[knightridar]

Hi,

I need to work on stainless steel tubes and need to feed them with a custom bar feeder which still needs to be designed.
The tubing comes in 12ft stock sizes.

I like a lot of the Benchtop CNCs out there but alot of them have manual collets so it would be hard to feed these through without movement along the x axis.

I am trying to determine how some of the pneumatic or powered collet chucks can integrate with the general collet holders offered by many of these benchtop CNCs. A lot of them I have talked to so far don't have that capability or are unsure of it.

This way I can use G code to (m26,m27 i think??? ) to clamp and unclamp tubes as they are being fed through the collet from the other end.

Also I am still trying to determine the correct terms for these powered collets.
Does any one know?

Here are some links that explain (hopefully somewhat) of what I am trying to accomplish:

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02RW0CiypvY&feature=related"]YouTube- Power Chuck - Self Contained Pneumatic Power Chuck[/nomedia]

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bvm0INkRYqA&NR=1"]YouTube- SMW-Autoblok BB FZA Air Chuck[/nomedia]

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfnTS0pmEXM"]YouTube- Over Grip 5C Collet[/nomedia]

Note: I would need this for really small tubing so collet size is also a concern.

Thanks! all!!!

[dsdmax]

Your looking for a collet closer - do a search via mscdirect.com and you will find all of the components your looking for... do the research there and then shop around for better pricing. use-enco.com is owned by the same company has many of the same products but is cheaper - generally. mscdirect has a better site.

Then you will need a bar feeder - automating all of that in mach3 should be a great project... indexing the feed especially - though it would probably be easier to push to a stop.

[Enraged]

you could start with something like this: http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?P...PMAKA=505-2280 and then figure out a way to auto close/open it. I would think the bar feeder could be fairly simple, Bob Warfield posted an interesting one on his blog http://www.cnccookbook.com/CCBlogSep2008.htm (3rd one down from the top)

[knightridar]

Hi,

Well I am taking a look at the MSC catalog online.

However, my tube sizes are as small as 1/16" to 3/8"

I was thinking of taking care of this with an ER collet but I'm not sure
if an ER collet could fit into the 5C collet holder below (Sorry new to that kind of stuff)

http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNSRIT...MT4NO=91951613

http://www.travers.com/skulist.asp?R...evel3+id+29021

These all look like they are hand operated. Are there any automated ones out there that would integrate with the CNC controller.

I've been looking at various benchtop cnc mills thats I wanted to retrofit for this application, I think I found a machine that I really want to use:

(A-4)-KTS-4014S-09.

http://www.k2cnc.com/shop/proddetail...014S-09&cat=26

http://www.k2cnc.com/shop/products.asp?cat=26

I am going to ask them if it's possible to attach a collet closer to there rotary indexer.

The next step would be to integrate the pneumatic aspects of the collet closer with a plc and have that integrated with the CNC controls.

I also found this what do you guys think?

http://www.microcentric.com/html/dc_drawout.html

http://www.microcentric.com/html/diaphragm.html

Thanks all!

[knightridar]

Well found some 5C collets that are capable of holding really small sized tubing

http://www.nolansupply.com/bysubcate...lse&specs=True

http://www1.mscdirect.com/5c-Collets...tmDtl-_-PypClk

This would help alot in terms of machine options.

[sansbury]

Collet systems are not interchangeable generally speaking. A 5C collet and a 5MT collet are totally different critters, for instance. Don't feel bad--this stuff can be confusing as $#@! as there are so many systems out there.

As to ER vs. 5C, ER is generally used for holding tools (drills, mills, etc.) rather than workpieces. 5C collets can be had in hex and square shapes as well as round, and as dsdmax said, they can be operated by a closer, which I think is a necessity for this kind of application. One thing you'll want to be mindful of is the clamping force, so that you don't crush the tube.

[knightridar]

What's the difference?

Did the links I provided have 5C collets. I think it did, but what does a 5MT collet look like versus a 5C one? Thanks!

[knightridar]

Hello,

Well I found dunham powered collet closers.

One of them is pneumatic (it's activated via a solenoid valve) and also I was recommended to get a precision spindle head attachment that can be attached to an indexer that doesn't have product feed through
via a timing belt attachment.

This is great for my application.

this way the collet closer will be able to clamp and unclamp the tubing and I can get it to feed through via a bar feeder etc..

thanks all!