Re: Is a Tormach capable of making this part in small production qtys?
I'm going to disagree with Ray a bit. You can ''turn'' that part without putting in the spindle. You can circular interpolate the OD.
First do the top features, then flip the part over into the fixture in the soft vice jaws. Circular interpolate the thread major diameter, pocket hole, and mill threads.
Tapered endmills and chamfer tools are very available, and I also had a special built for $50.
So, the steps, all done in a 3 axis CNC mill. A tool changer would be nice, would save a lot of handling. Rather than just one part at a time you could fixture two parts in a vice.
- Cut blank with a saw. rinse repeat for 50 parts. Or just buy them cut to rough length.
- Drop into the vice soft jaw fixture
- Face top
- Mill outside profile
- Pocket hole for hex
- Change tool
- Mill chamfers
- Change tool
- Broach hex
- Done with the first side. rinse repeat for 50 parts.
Second side
- Drop into vice soft jaw fixture, a mirror image of the outside profile from above
- Profile OD to Thread Major Dia
- Pocket hole
- Face to final length rinse repeat for 50 parts
- Change to chamfer tool
- Chamfer as needed rinse repeat for 50 parts
- Change to thread mill, thread rinse repeat for 50 parts
Holes
Fixture, Spot drill, Drill, Hand chamfer while the next part is drilling.
I just did the above operations on a batch of parts, less the thread milling and the hex broach.
Bottom line, Tormach 1100 will work fine. Forget the Rapid Turn, buy the ATC instead. The Rapid Turn takes a maximum 25.4 mm bar through the spindle anyway.
Jim Dawson
Sandy, Oregon, USA