[vettes95]

hello to all members,

i dont know where to post this, so if anybody could help or send me in the right direction would be great.
I run a Mazak 400n horizontal mill. i just started milling about a year ago so i feel im comfortable with the basics but still have a ton to learn. i can find (x,y) zero for the b0, b90, b180, and b270 sides of a block with an edge finder, but when it comes to finding (x,y) on b45, b38, or b315 i didnt need to know that until now. I dont know how to do it. can anybody help?

thanks, Ed

[dhayati74]

Hello i just purchase a desktop cnc and the driver board was defected,i am using 24 v power supply. Is there any way i can use USB driver for this machine. Another question is how to set the Mach 2 software to recognize the driver. I have the 25 pin parallel cable. I cant set the perimeter for it. I am stuck now and cant get any answer... please i am new to cnc world...If any one wants to help me i would really appreciate...

[christinandavid]

Hi Ed,

You could use a combination of pointer, witness cuts, rule measurements and guesswork if you want to...


It is sometimes easier to work out your offsets using trig when working on angled set-ups. All you need to know are the following: -

The machine position of the pallet centreline.

The position of your original B-zero set-up.

With these two sets of figures you can find two things; the distance of your origin from the pallet centreline, and the angle. Add on the angle you want to rotate to and recalculate the new position of the 1st and 2nd axis.

This method makes most sense if you use the same origin point on the component throughout. Writing a macro-program to do the job for you is absolute heaven...

DP

[mfgbydesign]

First of all, your programmer should be telling you how & where to pick up the offsets, since s/he is establishing the origin in the program.
If a part needs an offset at an angle the most precise method is to use a tooling ball. A tooling ball is a sphere sitting on a gage pin, available from Jergens, Carr-Lane, Reid, etc. Your tool maker or gage lab should have one. An accurate hole needs to be placed in the fixture or part, then the tooling ball inserted, rotary axis indexed to the proper position, and the tooling ball trammed for X & Y. Touch off the ball & subtract the radius for the Z. The center of the ball should be the origin or a known distance from it via the CAD model. You could look like a hero and have the programmer add the tooling ball to the model and give you the XYZ location from the origin with the work coordinate system active.

Not to slam christinandavid, but the trig method or macro method (both of which I've used) do not consider the changes to X, Y, and Z as the B axis rotates. This error can be significant and compounded the higher you get on a tombstone in the Y axis and the farther you are from the center of rotation. Precisely why all the offsets should be picked up at every index position unless this error has been quantified (via a 16 point check) and falls well within part tolerance.

[vettes95]

Thank you both for your advice. It is a small shop. When we have new blocks come in there is only a few of us that program them. we do it right at the machine. Again thank you both for the help.

[christinandavid]

mfg you are spot on regarding hickey ball, I've lost hope of using one again anytime soon. Not many precision fixtures around here... Luckily for me, the calc method, with an EXT offset tweak now and again, is more than good enough and a fantastic tool for balancing rough castings. Only problem is I am now first pick for the worst of em...

DP