CNC machining cost – how to reduce it by maximizing spindle power usage

CNC machining cost – how to reduce it by Tungsten Carbide Inserts maximizing spindle power usage

You can reduce your CNC machining cost and increase profits by just improving your knowledge of something that your machine already has. And here’s the knowledge.

Is your CNC lathe a white elephant ?
An adult elephant costs Rs.3000 a day for its food and medical expenses – same as what a medium size CNC lathe costs for space, power, tooling, manpower and the occasional medicine.
Fact: Most people use their CNC machines like white elephants.
Why ? Because their programmers are obsessed about the part program, not the productivity. Because programmers think if the part is dimensionally OK, their job is done!

Spindle power usage in most CNC shops never exceeds 50 %. Simple logic: If you are only using 50 % of the power, your machining time is 200 % Milling inserts higher than what it can be. The machine spindle is like an elephant’s trunk – the part that the elephant does all its work with. If you under-utilize the machine spindle, you have a white-elephant situation !

The spindle motor on the machine is equivalent to the trunk of the elephant. Use it to the fullest extent !

Act now !
Next time you are on your shop floor, check the power meters on your CNC machines and ensure that you are using the spindle motor to its capacity in roughing operations. You can use the spindle’s continuous and half hour/10 min/15 min ratings, the power-torque curve, and the duty cycle on the part to reduce the cycle time dramatically.

Just spend 30 minutes reading this brief document that explains how to understand your machine’s spindle power specifications,

By the way, CADEM CAPSturn CNC lathe programming software does all your spindle power optimization and helps you reduce the cycle time drastically, in a few minutes. It suggests the maximum depth of cut that you can use for a selected tool, determines the available power and torque in an operation based on the diameters at which the operation is performed, and checks that these are not exceeded. It also shows you the machining time for each operation, total cycle time, cost of machining, sale price of scrap metal generated, and net machining cost. You actually do all this in 5 minutes, and increase your profits before loading the part on the machine.

It is very affordable, can cut your machining costs and increase your profits dramatically.

Etc

Kolkata trams

I think the trams are a lovely way to get around Kolkata. They are comfortable, non-polluting, energy-efficient, amazingly cheap, and add character to the city. They’re also surprisingly fast – average speed 25 kmph., max. speed 50 kmph. The average road speed in Bangalore city, by the way, is 15 kmph during peak hours.

They’ve been running since 1902. Work on 550 V DC power (what kind of a voltage is that?)

The last picture is of Vidya Balan promoting the movie ‘Dirty Picture’ on a tram.

A lot of cities like Hong Kong, Melbourne and Vienna have flourishing, widely used tram systems but in Kolkata, sadly, there’s talk of phasing them out.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tram
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calcutta_Tramways_Company

Interested in a Plug-and-play Industry 4.0 system ? See LEANworx, from our group company.

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Related posts:

Bad CNC machine and high energy cost

CNC spindle power usage – how to maximize it and increase profits, ROI

Cycle time reduction in tool change

Constant surface speed and Limiting spindle speed

G and M Code in CNC Machining

The Tungsten Carbide Blog: https://terenceede.exblog.jp/

Top 5 Tips to Select a Professional Manufacturing Team for Prototype Molding Services

Prototype molding- what it is?

When we talk about Prototype Molding, it is specifically intended to produce prototypes rapidly and small to medium series of plastic parts. In a nutshell, we can say this is the most convenient method to produce samples, prototypes, and small series rapidly in an inexpensive way. To get the best deal, you should find a reliable manufacturing team to obtain your required Prototype Molding Services sans hassle.

To create a mold on any of the gaps between two tools, prototype molds can be a great help and it is chosen as per their work performance and color functions.

The use of prototype molding services-

Currently, many manufacturing teams are using prototype molding services for their projects to get rapid succession. It promotes promising results for the possible future. You should also realize that making molds is an art and it needs consistent expertise to optimize the best results. With the advent of CCGT Insert technology and changes, this has become easier and smoother for the manufacturing team. The materials also can be handled with the development of different prototype mold and their functions.

