I use one work coordinate on c/l, multiple work coordinates for each plane at the c/l, and multiple work coordinates based on print tolerance. It depends on what the part is and what machine its going on. We do a ton of tight tolerance weldments and a ton of aerospace chassis. So I have no preference, really dependent on the job. Also, the fact that jobs float between verticals and horizontals so frequently. It adds to the fun

What is your filter tolerance set at?

I face the same issues, except its with programmers too. I laugh every time I see a job programmed with a high speed rougher.

http://www.emastercam.com/board/topic/79674-problem-with-dynamic-core-milling/ Should answer your question, however I increase my tolerance when roughing and carefully watch the cuts, watching for unanticipated large stopovers. Some programs would be unmanageable if I roughed with a .001 filter.

If you decide to peck tap it, you most likely will have to set the back off parameter. Most of the new Fanucs I have seen had it set to zero or something ridiculous. Also, you can setup up rigid tapping without a M29 (parameter is labeled g84). But, it will make all tapping rigid. Edit, in reference to OP mill problem only...just realized the thread was bumped and not new

We had 4 Bridgeport/Hardinge VMCs, which shared parts with Quaser. Smoked two belts from plunge milling on the larger one. Two of the four were plagued with tool changer issues from day 1. They also had the most thermal growth in the Z I have ever seen.

70 percent step over, light depth of cut. If its something that I want full control over, I will do 2d contours for 90 arc entry/exits . Most of the time core/ opticore if I am working with models.

YCM and Feeler to add to the list.

I have never had a customer or individual have an issue with moving the part to the WCS, east coast Aerospace industry. But, I have heard the same thinking from others on here. A 4th axis large horizontal part, when rotating around the c/l, would be a waste of time to create all new planes. Also, I think surface tool paths like Flowline don't preform as well when using an arbitrary WCS.

Anytime I would save a somewhat complex part STL, with the precision turned up, and then transformed it for another op. When trying to verify the new op....crash city. After switching over to stock models, my quality of life has gone up. I have crashed a few times with stock models regenerating, but nothing like using STL's in x8.

Especially if he is maxing out that poor spindle

Yes, running the actual program as the "warm up" would be best. I hope you don't have a 24k spindle running at 24k for along period of time.

Can you have the machine turn on before your shift and have a warm up program running before you get there? Either via another employee or machine function.

HV 1000 With a Koma 4th, its had some issues but overall its been pretty good. Not a Matsuura

Know the feeling, best of luck

Also we were running at 19500 rpm pretty much all day with a 24k spindle. HTH

I had issues on parts that were 20 + inches long with a profile of .002 on features in the x. Had to split the tolerance to get good parts. The ball screw was growing .0012 from "warmed up" to end of shift. Never had time to dial in the thermal comp on the X, because parts were too involved to scrap and how close they were to being OOT. I did get the Z dialed in pretty good, but it would still drift a few tenths (if not warmed up fully prior to running). A huge problem when trying to hold a profile of .0005 in the Z over 20 inches. Job runs fine on a Matsuura and Feeler. I believe it can be done, but trial and error on prototype quantity parts, forget it. The key is keeping the thing running at the same rpms and not letting it sit idle. If I couldn't keep it running parts during lunch or when nature called, I would run an old program above my part to keep it warm. I am pretty sure I had a value of 60% in the Z, it increased the part thickness slightly but did decrease inconsistencies between one end of the part to the other. Robodrills are nice machines, but the parts we were trying to run on them are not Robodrill parts.

Have used Helical's for awhile, its ok but its pretty limited. I know on aluminum/ volumill...it outputs garbage. Also it doesn't allow you to enter in your step down/ step over to recalculate. I am trying to get the powers at be to get HSM Advisor. I like it a lot better, money well spent. I am pretty sure it would pay for itself in a day's time.

http://eltool.com/FAQS/Operation/HowdoIorienttheanglehead.aspx Someone had a thread about this, but I was thinking you could use their M19 orientation macro to broach an internal spline in a pinch.

use_pitch should do it, I had to change the opposite way. Inches per rev to inches per minute and no special mcode for rigid tappining.

use_pitch : 0 #0 = Use feed for tapping, 1 = Use pitch for tapping rigid_tap : 0 #0 = Floating tap output, 1 = Rigid tap output (suppress spindle output and output M29)

Torque wrenches have a place and we use them frequently due to the above issue. One guy cracked the "nut" on a 8 inch kurt, after years of hammering away on it and years of being told not to. Its not practical to make fixtures for low quantity runs and torque wrenches are dirt cheap. Best way is to put an indicator on the part and set the torque wrench to where you start bowing the part.

Pretty slick how they change the M19 location to index with the spindle.

Yes, but I copy all the other solids onto another level so you still have the separate solids available and non altered. Then just select the new combined solid body in stock setup.