Manual Bed Milling Machine or CNC
I have been tasked with finding a large bed milling machine for our workshop.
I have been looking for manual machines like Hurons and Anyaks which in the short term would be ideal, but they are a little thin on the ground. There is a better selection with HEIDENHAIN cnc controls but I have little experience of CNC controls but what experience was with Heidenhain controls on Bridgeport Interact 2 and 4's 25 years ago.
In the short term we would use the mill to tackle large reactive jobs, like drilling out broken studs and turning damaged shafts using a boring head plus any other large jobs that needed work. But I can see that we could use this mill in the future to profile cut screen channel guides out of plastic.
My question is: Can these Heidenhain controled cnc milling machines be used fairly easily in a manual mode whilst I get to grips with the programming side of things?
Re: Manual Bed Milling Machine or CNC
Hi,
how it was described to me some years ago is that 'A good CNC machine and controller does not replace a skilled machinist but means that a the same skilled machinist
can do so many more jobs quickly and profitably using the advantages that CNC confers'.
The upshot is the controller itself, if it has good conversational programming features, or if the CNC control inhibits manual use. I don't know enough about Heidenhain controls
of that vintage to comment but I would be surprised if it DID NOT have all the features necessary for conversational programming and/or manual operation.
Craig
Re: Manual Bed Milling Machine or CNC
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Hightower1
I have been tasked with finding a large bed milling machine for our workshop.
I have been looking for manual machines like Hurons and Anyaks which in the short term would be ideal, but they are a little thin on the ground. There is a better selection with HEIDENHAIN cnc controls but I have little experience of CNC controls but what experience was with Heidenhain controls on Bridgeport Interact 2 and 4's 25 years ago.
In the short term we would use the mill to tackle large reactive jobs, like drilling out broken studs and turning damaged shafts using a boring head plus any other large jobs that needed work. But I can see that we could use this mill in the future to profile cut screen channel guides out of plastic.
My question is: Can these Heidenhain controled cnc milling machines be used fairly easily in a manual mode whilst I get to grips with the programming side of things?
Are you looking at new machines or old and how old, how big is the machine, you talking about Turning damaged shafts, you would normally do that on a lathe, so you are asking about a lathe and a Mill, any control can be a problem depending on how old it is.
Re: Manual Bed Milling Machine or CNC
Quote:
Originally Posted by
joeavaerage
Hi,
how it was described to me some years ago is that 'A good CNC machine and controller does not replace a skilled machinist but means that a the same skilled machinist
can do so many more jobs quickly and profitably using the advantages that CNC confers'.
The upshot is the controller itself, if it has good conversational programming features, or if the CNC control inhibits manual use. I don't know enough about Heidenhain controls
of that vintage to comment but I would be surprised if it DID NOT have all the features necessary for conversational programming and/or manual operation.
Craig
I've done a little more research and it would seem that these controls can be used manually and using simple manual data input programing. Thanks for your reply!
Re: Manual Bed Milling Machine or CNC
Quote:
Originally Posted by
mactec54
Are you looking at new machines or old and how old, how big is the machine, you talking about Turning damaged shafts, you would normally do that on a lathe, so you are asking about a lathe and a Mill, any control can be a problem depending on how old it is.
Older machines early 90's through to about 2008. The damage shaft's are on a 2 meter long carriage. Basicly 2x RSJ i beams welded together with train bogie wheels at either end. The central shaft is welded to the middle where a plain bearing mounts. It needs turning on the mill using a boring head or possibly milled with the aid of CNC controls.
Re: Manual Bed Milling Machine or CNC
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Hightower1
Older machines early 90's through to about 2008. The damage shaft's are on a 2 meter long carriage. Basicly 2x RSJ i beams welded together with train bogie wheels at either end. The central shaft is welded to the middle where a plain bearing mounts. It needs turning on the mill using a boring head or possibly milled with the aid of CNC controls.
Controls of that age would not be very well supported, if you can find a machine in good shape, then the control may be ok as well.
Do you have a photo of the work you are doing on the shaft.
