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  1. #11
    Cool - that gives me a target for now in terms of tool life from where I am now.

    I'm certainly expecting the better compressor to help, as I'll not have slots full of cut chips - although they'll all be stuck in what's left of my hair I expect ;-)

    I'll buy some serated edge cutters to play with - they are often called rippers?

    I've shied away from 3 flute cutters due to the previous frustrations and lack of feed-rate I could get, but will have a go again now my machine is a lot smoother than it was due to Christmas hols maintenance and the new controller board, which I should have up and running tomorrow.

    Luckily the parts I'm cutting for a customer can be left at the rough stage, as they are for a sub-frame to chassis mount and hence buried in the bowels of an engine bay away from public view. He is well happy with the 2 I have shipped already (especially as I can sell them cheaper than the OEM) :-) even if I need to charge a cutter for each part, which with extended tool life over what I have currently I shouldn't have to do. Of course there are many parts which are not so hidden I need the finishing pass on......

    BTW - is that tool life using "normal" toolpaths or iMachining/HSM? There are some stunning youtube vids of the latter in steels albeit on what must be very rigid moving bed mills rather than the gantry type and they are claim 70%+ better tool life - shame the continental company that makes the software is not more Google/Trimble rather than Autodesk in terms of price point ;)

  2. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Washout View Post
    BTW - is that tool life using "normal" toolpaths or iMachining/HSM? There are some stunning youtube vids of the latter in steels albeit on what must be very rigid moving bed mills rather than the gantry type and they are claim 70%+ better tool life - shame the continental company that makes the software is not more Google/Trimble rather than Autodesk in terms of price point ;)
    No that's conventional cutting and yes the I-machining does indeed improve tool life massively but like you say it's resoanably hard on the machine if run at the higher settings but it can still be fine on even larger gantry machine like mine.
    Here's a rough shaky video of my machine doing a little, these are just roughing passes, was finished with 4mm and conventional wall & floor paths. This was level 2 and theres 8 levels plus turbo mode.!! The DOC is 7.5mm but only because flute length was only 10mm other wise it would have done it full depth 15mm just has easy and at same feed etc. CNC Stepper spacers using i-machinine toolpaths - YouTube

    This is the finished part just off the machine.
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    Last edited by JAZZCNC; 05-01-2014 at 02:23 AM.

  3. #13
    Awesome - the material removal rate is fantastic compared to the raster/offset paths I'm using out of Vetric and there's something very "right" about chips and the way they come off of the cutter.

    2000mm/min doesn't sound too aggressive (I assume that's the rough maximum as iMachining varies the feed) - I was expecting 3-4000mm/min max, but as you say its No. 2 out of 8+ settings.

  4. #14
    If you arrange an intermittent drip feed of cutting lube (I use a 20/40 mix of 30 weight oil/paraffin) into your chip clearing airstream you'll increase cutter life.
    I introduce the lube with a separate pipe overhanging the air nozzle by 5mm or so to ensure a coarse droplet size that settles quickly and avoids aerosol lube in the workshop air,

    - Nick

  5. #15
    Thanks - I've been thinking about a replacement nozzle for the airbrush I'm using (would like the airbrush doing what I bought it for ;-) ) so that's giving me some more ideas.

    Now if I can just work out why my new Optoport V3 isn't turning my steppers (can't seem to find out what pin Enable is supposed to be configured for in MACH3) I'll be able to test it.

  6. Quote Originally Posted by Washout View Post
    Thanks - I've been thinking about a replacement nozzle for the airbrush I'm using (would like the airbrush doing what I bought it for ;-) ) so that's giving me some more ideas.

    Now if I can just work out why my new Optoport V3 isn't turning my steppers (can't seem to find out what pin Enable is supposed to be configured for in MACH3) I'll be able to test it.
    Chargepump enable output is pin1, if you cant get MACH3 outputting a chargepump signal to pin 1 jumper J13 on the board overrides...

  7. The Following User Says Thank You to irving2008 For This Useful Post:


  8. #17
    Ah thanks Irving - I did wonder but the manual is a little cryptic - I'll give that a go now.

  9. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by Washout View Post
    2000mm/min doesn't sound too aggressive (I assume that's the rough maximum as iMachining varies the feed) - I was expecting 3-4000mm/min max, but as you say its No. 2 out of 8+ settings.
    Well it doesn't so much change the Feed but more it adjusts the stepover when you go to higher settings.

    How it works is by varying between a Minimum and Max stepover and feed rate in differant areas to maintain a constant chip load and positive tool engagement.

    To give an example of going one setting higher. 8mm Carbide 11mm flute length cut depth 15mm done in 2 passes [email protected] DOC 2nd @ 6.6224mm

    #2 setting
    Min Step over 0.160mm Max 1.050mm feed 2411mm/min Spindle speed 13,571Rpm x 2 steps . . . . Cut time per part 3.27mins
    #3 setting
    Min Step 0.560 Max 1.710 Feed 2498mm/min 14,667Rpm x 2 steps . . . . Cut time per part 2.10 mins!!

    My machine would have handled this and possibly higher but didn't want to push it.!

    Just for giggles.
    #8 Min step 2.880mm Max 3.310 Feed 3902mm/min 16.213Rpm x 2 steps . . . . Cut time per part 0.52 Mins.!!!!

    This would rattle my machine into pile of nut n bolts and melt down the spindle. . Lol

    Funny enough Same but with flute length to allow full 15mm DOC so only 1 x pass isn't that much quicker due to lower STO & feeds.
    #2 Cut time per part 3.08 min
    #3 Cut time per part 1.54 min
    #8 Cut time per part 0.42 Min

    Edit: Oh by the way just checked code and that video was done on setting #1 not #2 and thats why feeds are lower at around 2mtr/min. Total time for 3 parts was around 15mins I seem to remember.?
    Last edited by JAZZCNC; 06-01-2014 at 05:28 PM.

  10. #19
    Even on setting #1 that's still a very impressive performance.

    I seem to have hijacked my own thread ;-)

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