My 12 inches CNC rotary table weighs closer to 250 lbs. http://igor.chudov.com/projects/Bridgeport-Series-II-Interact-2-CNC-Mill/24-Troyke-Rotary-Table-U12PNC/
On Thu, May 5, 2011 at 1:38 PM, Dave <[email protected]> wrote: > In the same vain... what type of mill would make a good 5 axis > conversion?? > > I just bought a large rotary table with an integral servo drive and > motor. It has a 12" diameter slotted face plate and must weigh at > least 6-800 lbs. > > I'm looking for suggestions on what VMC might be big enough to handle a > sizeable rotary axis like this and also > be adaptable to a tilting type head? > > Basically I am trying to figure out how to put together a substantial 5 > axis mill on the cheap. > > I've been working with a company that makes and purchases a lot of parts > made on 5 axis mills and the flexibility of a 5 axis setup is impressive. > > Or am I on the wrong track. Should I just look for a 5 axis mill with > dead controls and convert it? > > Any suggestions? > > Dave > > On 5/3/2011 6:16 PM, Dave Caroline wrote: > > As I hand code and can therefore control direction the rotaries move I > can > > cut against the play/backlash inherent in the cheap rotaries I use, often > the > > B axis will be locked though for greater rigidity. > > Im mostly cutting light weight brass blanks though. > > > > A reason I hand code is I cannot afford CAM software to do the type of > > work I do. > > here the benefits of Ocode subroutines come into their own. > > > > So for a helical Im using XZ for the cut Y to cut deeper A for the > > helix rotation along > > the blank and B to set angle to get the cutter in line with the groove. > > > > so the gcode has a number of constants to set before use eg > > #<teeth>=160 > > #<depth>=[.100] (cut depth adjust as needed) > > #<blank_thickness>=.25 > > #<helixangle>=81 > > > > then after some preamble and calculations of settings for a particular > gear eg > > > > #<drop_track_center_z>=[[sin[90-#<helixangle>]]*#<blank_thickness>] > > > > then the subroutine > > O100 sub (subroutine to cut N teeth) > > #<cnt>=0 > > O101 while [#<cnt> lt #3] > > G1 f4 X0 Y#2 (move to cut start) > > G91 (set relative) > > > > G1 F4 x[0-#4] a[0-#5] z#6 > > (M30) (stop to test if tool hits rotary table) > > > > G0 y[0-#2] > > G1 F50 x[#4] a#5 z[0-#6] (actual cut) > > ( G91 )(set relative) > > G0 A#1 (rotate blank) > > G90 (set incremental) > > #<cnt>=[#<cnt>+1] > > O101 endwhile > > O100 endsub > > > > then the lines > > (B can be locked after this next line) > > G1 f60 b[0-#<helixangle>] (set helix 90 deg to cutter rotation) > > O100 call [#<angle>] [0-#<depth>] [#<teeth>] > > [0-#<drop_track_center_x>] [#<rotateangle>] > > [0-[#<drop_track_center_z>]] > > > > I leave commented lines in > > 1) to uncomment to stop the code at certain points while setting up and > > 2) to remember what I did > > I also use sensible names for the variables I hope. > > > > The touch off to get the cutter on the centreline in my case is a pain. > > > > > > Dave Caroline > > > > On Tue, May 3, 2011 at 8:29 PM, Steve<[email protected]> wrote: > > > >> Hi Dave: > >> > >> So when are "special kinematics" needed? When are they not? Are you > >> rotating your gear blank about A&B to establish the desired cutting > plane, > >> locking it in that position, and then cutting with XYZ? > >> > >> Steve Van Der Loo > >> > >> Message: 3 > >> Date: Tue, 3 May 2011 06:36:04 +0100 > >> From: Dave Caroline<[email protected]> > >> > >> For certain classes of work you dont need special kinematics, I have > >> been cutting gears for clocks > >> on a mill with stacked A on B, I hand craft the gcode though, as it > >> happens to suit the work I do. > >> > >> Dave Caroline > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > >> WhatsUp Gold - Download Free Network Management Software > >> The most intuitive, comprehensive, and cost-effective network > >> management toolset available today. Delivers lowest initial > >> acquisition cost and overall TCO of any competing solution. > >> http://p.sf.net/sfu/whatsupgold-sd > >> _______________________________________________ > >> Emc-users mailing list > >> [email protected] > >> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users > >> > >> > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > WhatsUp Gold - Download Free Network Management Software > > The most intuitive, comprehensive, and cost-effective network > > management toolset available today. Delivers lowest initial > > acquisition cost and overall TCO of any competing solution. > > http://p.sf.net/sfu/whatsupgold-sd > > _______________________________________________ > > Emc-users mailing list > > [email protected] > > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > WhatsUp Gold - Download Free Network Management Software > The most intuitive, comprehensive, and cost-effective network > management toolset available today. Delivers lowest initial > acquisition cost and overall TCO of any competing solution. > http://p.sf.net/sfu/whatsupgold-sd > _______________________________________________ > Emc-users mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ WhatsUp Gold - Download Free Network Management Software The most intuitive, comprehensive, and cost-effective network management toolset available today. Delivers lowest initial acquisition cost and overall TCO of any competing solution. http://p.sf.net/sfu/whatsupgold-sd _______________________________________________ Emc-users mailing list [email protected] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
