[servtech]

I just realized that UCCNC is capable of rigid tapping, unlike Mach 3. I understand that LinuxCNC, PathPilot and Acorn can also do rigid tapping.

My Torus (body of a NM-145 and the electronics of a Pulsar) is already capable of rigid tapping but it uses non-standard G-code to do it. It would be great to be able to use the G-code directly output from Fusion 360 without any manual hand coding.

Apparently UCCNC requires feedback from a rotary encoder located on either the spindle or motor shafts to do rigid tapping.

Has anyone successfully installed such a rotary encoder on their mill?

Not only a pulse encoder with a marker pulse, the rigid tapping option needs the OEM to have fitted the correct hardware and enabled the option.

Rigid tapping was alway an option, today many machines include it as standard.

Just fitting a spindle encoder may not be enough in your case.

[mactec54]

Not only a pulse encoder with a marker pulse, the rigid tapping option needs the OEM to have fitted the correct hardware and enabled the option.

Rigid tapping was alway an option, today many machines include it as standard.

Just fitting a spindle encoder may not be enough in your case.

The only hardware required is an encoder, and mounting it, the rest is done in software.

[servtech]

The only hardware required is an encoder, and mounting it, the rest is done in software.

Encoder (with a timing belt and pulleys) the only hardware needed ?

Back to basics....

Spindle gearbox, pulleys, timing belts are hardware are they not?

Spindle and axis drives both need power and accuracy to tap a blind hole to overcome standstill friction, at almost zero revs. Particularly in harder materials, stainless and bronze for example. The spindle needs to stop and reverse while the axis follows the spindle rpm with exactly the correct pitch.

The very reason machines had pull out tap holders was to allow for pitch errors during stop and reversal, usually a 10% pull out length of pitch.

Software wasn't the fix, it was hardware and software for a rigid tapping option.

[mactec54]

Encoder (with a timing belt and pulleys) the only hardware needed ?

Back to basics....

Spindle gearbox, pulleys, timing belts are hardware are they not?

Spindle and axis drives both need power and accuracy to tap a blind hole to overcome standstill friction, at almost zero revs. Particularly in harder materials, stainless and bronze for example. The spindle needs to stop and reverse while the axis follows the spindle rpm with exactly the correct pitch.

The very reason machines had pull out tap holders was to allow for pitch errors during stop and reversal, usually a 10% pull out length of pitch.

Software wasn't the fix, it was hardware and software for a rigid tapping option.

Again No, have you ever built a machine that can do ridgid Taping, it is as I posted and nothing more.

You seem to be out of touch with modern Tech, the photo I posted is just an example of an Encoder and Software this machine has done thousands of Taped holes, with true Rigid Tapping with no compression tap holder needed.

[Titaniumboy]

Not only a pulse encoder with a marker pulse, the rigid tapping option needs the OEM to have fitted the correct hardware and enabled the option.

Rigid tapping was alway an option, today many machines include it as standard.

Just fitting a spindle encoder may not be enough in your case.

Hi servtech. Thanks for stopping by and helping.

You are thinking of the big iron guys like Hass, Mazak, DMG Mori, etc. where every little option must be bought and then turned on in their control system.

We are talking little iron here in which the control system is often a barebones pc motherboard and has Windows or Linux running a control program such as Mach 3/4 or LinuxCNC or UCCNC. Changing to another control system is as easy as loading a different control program and doing the proper configuration.

For example, my mill originally came with a demo copy of Mach 3 and all the mill documentation showed Mach 3 stuff. I decided that I did not want to pay for a licensed copy of Mach 3 and instead used that money towards a copy of the UCCNC control system.

For whatever reason Mach 3 was not able to do rigid tapping even if the mill hardware had the ability. Linux CNC and UCCNC are able to do rigid tapping as long as the spindle is able to be controlled accurately by the control software. Since my spindle is driven by a AC servo motor, all I need to add is encoder feedback so that UCCNC can properly synchronize the Z axis motion to the spindle rotation.