Top 5 Tips to find the best prototype manufacturer-

It’s always great to create fresh new products for your market that appeal to the market. Therefore, it is important to test your products using building prototypes to make certain that the finished product comes out fast and right.

As we mentioned above, it requires professional expertise to produce the required parts by using a prototype molding process, you need to find a reliable and expert manufacturing team. In this article, you can find certain factors to be considered while choosing a manufacturing team for prototype molding Carbide Inserts services.

Start with small Orders-

When you are seeking a prototype manufacturing service provider for your projects, you should always start with small minimum orders. Especially, if you have a small-scale business, you ought to remain with your budget too. Make sure your manufacturing team can meet your needs, specifications, budget as well as meet your orders.

Tooling and Molding-

Make sure your custom manufacturing company could make your prototype as well as they should make tooling and molds to yield your products. A professional manufacturing team will lower your costs of investment that you can invest in the actual product development and marketing.

Quality of products-

A responsible prototype molding service provider should give quality assurance for the finishing and transport of your products. In this case, CNC manufacturing can significantly escalate the quality of your products.

Deadline-

A professional and expert prototype manufacturing team can able to finish your project within a deadline. No matter it is a prototype or final product, they can give fast turnaround times. Otherwise, you can meet and deliver the required products to your customers or users at the right time which can be a big loss to your business. Successful delivery of goods can contribute to the success of your business.

Bill of Materials-

The bill of the service should transparent which can help to grow a healthy relationship between a manufacturing team and a client. Make sure your prototype manufacturing team will help in the breakdown of costs of materials to show transparency on the materials utilized.

In a nutshell, when you are choosing a manufacturing team for prototype molding services, make sure they are reliable and consistent. They should be an excellent provider of a rapid prototype injection molding process for a wide range of applications across most major industry segments.

Estoolcarbide has years of experience in the rapid prototype injection molding process. Contact us for a free quote today.

The Tungsten Carbide Blog: https://marcyoswal.exblog.jp/

Main Difference between Dimension Tolerance and Allowance

In mechanic engineering, machining tolerance refers to the amount of unplanned deviation between the nominal dimension and real dimension.

All kinds of tolerances are affected by the presence of various reasons such as position error, incorrect relative rotation between workpiece and cutting tools, deformation caused by compression of cutting force, or even stress relief in interior of the component, etc. Tolerance will impact on assembly and properties of parts more or less. Thus, tolerances(form, position, dimension, and surface roughness) are quite essential to mechanic engineer when design parts.

Considering the limited space and precious time you would cost for this article, herein we’d merely discuss the dimension tolerance of two classic geometry features, which are shaft and holes.

Main Difference between Dimension Tolerance and Allowance

Dimension tolerance is related to the intermediate deviation between two components. Contrary to allowance, tolerance tends to be referred to as a sort of deviation that is not planned. For instance, when a cold forming bar’s dimension tolerance is 0/-0.15mm, we will preset 0/-0.02mm as the allowance for this part cause it will shrink by 0.13mm in subsequent annealing process. As you can see from this example, allowance is predicted by the engineer’s knowledge and judgment, while tolerance is just the critical boundaries acceptable?for a processed part.

Factors Making up Dimension Machining Tolerance

The above example also mentioned Carbide Inserts limit deviation, comprising upper deviation and lower deviation. In?0/-0.15mm, “0”?is regarded as upper deviation(marked as ES) which means the difference between the maximum limit of size and actual size. Contrarily, “-0.15mm”?refers to the lower deviation(marked as EI), the difference between the minimum limit of size and actual size.

Basic Size

This is the nominal diameter of the shaft and the hole.

Lower Deviation

This is the difference between the component’s minimum limit size and basic size.

Upper Deviation

This is the difference between the component’s maximum limit size and basic size.

