[John3]

I have a CNC Lathe setup to machine a small conical part from 1/2" round aluminum stock (6061-T6). The program runs continuously and makes about 130 parts per 12 foot length.

The part drops off at the end of the program, then the program advances the stock and cuts another. I don't have room to put some type of part catcher in the cut zone ( I've tried). The parts just drop down into the rats nest of turnings/chips.

Right now we just gather drums of chips from the machine and dig / pick the small parts out of the chips by hand. About 60% of the total stock ends up as chips and 40% for the parts.

As we have to make several thousand of these parts each run, I'm looking for some sort of automatic or semi-automatic way of separating the parts from chips or at least breaking up the long turnings so they can be sifted easier.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

John

[Geof]

If your machine recognises G74 and G75 use these for as much material removal as possible. These are pecking cycles and you can control the sizer of the chips produced.

Also take another look a making a parts catcher; I have several different styles of CNC lathes and with a bit of ingenuity it is possible to figure out a parts catcher on all of them.

[MadMax]

Can you put some sort of catcher pan/chute on the underside of your part off tool?

Maybe you can part off most of the way leaving a small diameter pip holding the part on the bar. Put something in the turret with a pipe like feature which you sleeve over the part axially. Break off the part with an X direction move and direct the parts fall with the angle of the pipe perhaps in a strategically placed bucket or down a chute leading out of your machine.

Do you have a chip conveyor? Can you configure some M code outputs to turn your chip conveyor in the forward or reverse direction so you can move a bucket into place to catch a part?

Maybe you can put a coolant powered bar pull in another turret position. Do a partial part off (to weaken the connection to the bar). Move the bar pull into place and grip the part. Break off with an X direction move. Pull back in Z direction so part can be dropped into a chute or pan at the far back of your Z travel away from chip production.

If you have a chip conveyor, maybe you could you try blowing air across the chip drop path with a shop vac outlet. Small heavy parts would fall more vertically than high surface area lighter chips. Maybe you can do a cross air flow bias sortation. Watch out, it could be messy. If it works, I want to see it on YouTube

[Geof]

....Maybe you can put a coolant powered bar pull in another turret position. Do a partial part off (to weaken the connection to the bar). Move the bar pull into place and grip the part. Break off with an X direction move....

Brilliant! I have never thought of this one and intend to steal the idea.

You don't even need a puller, just a nice fitting U-shaped notch with the open end up. Do the partial part-off, bring in the notch, make an X move to break the part off; then have something to catch the part at the point it rolls out of the notch as the turret indexes.