[cpworkshop]

Greeting All,
I recently purchased a Trico MD-1200 mist system. The coolant here (Melbourne, Australia) which is recommended by Trico is VERY expensive. Does anybody know if alternatives can be used like WD 40 or even kerosene. I regularly use WD 40 or kerosene when milling aluminum at work. Would this damage the internals of the WD-1200?

Many thanks for any replies.
Cheers,
Chris

[HuFlungDung]

It might be expensive, but it barely uses any quantity of lube either.

Maybe try some kind of a vegetable oil, since one of the oils they (Trico) offer is vegetable base. Vegetable oils do tend to oxidize over time, which will plug the nozzle. But with a small drill, you can clean the nozzle ocassionally by hand.

As for your question about harming the system with other chemicals, it is basically a venturi siphon, so there is only the tank, the plastic tubing and the nozzle in contact with the lube, so there is not a lot that will go wrong in case you need to replace something. I would stick with the less volatile, light weight lubricants though. You do get quite a lot of air flow, and you don't need nor want a lot of stink in the area you are working.

[cpworkshop]

Hi Hungflungdung,
Thanks very much for the reply. I have never used any vegetable oil throughout my machining career. All my oils have been petroleum (sulphur) based. Most of the oils referred to in this forum are easily purchased in the U.S, but not here. I will do a google to try and find a vege based oil. Thanks again.

Regards,
Chris

[Nigel_B]

Hi
I use a mist system on my lathe and to be honest it is the same Sapon general purpose coolant, I used when I tried using Flood cooling.
I just found Flood tooo messy for my needs.
When not using mist I often use WD40 by brush, it stinks and it fumes really badly when it gets hot. No way would I think about using it in the mister.
The Sapon works really well for Aluminium or steel.
I am in Melbourne so you should be able to get the Sapon coolant. Let me know if you have a problem and I can get more details, where are you?
Nigel

[cpworkshop]

Hi Nigel,
Thanks for the reply. I already use Sapon A for flood coolant on my lathes and milling machines. This stuff generally tends to go off over time and stinks. It also tends to settle in tanks and gum up. After doing some more research I am going to run INOX. I already use it for tapping, screwcutting etc. and its a great anti corrosion. It dosen't smoke either like WD-40 when hot. Can even be used on food grade manufacturing.
Cheers,
Chris

[Nigel_B]

Hi Chris
I agree with you about all the downsides of flood coolant, which is why I went to mist.
The benefit is that you always use Fresh coolant and there is very little mess. I think it must evaporate.
It still contributes to cooling and lubrication. I would not bother using anything else.
Inox is good stuff, only ever used it as preservative/lubricant.
Nigel

[cpworkshop]

Hi Nigel,
Out of curiousity, where do you work?

Cheers,
Chris

[Nigel_B]

Croydon
2 small cnc lathes (100mm chuck) and a larger centre lathe (160mm chuck)

[Nigel_B]

Chris
Had to make up more coolant today and it is Sapon GM that I use.
As I said before, didn't like it much as flood coolant but works great as a mist on both Aluminium and steel. I use a Noga mister (the deburring tool company).
Is the Trico MD-1200 a mister or a droplet design. The Noga is mist only and getting a very fine (invisible) spray can be a bit of a challenge at times. But even when the mist is visible, the lathe stays reasonably dry. Just needs a bit of a wipe down, certainl not coolant all over the place.
Nigel

[cpworkshop]

Hi Nigel,
The MD-1200 is a mister, well atomiser really. I haven't actually received it yet as it's coming from the U.S. Should be here sometime this week.

Cheers,
Chris

[glenneaux]

Hi There,

New to the forums but thought i'd post up something

Where I work we run 3 multicam (australian) routers, each had md-1200 trico units on them.. we ran some fuchs econocut or something? used to order it by the drum.

I found the guys used to just dump it on because it was so cheap... when we were machining a 5mm recess into 6061 t651 aluminium plate, we got plenty of smoke. I've since learnt that we are cutting too slow, and putting on too much oil...

In order to combat this we ended up putting in a Trico unit, running their vegetable oil and we have had very very good results, with only a little bit of smoke, but i've found that if i turn the oil down for the machining when we're cutting the profile i'm getting too much heat in the cut..

