A Warm-up Routine

[Cincinnati]

Does anyone run a warm-up routine on their mill/lathe?

A machinist suggested that it may be advantageous to run a 5-10 minute warm-up program where no metal is cut and the machine moves the axes back and forth until the motors warm up.

[Chaoticone]

If your going for super precision that isn't a bad idea but generally the spindle is needing warming the most. Slow to fast in steady ramps will save your bearings so they say. I don't think there is any routine that is going to heat the ways exactly like the program being run. Maybe you could loop the program in a dry run with no part if this won't cause problems. Sometimes the jaws or clamps may not allow you to run the program exactly as it would in produstion minus the part but if it will, that would be the best warm up I can think of. If your running the same parts day in and day out, you can take a 15 min. break, let the machine set, and then start dialing it back in.

Brett

[Tweakie.CNC]

Hi,

If it is of any help to you - I have a router which uses linear rails and ballscrews which runs perfectly (during the winter) at 5 deg C no problems. My newly acquired mill which has iron ways and ball screws does require a couple of traverses on each axis before use at this temperature and I have put this down to the lack  of viscosity in the oil on the ways.

Regards, Tweakie.

[vmax549]

I run a warmup program to make sure the ways are oiled AND the spindle has some warm up time.

'The axis are run as a large pocket program that feeds from the inside out the basic size of the table. That way the slide ways get lubed all over.

At the same time the spindle is ramped up in speed in stages. Takes about 10 minutes tops to Ref home and run the warmup.

THEN that puppy has to work hard ALL DAY and sometimes part of the night.

Seeing as it is about 34 years old and still going I think it helps.

(;-) TP