[DeputyDawg134]

Check out this video of a 5 axis mill machining a Hemi-block out of a solid piece of Billet Aluminum. It has to one of the coolest things I have seen yet


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsmiIeAkE-o

[MAUSS]

CNC machining centers can so some pretty amazing things... I spent over half my life in the machine tool control business and watching them cut some of those demo parts still fascinates me. If you ever get a chance to go to The International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) in Chicago every other year, there's a lot of great stuff like that being machined.

[powerrodsmike]

That is truly awesome, the software to run that must cost almost as much as the machine.

I wonder why the cylinders were being finished the way they were at about 6 :40 into the video. I would think that there was a better way to do that, without moving the pallet as much. I'll bet it is to showcase the capabilities of the machine.

They have a tool show in Santa Clara every year that I would like to go to.

A friend of mine used to be the GM of a big machine shop with a bunch of machining centers, doing work for several of the disc and wafer fab companies here in the silicon valley. I know they were contemplating buying a 5 axis machine when the bottom fell out of the industry. I worked there for a while doing some robotics assembly, but I loved to watch those machines making chips.

It was a shame to see that place go away.

Later, mikey

[302 Z28]

Awesome

Vince

[dinger]

That was too cool! Now, pardon my ignorance, but was that a water jet and also a bit-type of cutting? How often would something like this need bits changed and how often would you do maintenance? I know nothing about machine work but love to watch machine work. Dan

[powerrodsmike]

The "jets" you saw were spraying coolant, usually supplied from a big pump in the base of the machine. There is a fair volume of the stuff flowing, it washes away the chips, lubricates and cools the cutter. The high volume of coolant is what enables the high rates of cutting and helps to make that mirror finish on many "billet" parts.

To contain the coolant is why those machines are enclosed, otherwise they would spew stuff all over the shop. That looked like the water soluble stuff to me.

One thing that the video didn't show was the tool changer, those things can hold many, (I've heard of up to 160 ),different collets with cutters in a "magazine" and are changed automatically by the machine. Tool changes on some of those machines take less than 4 or 5 seconds. IIRC, the machine operator can tell if a bit is getting dull by the spindle load readout on the control panel ,and can pause the process to do a tool change.


Tool changer:
http://www.hurco.com/Hurco/English/T...ol+Changer.htm

A video of an old very slow tool changer...You can see the blue segmented coolant tubes on the spindle.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...arch&plindex=5


Here is a faster swingarm type.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrgZpAdqzOk

later, mikey

[dinger]

Cool stuff, Mikey. The faster tool changer looks like it could hurt a guy if he wasn't aware of what was going on. In other words, keep your fingers out of the way. Neat stuff, thanks. Dan

[Russianblue]

i realize this is a few weeks old.

i also realize i am a newbie around here.

HOWEVER, as we pay homage to the mighty mill, did no one else happen to notice the mighty MOUSE!!!???? (final 30 seconds or so?)

pardon my err...French, but what the ***? how the hell did that thing get in there and survive the carnage? LOL! holy crap. i had to rewind it to make sure i wasn't hallucinating! i'd love to hear that mouse's story! maybe i am hallucinating.

check him out. he makes his debut at about 10min 25 seconds or so.

[dinger]

Originally Posted by Russianblue

how the hell did that thing get in there and survive the carnage? LOL! holy crap. i had to rewind it to make sure i wasn't hallucinating! i'd love to hear that mouse's story! maybe i am hallucinating.

check him out. he makes his debut at about 10min 25 seconds or so.

I watched it twice, couldn't find a mouse. Maybe the froth in the oil? The first video, right? Dan

[Russianblue]

when i get to work, i'll see if i can grab a screen shot. my wife saw it too but only after i prompted her. i hope it's really there or i'm gonna feel like an idiot.

[dinger]

Originally Posted by Russianblue

when i get to work, i'll see if i can grab a screen shot. my wife saw it too but only after i prompted her. i hope it's really there or i'm gonna feel like an idiot.

We have a rule here, share the brownies.

[powerrodsmike]

I didn't see any mouse either, but it's still too early for brownies...

Maybe at around 4:20 or so.

Later, mikey

[Russianblue]

LOL! you guys are great. good sense of humor. i will definitely let you know when I am passing the brownies around. maybe it's these isocyanates getting to me.

well okay, here is my diagram. see what you think.

[tinman386]

Hey Russianblue i saw what you thought was a mouse it is at 10:29 of the video and its a coolant or some other liquid puddled up. Its bouncing moving and vibrating from the process appearing to be life in the form of a rodent.
If you look real close just before that shot you'll see it more clear it just looks like that cause of the angle change. I must admit it does look like a mouse at first glance.

[powerrodsmike]

After careful review of the evidence of your mouse sighting, I think you should look at these, and tell us what you see....









Now I'd like you to take a little test..

click here


Tell us what you see


Later, mikey