC during roughing 90% of the time. I've loosened up Setting 85 as wide as E.250 just to see if I can see any reduction in cycle time without getting any net result. The "P" will be added on the next run that I have available to see if I get any net change to the cycle times.

Thanks, I've been using the G187 with only an E0.XXX call out. We keep the machines really tight to ensure we have accurate finished parts. I've never seen anything about the "P" variable and wonder if that applies on machines with the old controls like mine. V9.xx and V10.35. I'll be trying it out here in the near future as I have a couple of the parts getting ready to hit the shop floor in the next couple of weeks and I'll let you know if these old beasts can handle it.

Let me Clarify, I'm one of Gcode's contract customers. I don't have the post options for the code. Does the G187 code actually post with a "P" command in there? I'm trying to modify older proven code to cut the cycle times on roughing. I've got a video of a part running that should have high feed passes, reality is it's not coming close because the control is not setup for it. I've been trying to tune the controls and code for better performance, but it's all pretty much a shot in the dark. Hoping that someone that is using this on the control can help give me guidance for how to reduce the cycle times there. Still trying to interface with G for optimizing our planning/execution, bu I don't always have a day to put the parts on hold.

My machines say to use "E" for the override, how old are yours? I've been fighting this problem on my VF1(1997) and VF4(1999) for surfacing and high feed on a radial paths just taking a nose dive in productivity. My manuals also reference Parameter 134 as being tied to the G187 command. I can't find any information on how changing that parameter will effect productivity. I may just have to call HFO Anaheim and see if they can give me some feedback. Parameter 134 is different from the factory on each machine. No clue if the VF4 was ever changed since I lost all that data when the Mainboard crashed on me about 15 months ago.

I haven't used them myself, but why is your supplier not supporting you and ensuring you have the proper information to base your S&F's from? I'd go back and make them either call in the local Kennametal rep to help or supply the needed information to allow you to run the tools properly. Sounds like your supplier isn't wanting to take any blame for tools not living up to their hype.

Thanks for the suggestions. I was looking at the Specs for the Mori NV's this morning to reference what we would want to start looking at. We have a VF1 and a VF4, both well over a decade old. They run like champs for what they are capable of doing, but that still limits what we can manage to produce cycle time wise. We are open to potentially going to a full 5 axis machine if I can identify enough of a part mix and can justify the expense to the owner. He is happy with Haas for price and the performance based on that price, but if I can argue that another machine will give us a better value then I might just win the war over machines when it is time to shop and buy a new Mill. I'll be adding the Mazak's to my growing research list. Currently we run parts either in a vise or on the Haas 5C Indexer. Only one is getting run on a rotary table currently. Through tool Coolant is something I am trying to sell on the mills to allow me to run more efficiently and extend tool life on some of the newer generation tools that handle high speed machining paths. Gcode has never steered me wrong and I trust the issues with the SS are ones that will show themselves once we try to push the machine. Another factor in my sales pitch is going to have to be location of service and support staff for the Machine. We are located in North Orange County and the HFO is overly convenient as far as location to us is concerned. Is there anyone local that has either a Mazak or Mori that when we are close to buying I can bring the owner and manufacturing manager in to observe how it runs? I think a practical real world demo of the machines will ultimately be what it takes prove that changing brands is what we need to do.

As a Side option, there are tool makers that have threadmill software available for download. I've been using the one from Advent Tool with great success for jobs I've been converting from taps to threadmills. 10-32 mostly here. And for roughing J-Thread parts that give us hell with taps as well. You can define a custom tool and have it generate gcode for a number of machines.

I don't know who your local retailer is, but I've had good support coming from my local retailer with phone troubleshooting on my old HAAS mills. You might want to call and talk to their Tech support guy. I've not seen a screen failure, but I wonder if your LCD monitor had a failure or if it has it's own transformer that has failed.

Try the Accupro drills from MSC. The 4X series of drills have been running great for me at a very low cost. I don't know if the lack of flood will hurt you, but depending on the hardness I'm getting a ton of life from my drills. I run at 150SFM and have yet to replace a drill in a job. Average life has been 208+ inches of drill life.

I check the cylinders here no less than every 6 months. Depending on the temps and the scheduling I can check it every month. I've seen our Head fall when we cut power at the end of the day due to low counterbalance pressure. I'd suggest teaching your operators to check it as part of the weekly maintenance on the machines. It's not even hard to check daily as you warm up the machine and get ready for the day.