Search Results
Showing 231 – 240 of 300 results
Entering data at the machine is usually tedious. Although control manufacturers provide full access to any data that must be entered or modified by the setup person or operator, many do not make it convenient to do so.
In my last two columns, we covered steps one and two of verifying CNC programs. Now, let's move on to step three: verifying the correctness of the first workpiece.
In last month's column, we explored the first step of verifying CNC programs. Now we begin a new chapter: step two.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.