Radial high feed milling

Single point turning

High feed milling

 

Radial high feed milling

They just don’t build them like they used to. Today, machine tool builders try to get the metal removal rate up through the spindle. Use a high surface footage insert, kick up the RPM’s and race through the part. It’s a good philosophy. It enables machine tools to be much less rigid than those of yester year. Comprising of much less casting weight, smaller motors and thinner ways equates to cheaper machines and therefore a smaller investment in tools.

It doesn’t really matter how fast you turn the spindle, these new machines built this way can never keep up with a big hogging machine made 30 years ago with twice the weight and 3 times the horsepower. You just can’t outdo a CNMG 8-series taking a 1-inch cut with a .035 feed rate.

Is there another way to fill up 3 hoppers a day? Yes, fortunately there is if you are facing off material and you have a “C” axis lathe. If you have been single pointing: it’s time to stop.

The following is a generic macro that can be edited for various diameters to really get the meat off. It uses a six-inch high feed mill and is feed in radially in a spiral pattern. It only takes .045 depth of cut but will run at 400 inches per minute. Always climb cut and do not use coolant but blow the chips off the top of the part to remove heat.

%

<MACRO-HIGH-FEED-FACE>

#539=169.5(OD DIAMETER)
#539-#539+7.0(OD CLEARANCE)
#540=124.3(ID DIAMETER)
#540=#540-7.0(ID CLEARANCE)
#541=0.045(DEPTH OF CUT)
#543=#538-#540
#542=[#543] / 8.4]*360(CALCULATE 70% ENGAGEMENT)

G17 G98
G97 S550 M3
#538=1
G94 G54 T0303
G00 X[#539]
Z0.0
G01 W-[#541] F450.
X[#540] H-[#542]
U-2.0
W1.0
G00 X[#539]
M00
...
M30

%

You can add a variable for total depth of cut and loop the program in and out remembering to change directions at the middle to continue climb cutting.

Change the values at the beginning of the program to match your print by editing =#539 etc… Be sure to include the “=” on the MDI screen.

This setup will have a very high chip removal rate and will definitely increase your production and profits