Dimension tolerance is equal to the difference of absolute value between upper deviation and lower deviation, expressed by the following formula,

T=丨ES-EI丨TNGG Insert

Why dimension tolerance can’t be negative value is because deviation is allowed to be more or less than the basic size of the component, while Tol. Is not. To some degree, machining tolerance is the reflection of how difficult a process is.

3 Types of Fits of Hole&shaft System

Before we move forward to what is shaft basic or hole basic system, there is a need to review?the concepts of interference and clearance. each manifests a kind of relationship between hole’s and shaft’s tolerance zone. In general, interference corresponds to tightness and clearance correspond to looseness.

When a hole and a shaft are in clearance fit, the hole’s tolerance zone is bigger than the shaft’s. Clearance fit is commonly used in a looser joint link for the H&S system.

Interference fit means the hole’s tolerance zone could be smaller than the shaft’s. Obviously, this kind of fit is suitable for those tight joint links.

Therefore, we will readily understand that transition fit is an in-between fit condition between interference and clearance.

Standard Machining Tolerances and its Principle of Selection

When it comes to the two basic systems, there is another critical concept need to be mentioned, standard tolerance levels. (marked as IT) Each IT level corresponds to a standardized tolerance amount that is calculated up by the following formulas,

i—— Standard tolerance factor, taking micron?as a unit;

D—— The geometric average of the Min. and Max. dimensions in a size section, whose unit is millimeter.

Size of workpiece≤500mm，

i=0.45³√D+0.001D

500mm＜Size of workpiece≤3150mm，

i=0.004D+2.1

Then we are able to obtain the following chart about different Tol.s values. Literally, they are products multiplying a coefficient by i, the standard tolerance factor. Although many solution procedures are omitted here.

As this chart shows, standard tolerances are divided into IT01, IT0, IT1,.. and T18. the levels increase, and the tolerance’s value increases accordingly.

Principle of selecting appropriate tolerance level is taking account of economic effectiveness, manufacturing cost, and use the value of machine parts. Generally, IT5~IT13 is applied for the condition under general fit, IT2~IT5 for ultra-precision parts, IT12~IT18 for status without any fit and IT8~IT14 for raw materials’ fit.

Besides, according to international standards, IT14-IT18 are unavailable when the basic size of parts is less than 1 mm.

Hole&shaft Basic System and the Selection of Their Machining Tolerances

Back to our primary concern, applying IT levels in tolerances of shaft&hole’s fits, we label the hole’s tolerance zone as “Hx”?and shaft’?as “hx”. There are the charts for your reference to look through how to what standard tolerance is selected correctly based on the three kinds of fits and shaft&hole basic systems.

The Tungsten Carbide Blog: https://williambea.exblog.jp/

Five Problems With CNC Milling Cutter Radius Compensation

Cutter radius compensation can be one of the more difficult programming features to fully master. There are many rules, and when something goes wrong, it can be difficult to diagnose and correct the problem. Just about the time you think you have it all figured out, some new situation arises that you haven’t dealt with before. This can be quite frustrating, especially when a program that has worked in the past is now failing due to some cutter radius compensation alarm. Here we offer five of the most common problems and give some advice for avoiding them.

Insufficient Clearance on Approach

Almost all versions of cutter radius compensation require that you make a prior position movement in X and Y to get the tool to a position from which tool length compensation can be instated. With most controls, this prior position must be at least the cutter’s radius away from the first surface to mill. If using a 1-inch diameter cutter, for example, the tool must be at least 0.5 inch away from the first surface to mill. Note that with most controls, this prior position also determines the maximum cutter size that can be used. If the positioning movement stays 0.5 inch away from the surface, the largest cutter that will work is 1 inch in diameter. By the way, this is one situation when a program that has successfully run before is now generating an alarm. The last time this program was run, the setup person used an appropriate cutter size, but today the cutter is larger. To avoid this problem, be sure to specify the maximum cutter size on the setup.

