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Author Topic: Success! Mini Machining Center under Mach3 control - Video link  (Read 375892 times)

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Re: Success! Mini Machining Center under Mach3 control - Video link
« Reply #70 on: November 09, 2009, 07:03:18 AM »
On your reply #42 you mention 350,000 steps per second. Mach 3 can't do that, I think.

In your last video of turning, I see a 60 degree carbide insert. The camera is looking at what is normally the top of the insert, (in a normal lathe setup). But if the spindle is turning counter clockwise, you must be cutting with the bottom edge of the insert. If it's not turning that direction, then you're cutting a left hand thread???

Ozzie
« Last Edit: November 09, 2009, 07:13:59 AM by OzzieII »

Offline simpson36

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Re: Success! Mini Machining Center under Mach3 control - Video link
« Reply #71 on: November 09, 2009, 07:41:02 AM »
Ozzie,

Now I understand. I said the DRIVE is pushing 350K steps, not MACH. Many drives have step multipliers on the input side. If I set the multiplier to 10, for example, MACH puts out 1 step and the drive treats that as if it were 10 steps. You may see this referred to as 'electronic gearing'. Where the trouble come is when the drive itself has a bandwidth that will not allow it to pump OUT enough steps. In this case, you are limited in RPM.

I'm not cutting with the wrong side of the carbide. The threads are calculated by a macro that I wrote and can go either direction. You just enter + or -. Also the tool can be bolted to the mill facing 'in' or 'out', and the 4th axis can run either direction. The big inset obsures the cutting action, so the setup for the video is 'backward' so that you can see the cutting action.  I didn't change the program, I just flipped the tool and reversed the rotation for making the video.
 
Re: Success! Mini Machining Center under Mach3 control - Video link
« Reply #72 on: November 09, 2009, 08:19:11 AM »
Got it! Thanks

Ozzie

Offline simpson36

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Re: Success! Mini Machining Center under Mach3 control - Video link
« Reply #73 on: November 09, 2009, 11:21:47 AM »
Here are some details of my new XY table. I designed this for a client. There will be 4 of them to be put on new X3 machines for a specific purpose. This was probably the most fun thing I've done with the CNC to date. The Thompson ball screws are temporary because the post office lost the ground lead screws that I bought for the project. They finally did arrive and the grinding video shows the end prep. I sold the original CNC converted X2 table as a complete setup with all the CNC stuff included, includeing all three axis photointerruptors (home switches).

The new screws are pretty amazing. I have the table set now for 300IPM rapids. You can see this in the video showing PCB routing.









Offline simpson36

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Re: Success! Mini Machining Center under Mach3 control - Video link
« Reply #74 on: November 09, 2009, 11:30:30 AM »
A friend told me that CNC conversion is like a virus. Easy to get and once you get it and you can't get over it . . .  :D

I have the slides for the Z axis . . .   :o     . . . .  . somebody stop me . . . .

Continuing with the table photos . . .







Offline Fastest1

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Re: Success! Mini Machining Center under Mach3 control - Video link
« Reply #75 on: November 09, 2009, 11:46:03 AM »
Those hose fittings are being used as stand offs?
I want to die in my sleep like my grandfather, not like the passengers in the car! :-)

Offline simpson36

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Re: Success! Mini Machining Center under Mach3 control - Video link
« Reply #76 on: November 09, 2009, 11:58:15 AM »
Those hose fittings are being used as stand offs?

YEP!!   Waste not want not . . LOL!  Those are test pieces from my 4th axis project . . .  I have <ahem> quite a few   :-[

Speaking of recycling, I just listed these Thompson ball screws in the 'Bargain Basment'. Somebody may as well get use out of them. They are brand new and I have no further need for them.

Offline Dan13

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Re: Success! Mini Machining Center under Mach3 control - Video link
« Reply #77 on: November 10, 2009, 03:26:00 PM »
Nice job Simpson!

Looks like you lost a fair amount of travel on your Z with these slides ;)

Are the mounting plates and the bearing plate made of aluminum??? Or is just the photo?

Daniel

Offline simpson36

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Re: Success! Mini Machining Center under Mach3 control - Video link
« Reply #78 on: November 10, 2009, 04:33:52 PM »
Nice job Simpson!

Looks like you lost a fair amount of travel on your Z with these slides ;)

Are the mounting plates and the bearing plate made of aluminum??? Or is just the photo?

Daniel
Well, lets find out. It is 4.4" from the dovetail flat (on the X2 base) to the top of the table. I sold the original table and saddle, so if someone with an X2 can measure, we'll have the answer. I had over 12" of Z travel, so I wasn't particularly concerned about it. The new base plate is 3/4" and doesn't need to be for an X2 (the table is designed for an X3), so an other .25" could be eeked out of there on an X2.

Everything is aluminum ground jig plate. The solid aluminum table weights only 0.4lbs less then the original cast iron table.

I will be building an entire new machine frame also from aluminum and making a complete new head from aluminum. The total weight of both head castings on the X2 is 16lbs. The new aluminum head will weight 24.6lbs  . . both figures do not include the spindle, bearings, motor, drive parts, etc.

The stock X2 column weights 17.5lbs. The new column will be 20lbs. X2 base casting weighs 17.25lbs. New base will weigh 19.5lbs
« Last Edit: November 10, 2009, 04:44:50 PM by simpson36 »

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Re: Success! Mini Machining Center under Mach3 control - Video link
« Reply #79 on: November 10, 2009, 08:50:00 PM »
I watched your video of the grinding on the leadscrew. Impressive adaptation as always. Is there any reason why you grind rather than turn? Is the screw hardened so much regular cutters dont work well? Also I see you using rotary tables and indexers, do you control the table with a distance on the DROS referring to inches traveled or degrees? Seems like inches traveled would be different depending on how far away from the center of the rotary table as the work is spinning. Does any of that make sense?
I want to die in my sleep like my grandfather, not like the passengers in the car! :-)