[CNC] My First End To End Cnc Project Is Done: Thanks To Hm'ers!

[countryguy]

Hi everyone,
Just a quick gloat-note of a proud 1st completed CNC project done end to end by Myself. My Plasma table machine torch holder is ready to go onto the Plasma table at long last.

A few Shout outs! Thanks to Jim D, Middle.road, Coolidge, Ulma Doctor, Ray C, and on and on for getting me from very very naive novice to actually making things via CAD/CAM/CNC infrastructure in a well tooled home shop now.

My Son and I are doing this as a Pop & Son adventure. He's even heading off to a Design and Fabrication college come next spring. A cool adventure the past few years.

The project was simple: Plasma machine torch holder for my CNC table. From Aluminum 6061 stock with some variable torch holder placements. One of the pics has the stock I used.

What it took in the end was learning more and more about order of operations, multiple milling/drilling operations in a CNC mill, tool height offsets, aluminum feeds and speeds, just how essential an edge finder and solid square machinists vise really is!

....And of course to slow down a bit and enjoy the time I do get out there.

btw/ What I would LOVE next- An ATC for a SuperMax mill if anyone knows what I could get mounted to this....

A few pics!

...And #2.

 

[derf]

Looks very professional, how many hrs do you have in it?

 

[JimDawson]

btw/ What I would LOVE next- An ATC for a SuperMax mill if anyone knows what I could get mounted to this....

Congratulations on completing your first CNC project. Looking good. You are correct, order of operation is everything!

ATC? That should be in interesting project. If you can find an early Fanuc unit it might work.

 

[wrat]

btw/ What I would LOVE next- An ATC for a SuperMax mill if anyone knows what I could get mounted to this....

Automatic Tool Changing is generally a whole lotta claptrap by almost anyone's books.
There are many machines that run today where the ATC doesn't work. The rest of the mill works, but the ATC does not. Granted, this is less-common than it once was, but it can account for the lion's share of maintenance, sometimes.
Don't get me wrong. Who wouldn't like something so cool? But man, oh man, it might come with a lot of headaches going down that road.
But then, this is a machining forum isn't it? Guess that might not be much of a concern


Wrat

 

[countryguy]

thanks a ton wrat! Need to hear the hard facts too... I'm so tired of spending more time fixing things than making things.... It's a truth to consider.

 

[countryguy]

A lot of time! I'm found some great way's to NOT make a torch holder most of all! I learned so so much. It's been my sole project for about 2 months. Most of that time was spent learning how to run my Centroid(Ajax) mill and how to actually make parts -vs- chips!

the new: My last part and most complex part took two hours on Sat night now that I know what I'm doing (sortof).

Looks very professional, how many hrs do you have in it?

 

[countryguy]

that looks pretty simple overall.... I'll do some searching! Thanks Jim.

Congratulations on completing your first CNC project. Looking good. You are correct, order of operation is everything!

ATC? That should be in interesting project. If you can find an early Fanuc unit it might work.

View attachment 114370

 

[chevydyl]

I wonder if in your centroid control it has the ability to change tools, whether you'd have to pay to unlock it, or change the controller out to something that will change tools.
Jim, are you saying that he could add the fanuc unit to his centroid, and that they would be able to communicate and know when to change tools, and know that the tool has been changed?

 

[chevydyl]

Countryguy, good job on that, did you incorporate a switch on the floating part? I remember seeing this on the blade runner (i think) system. I think it told the controller that it was in the up position, meaning that the torch tip was on the metal, or it was the other way around, telling the controller that it just lifted off the metal, or that it was about to be lifted off the metal (metal to be cut)

 

[countryguy]

Yes, Thanks and good eye Sir! There is a Microswitch that goes in behind the bottom float-plate mount to torch-holder O plate. I do not recall which open or close position represents what. It'll hit when the torch gantry goes down... Pushing the plates together w Hysteresis on the switch.

I need to Mill out a small micro-switch cavity real quick when I get home. I'm putting it on the table ASAP and wanted to see how the switch will all line up. Figured a CNC part turn and re-zero and all that.... Was easier on my time to just do it manually. But it's been a dandy learning project!

To do ATC I need to buy that option/unlock - But it's not too pricy if I recall. Just checked - It's $280. but this software is crazy cool & easy to use. I now just fly thru the keys. And it's so intuitive at times. I'm an IT guy - And a DOS based program at first blush made me wince a bit.... fret not. solidm robust, and very easy to learn. (with you guys here of course!).

I wonder if the ATC's just communicate over RS 485 or something? anyway- I'll pop on a thread when I did into this a bit more.

CG-