Tight Recesses

Once cutter radius compensation is instated, the control will simply keep the cutter on the right side or left side of all surfaces it sees coming up in the program. All current controls have a look-ahead feature that allows the control to scan at least a few commands into the program. As the cutter is moving along one surface, the control is looking ahead to see what is coming up in the program so it can end the current motion in the appropriate manner. With this look-ahead capability the control can also determine if the tool cannot completely machine one surface without violating another. If a surface is about to be violated, most controls will generate an over-cutting alarm. Finding this kind of problem can be difficult, especially if the drawing isn’t made to scale. I recommend plotting the coordinates from your program on a piece of graph paper. Using a circle the same size as your cutter, try moving the circle around the plotted path to see if the circle can move around all surfaces.

Multiple Contours

For each contour to be machined, you must instate, cut with and cancel cutter radius compensation. A common beginner’s mistake is to instate cutter radius compensation once and then proceed to machine more than one contour. If you must rapid the tool to another surface, it should be taken as a signal that you must cancel cutter radius compensation and then reinstate it on the next surface.

Forgetting to Cancel

If you do forget to cancel cutter radius compensation, it’s likely that your series of motions will eventually break a cutter compensation rule and generate some kind of alarm. However, if no alarms are generated, tungsten carbide inserts you could be in for a nasty surprise. The next tool’s movements will still be under the influence of cutter radius compensation, and of course its movements will not be correct. Say for example, that the tool following the milling cutter using cutter radius compensation is a drill. You forget to cancel cutter radius compensation, and as the drill is brought into its first position, you don’t break any cutter compensation rules. The drill will machine its holes out of position by the amount stored in the cutter radius compensation offset register. But as you check the program, it’s likely that you’ll be checking the programmed coordinates for the drill, and of course, they are correct. It may take some time before it occurs to you to check whether cutter radius compensation is being canceled.

Offset Carbide Turning Inserts Larger Than Smallest Inside Radius

If using G02 or G03 to specify an inside (filet) radius, the tool must of course fit in the radius, meaning the radius of your milling cutter must be less than or equal to the radius you’re trying to machine.

Again, cutter radius compensation can be difficult to fully master. And I know of programmers that have completely given up on cutter radius compensation because they don’t understand it. Given the benefits of cutter radius compensation, be sure to stick with it until you fully understand it.

The Tungsten Carbide Blog: http://yyds.blog.jp/

5 Advantages of Plastic Prototypes Using Silicone Rubber Molds

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Posted on: Aug 28, 2018, | By Candy, WayKen Marketing Manager

WayKen has a great advantage over vacuum-urethane casting technology, which can create accurate silicone rubber molds producing urethane cast parts in the shortest time. Our cast urethane process is great to help you test pre-production parts, functionality, and design verification of any silicone rubbers.

 1.What is silicone rubber?

Silicone rubber is an elastomer that constitutes of silicone – itself a polymer – containing silicon along with oxygen, hydrogen and carbon. Silicone rubbers are effectively used in many industries due to its good chemical and physical properties. The silicone rubber is usually stable, non-reactive and have the ability to resist extreme conditions and temperatures. They have the ability to last at temperatures where most of the plastics would melt (+250°C) along with retaining its flexibility on temperatures as low as -70°C. Silicone rubber also has very low toxicity and no detectable odour.

Due to its excellent properties, silicone rubber provides the following benefits;

• Good electrical insulation
• Excellent sealing ability
• A really good service life
• Cheap and fast manufacturing
• To be moulded in different shapesAPMT Insert

2.Why a silicone rubber mould?

Silicone once in the liquid form allows for it to be stabilized under any environment along with the mould holding its shape under high load and high temperatures. Silicone rubber also does not shrink once moulded as there is no extracts and leaches out of the silicone rubber after coming into shape. It is also chosen widely for mould making due to its fine reproduction of the details, physical strength, versatility, the ease of use and availability. Silicone rubber also allows for a spectrum of colours and hardness making it the material of choice for an ever-increasing number of moulding applications.