[cpworkshop]

Hi Glenaux,
Thanks for the reply. I too run an Australian Multicam from home as part of a weekend business. I have a full engineering workshop set up in my garage for one off prototypes. Where do you work? Are you in Melbourne? What type of parts do you produce? Do you personally run the multicams? What year are your machines? Sorry about all the questions but its great to hear from somebody who has the same machines as me since there is not a lot of information on the web about them. What diameter cutter are you using for aluminuim? What feedrate for that cutter. I haven't got or fitted the Trico unit yet as it's still coming from the U.S. In future would you mind if I picked your brains with any questions with the Multicams?
Thanks very much,
Regards,
Chris

[glenneaux]

Hi Glenaux,
Thanks for the reply. I too run an Australian Multicam from home as part of a weekend business. I have a full engineering workshop set up in my garage for one off prototypes. Where do you work? Are you in Melbourne? What type of parts do you produce? Do you personally run the multicams? What year are your machines? Sorry about all the questions but its great to hear from somebody who has the same machines as me since there is not a lot of information on the web about them. What diameter cutter are you using for aluminuim? What feedrate for that cutter. I haven't got or fitted the Trico unit yet as it's still coming from the U.S. In future would you mind if I picked your brains with any questions with the Multicams?
Thanks very much,
Regards,
Chris

Hello there Chris,

"Full engineering workshop" is intriguing! I work at a company on pier 35 (port melbourne)(not boeing) and we make aeroplane parts on our routers. Yes, I do run our machines, i run the 3 multicams and our techni waterjet. I'm also in charge of all the programming on them.

In regards to cutters/feedrates im actually in the dark a bit. We just run what was historically run so we're actually a bit behind in those areas.

Most of the parts we did for hawker de haviland had 3/32" (2.4mm) pilots so the parts were generally cut with 2.4mm cutters at 400/500mm/min. The parts were in thicknesses ranging from .020" to .080", some even at .125" etc.

Our machines range from relatively new (not the current generation mind you), 5meters long, twin head with quick tool changers (not automatic) with the tooltip sensor. Our oldest machine is the older generation again.

We're programming with multicams software but that means we have to program to suit the oldest machine which means we miss out on a lot of nice things. we're soon going to be getting MasterCAM which will let us do some nice things and really good nesting.

[cpworkshop]

Hi Glenaux,
How do you find the multicam toolpath software? I find it good and easy to use but very lacking in 3D viewing etc. I have a copy of mastercam X10 (for evaluation purposes) but found this very difficult to use. I use autocad now and are trying to learn solidworks. I found a great program on the web called cut3D. It is so easy to use and has all the post processors avaliable (even Axyz post processor). I plan to buy it along with Ccarvepro which is made by the same company. Occasionally I get some weird stuff happening with my router when it just decides to drive the tool into the table, even after doing a funtion 4 lift bottom and top and setting z zero.
Cheers,
Chris

[glenneaux]

Hi Glenaux,
How do you find the multicam toolpath software? I find it good and easy to use but very lacking in 3D viewing etc. I have a copy of mastercam X10 (for evaluation purposes) but found this very difficult to use. I use autocad now and are trying to learn solidworks. I found a great program on the web called cut3D. It is so easy to use and has all the post processors avaliable (even Axyz post processor). I plan to buy it along with Ccarvepro which is made by the same company. Occasionally I get some weird stuff happening with my router when it just decides to drive the tool into the table, even after doing a funtion 4 lift bottom and top and setting z zero.
Cheers,
Chris

Just a quick response,

this is something i just modelled in catia, programmed in mastercam and cut on our multicam



Press tool for that aluminium part... I have no actual training in catia, and no training in mastercam, just playing with it.

I'm sure the accuracy isnt really up there with our multicam but good enough for this job

[cpworkshop]

Hi Glenaux,
Hey, that little job was great. I have a question that you may be able to answer. The trico system I purchased is the one that has solenoid on/off. How do I switch this on and off with the multicam software?
Thanks,
Chris

[glenneaux]

Hi Glenaux,
Hey, that little job was great. I have a question that you may be able to answer. The trico system I purchased is the one that has solenoid on/off. How do I switch this on and off with the multicam software?
Thanks,
Chris

Hi there again Chris,

First off, where are you located??

2nd, our trico setups are wired up to our machines, we have 3 way switch on the side of the machine for on/off/auto.

due to the simplicity of these machines/the controller you dont actually program the coolant to turn on or off. When these machines do a G1 I believe they turn the coolant on.

ie our programming knows nothing about coolant, when you run it you just put it on auto and it'll have the coolant on when it descends down to the material, plunges and cuts.

Hope this helps you out a bit.

[cpworkshop]

I am located in Rowville. Not being a programmer I assum a G1 is the material surface? My machine already has the air output and power etc to take a trico unit or similar. Once istalled I will see how it goes.
Thanks
Chris

[glenneaux]

I am located in Rowville. Not being a programmer I assum a G1 is the material surface? My machine already has the air output and power etc to take a trico unit or similar. Once istalled I will see how it goes.
Thanks
Chris

Our Trico unit and Unist systems only run on air, it has a solenoid internally somewhere it switches on/off.

G1 = feeding, as opposed to rapid move

[cpworkshop]

Our Trico unit and Unist systems only run on air, it has a solenoid internally somewhere it switches on/off.

G1 = feeding, as opposed to rapid move

Ok, thanks. I will let you know the outcome.

Cheers,
Chris