Mike Lynch Founder and President

8 Jun 2005

Verifying CNC Program Correctness: Step 2

In last month's column, we explored the first step of verifying CNC programs. Now we begin a new chapter: step two.

2 May 2005

Verify CNC Program Correctness

All CNC programs must be verified. While new programs present more challenges than proven programs, operators must be careful and alert during every step of a program's verification.

2 Apr 2005

Which Offset Should You Adjust?

Companies vary when it comes to how they use CNC people. In some companies, such as contract shops, one person is responsible for the entire CNC job, including programming the job, setting it up and running production.

2 Mar 2005

What Dimension Are You Shooting For?

Every dimension specified on a workpiece drawing has a tolerance—either explicitly specified with a tolerance band or implied in some manner. Explicit tolerances are specified in different ways (plus or minus a value, plus one value or minus another, or high limit and low limit).

5 Feb 2005

A Circle Milling Custom Macro

Older model Fanuc controls and some current model Fanuc-compatible controls have a feature to help you machine round counterbores with an end mill (G12 and G13). For some reason, Fanuc stopped providing these helpful G codes.

3 Jan 2005

Avoiding A Disastrous Situation

When verifying a program, the most crucial time is when each tool approaches the workpiece for the first time. This is true for both machining centers and turning centers.

1 Dec 2004

Avoiding Disastrous Situations

The saying, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" truly applies to CNC machine tool usage. Maintenance tasks fall into two categories: Preventive maintenance and corrective maintenance.

1 Nov 2004

Timing Events In A Program

Most versions of parametric programming provide some kind of timer that gives you the ability to time events in a CNC program. With Fanuc’s version of parametric programming (custom macro B), two timers—a millisecond timer and an hour timer—are available for this purpose.

1 Oct 2004

Where Is Your Current Constraint?

We've offered many specific suggestions for improving your CNC environment in this column. Indeed, our primary focus is to help you find ways to improve.

1 Sep 2004

Accounting For Time-A Simplified Method

Companies go to great lengths to account for time, and this means tracking events that occur in the manufacturing environment. This is the only way to determine how well your company is doing: comparing current events to what has happened in the past or comparing these events to a target or goal.

1 Aug 2004

Facilitate Dull Tool Replacement

The larger the lot size, the more likely it is that tools will dull during a production run. And of course, dull tools must be replaced if the production run is to be completed.

1 Jul 2004

The Goal Of A Tool Life Management System

With a good application and when properly applied, a tool life management system can dramatically increase the output from a CNC machine tool. But I’ve seen quite a bit of misapplication and confusion when it comes to how and where to use these tools.