3.How Is Silicone rubber moulding carried out?

Silicone rubber moulding is carried out using a series of steps which are discussed Carbide Inserts as follows;

3.1 Creating the master pattern

The first step in the duplication process is the creation of the master pattern. Modern rapid prototyping technologies are used to create the master pattern. At Wayken, we implement modern technologies such as 3D printing and CNC. These methods are both faster, cheaper and reliable as compared to other traditional methods offered in the market.

CNC rapid prototyping is done to make the master pattern

3.2  Designing the mould

3.2.1 The setup

Before the mould is made, gating and venting should be considered. The vents and gates allow for the casting material to flow into the rubber silicone mould. The location and the size of the gates are determined by the shape and volume of the master pattern. As a rule of thumb, the greater the volume of the master, the bigger the gate area.

3.2.2  Choosing the silicone rubber

The silicone rubber used today for the moulding process are of two types. 1) condensation cure (tin base) 2) Addition cure (platinum base). Both the silicone types have slightly different characteristics and properties. When selecting the right silicone rubber for your mould, one of the most important consideration is the silicone rubber resistance to inhibition. Inhibition is a result of any contamination present in or on the master that is to be moulded. A patch test needs to be carried out prior to the moulding process in order to determine or remove any containments present.

3.3 Making the silicone rubber mould

After the master pattern is created, a silicone rubber mould can be made. One of the most important characteristics of the silicone rubber is its reproduction accuracy. Silicone rubber is widely known for their extreme degree of detail duplication. The following are two main types of configurations that can be used to create the silicone rubber moulds.

3.3.1  Book mould/single stage mould

Book mould or single stage mould is one of the most widely practised silicone rubber moulding technique. Under this type of moulding, the master is suspended inside a mould box. Then the liquid silicone rubber is filled inside the box until the box is full. Once the silicone has cured, the mould is cut open in half. This is one of the most cost- and time-effective method to make a silicone mould.

3.3.2  Two-part mould/multi-stage mould

This method is a bit more labour intensive however, this method allows for a better control over the mould parting line along with the capacity to make moulds of bigger parts due to better mould stability. The two-part mould is achieved by making a parting line with a modelling clay. Silicone is then filled to half of the mould in a moulding box. Once the first half of the pour is done, the mould is inverted and the parting line clay is removed with silicone being removed. Then the frame is replaced and the second half of the mould is poured and cured.

3.3.3  Mixing and de-airing

After the type of mould and the silicone rubber is selected, it must be made sure that the two components (catalyst and silicone base) must be weighed accurately in order to meet the design precision. Mixing should also be carried out in a plastic container at least three to four times bigger than the material volume. This allows for the air bubbles to flow out freely during the de-airing process. Any bubbles in the silicone rubber can adversely affect the integrity of the final product.

4.Applications of silicone rubber

Due to its excellent physical and chemical properties, the silicone rubber makes it a material of choice for many different industries and applications. They include

Aerospace industry

Construction & restoration

Defence industry

Medical industry

Plugs

Sealing Gaskets

Silicone O-rings

Wire and cable jacketing

5.We are Silicone rubber moulding pioneers!

Wayken is proud to be a pioneer in the creation of silicone rubber moulds for the past decade and beyond. One of the main factors giving us the leading edge over our competitors is the commitment and determination to incremental improvement in all phases of mould manufacturing. Silicone rubber moulding presents many challenges due to the complexity of the procedure and the high degree of the precision required for each of the moulds build. We at Wayken make sure that despite the challenging design and requirement, we stay on our toes in order to provide the top-notch quality prototypes to our valued customers.

Our highly experienced staff and engineers are ever-ready to translate your demanding complex 3D virtual prototypes into profit-generating products using our state-of-the-art machines and unmatched skills. No matter which industry you belong to, if you need a silicone rubber moulding job done fast and cheap, then your answer is Wayken!

The Tungsten Carbide Blog: https://plaza.rakuten.co.jp/carbideinserts/