spreading the love..from a Mazak

[Tony Wells]

The little 18 I ran a long time ago was capable of 1,200 IPM, but we tweaked it down a bit for safety, and changed the accel/decel curves a bit just because we didn't like jerking the machine around. I would imagine this 20 would be similar.

 

[Zamfir]

It lives!!

Not sure about max rapids but after zeroing it and jogging it I about shat my pants. I turned the jog percent down to 30% and then felt a little more comfortable. Slapped in a tool and faced some aluminum. No nipple! No shims! Hell yeah!

What a long hard but satisfying weekend. Started with a crate and ended making my first chips. I had to run my 240v 1awg wire run about 40 foot. I managed to get two 1awg and one 4awg into 1" thin walled steel flex conduit. I bundled the wire and laid it all straight in the yard and slid the conduit over it. Then mounted the conduit and wires everything up after the fact. Shoulders are a bit sore. That stuff gets heavy! I have about 10 foot of length coiled up in case I decide to move the location of the phase converter. I just got everything buttoned up before supper. Now time to dig into the manuals and U-tube and start programming.

 

[Zamfir]

Ohh man. Need to fix my flag! Lol.

 

[Wreck™Wreck]

The little 18 I ran a long time ago was capable of 1,200 IPM, but we tweaked it down a bit for safety, and changed the accel/decel curves a bit just because we didn't like jerking the machine around. I would imagine this 20 would be similar.

That would walk the machine right out of the room when threading.

 

[Tony Wells]

We considered it a little hard on the leadscrews and ball nuts, as well as the servomotors. The machines are balanced well enough to do it, but honestly, it's a little un-nerving to hover over the feed hold button when the machine rapids up to the stock that fast. One finger on the cycle start, another over the feed hold is no way to run a operation. Especially if your programmer is a little careless. Even single stepping through a program, it's not a bad idea to override the traverse speeds a bit.

 

[Jonathans]

I can't see your garage anymore! What a beast. If I could operate it I'd be jealous.

 

[Zamfir]

Hit a snag on the first program. Tool turret was unlocking but not turning. Dig out the manuals and schematics and started troubleshooting. Turret turns fine clockwise. Which is how it spins when hitting the button manually. During a program, the turret can turn counter clockwise if the tool it needs is closer in that direction. That was it. No signal going to the solid state relay to drive it ccw. Reseated the board and connectors involved. No joy. Got ready to pull out the oscope. There is a diode protection board wired from the controls then to the relay. One of the wires was broken at the bend inside the insulation. Ended up being an easy fix.

The programming is fairly straight forward and is getting easier.

First program went great. So great it was time to make something. So I found the largest bit I had on hand and we programmed a very oversized knob. Hardest part was figuring out how to make the chamfer on the part where it got parted off from the stock. But man is making threads on this thing just damn easy!!
Yeah, unnerving at rapids. It is really amazing how much mass is spinning there on the head. And how much mass is on that tool turret hauling ass right At the head. After making these we were like. ****. I guess we need to buy some 4140 steel so we can make the collet adapters. Internal threading tool on the way. I am bringing an air station to the lathe this weekend so I can have 90 psi coolmist blasting stuff out the way and cooling and lubrication.

Made my chip pans and some angle aluminum pieces to bridge the gaps between the 3 pans. Should work for now.

Yeah, one whole bay is now taken up by that monster. But it is worth it!

Anyone have a suggestion on what tool to get for knurling on this machine?

Thanks!
Eric

 

[brino]

Yeah, one whole bay is now taken up by that monster. But it is worth it!

Definitely!

Great trouble shooting, and glad to hear your making chips.

-brino

 

[Wreck™Wreck]

The programming is fairly straight forward and is getting easier.

First program went great. So great it was time to make something. So I found the largest bit I had on hand and we programmed a very oversized knob. Hardest part was figuring out how to make the chamfer on the part where it got parted off from the stock. But man is making threads on this thing just damn easy!!

Eric

Good work.
I have never run a Mazak lathe but if it is like other conversational controls putting a chamfer on the back when parting is easy.
Run the parting tool at the final Z down to the chamfer diameter then back it out past the OD and move it in Z the distance required then angle it from the OD to the chamfer diameter and finish Z then part off. Use line moves in conversational mode, this should only require 8 lines or so.

Like so.

 

[Zamfir]

I'll have to try that.

Thanks for the information!

I made up some ER32 collet holders for the tools and one stubby one for the chuck itself. Man, steel boring bars are about worthless.. it is great remembering all the stuff about chatter and flexing..wow. been way too long.
I have a 1/2" carbide boring bar on the way and it will be interesting to see the difference on the finish it makes. I left 2 of the 5 collet holders drilled and waiting for boring so I can see the difference. Also cut out some tool bushings. Now for the fun part..
boring 4" long holes of the varying sizes and trying to keep them precise. looks like a pre drill, then bore out .25" then ream is the only choice for doing a 4" long .250 diameter and .5" diameter bushings out of 4140 steel.