volume 10 • issue 35 - Haas Automation®, Inc.

Transcription

volume 10 • issue 35
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
VOLUME 10 ISSUE 35
FEATURES
02
Passionate Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Black Gold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Up a Creek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Crazy Efficient . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
CNC Milling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
EDUCATION
Forceps that Feel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
CYCLE TIME
08
Haas Racing Buzz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
OCC in da House! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Win a Toolroom Machine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
1,118 in One Month . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Flying High with Haas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
THE ANSWER MAN
Tips/Tricks/Answers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
12
CNC MACHINING is published by Haas Automation, Inc., 2800 Sturgis Road, Oxnard, CA 93030, 805-278-1800, Fax 805-988-6918. Postmaster: Return invalid
addresses to Haas Automation, 2800 Sturgis Road, Oxnard, CA 93030-8933 postage guaranteed. CNC Machining is distributed free of charge by Haas
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Haas Automation Europe, ++32-2-522-9905 | Haas Automation United Kingdom, ++44-1603-760 539 | Haas Automation Asia, ++86 21 5046 2202
In This Issue
No Excuses!
Modernize, innovate, become more efficient, find a niche, solve a problem, stay on the cutting
edge, build a quality product or . . . just have fun!
Any one of the above things in and of itself could be the key to your continued survival. Lack of
the same could be the cause of your demise. It’s a changing world out there, and we all truly are part
of a global economy. Events halfway around the world routinely affect things around the corner – and
in our lives – every day.
The price of gasoline is a case in point. Recent news of Iran’s newfound ability to enrich uranium
– and the subsequent U.S. response to that news – sent oil prices soaring above $75 a barrel. As a result,
gas prices around the corner, at least in my neighborhood, are now well above the $3.00-per-gallon
mark. Prognosticators here in beautiful SoCal – where public transportation is underdeveloped and
underutilized – are hinting that the price could go as high as $4.00 per gallon before summer’s end.
I don’t know about you, but that global event certainly affects my personal economy.
But there are things I (we) can do to counter such seemingly uncontrollable circumstances. For
starters, replacing that gas-guzzling SUV with something more fuel-efficient would help. If you
absolutely must have such a large vehicle for business or family reasons, then use it only when you
have to, or figure out how to consolidate necessary trips and eliminate unnecessary ones. Carpooling
is another viable alternative. The point is, there are things you can do.
Another seemingly uncontrollable circumstance is the current state of manufacturing – or the
perception thereof – not just in the United States, but in many of the world’s industrialized nations.
Many today perceive that all manufacturing is moving to countries with lower labor costs, and it’s no
longer possible for manufacturers to survive, let alone thrive, in high-cost countries such as the
United States.
It’s easy to assign blame to others for our woes, piss and moan about the high price of gasoline
or lament about how manufacturing is going “offshore.” It’s much harder to take responsibility for
your (our) own future.
In this issue of CNC Machining we’ll show you a number of companies – small and large, in the
U.S. and around the world – that are not only surviving in today’s competitive world market, but are
thriving. For each one, the key to their success is different, but they all share two common traits: They
take responsibility for their own actions, and create their own futures.
For our cover story, we visited an enterprising company in New York that has developed a
unique new product for wilderness exploration. Their motorized kayak – actually a one-person jet
boat – allows solo adventurers to motor upstream as well as down, and explore areas previously
accessible only by hand-paddled craft. By finding a niche and filling it, Mokai Manufacturing has
become a successful company with worldwide distribution.
On The
Cover
For Dana Cox of Automated Manufacturing, the key to winning contracts and staying
competitive in Southern California – where high costs are a way of life – was to become extremely
efficient. Through the use of innovative fixturing, in-process probing and automatic pallet changers,
he keeps his volumes high and his cost-per-part low.
Parveen Oilfield is a world-class company in India that supplies oilfield equipment to a global
customer base. By investing in the latest CNC machine tool technology to modernize their production
and increase output, they’ve grown from being a supplier to the Indian oil industry, into a one-stop shop
for the world’s oil companies. With the recent upsurge in oil exploration, their business is booming.
Thrust from this precision
package takes the
Mokai personal watercraft
places ordinary boats
can’t go. This is the
business end of the craft’s
jet-propulsion pump.
Photo by Richard Berry
Located just a few miles down the road from Disneyland, Double JJ Enterprises offers a different
kind of attraction, but one that’s just as entertaining for anyone with a mechanical bent. The company
manufactures bolt-on accessories for big rigs, and the exceptional quality of their products is their
calling card. Owners Jerry and Gayle Jeffries started the business to make a few bucks in their semiretirement, but they sure have a lot of fun doing it.
We also have an in-depth piece on CNC milling that provides a little history, a number of helpful
tips and some useful advice. And, as always, you’ll find some interesting bits and bobs in Cycle Time,
a preview of upcoming new products and a collection of tips from the Answer Man.
So, no excuses! Sit back, relax and enjoy! You just might discover something to help you survive.
Story and Photos by Richard Berry
The next time you’re traveling south through beautiful Anaheim,
California, pay no attention to the "EXIT HERE FOR DISNEYLAND" sign.
Just blow on by. If you’re at all amused by things quaintly
mechanical, avoid the long lines and screaming kids of the Happiest
Place On Earth, and travel a few more miles to a different magical
attraction: an honest-to-Walt working machine shop, with nearly
every enticement but the Matterhorn.
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There’s no freeway marker pointing to Double JJ
Enterprises, but you’ll know it when you get there. Your first
tip-off is the hot-rodded, shimmer-red, 1929 Fageol truck
parked out front. No, you’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto.
Walk through the door, and you just might think you’re not in
the 21st century anymore, either. The standard first-time
reaction is: “Wow!”
Antique aircraft engines, outmoded parking meters and
period gas-station paraphernalia confront your senses, while a
baby grand piano automatically plays Beethoven in the
background. Between the chrome jukebox controller, the old
gumball machines and the life-sized brass bulldog, you might
easily lose your bearing. But make no mistake; you’re standing
in a seriously successful manufacturing facility. It just seems
like something out of a vintage Coke® commercial.
Wherever you turn, the place is spotlessly clean, tastefully
cluttered and thoroughly colorful – exactly the way owners
Jerry and Gayle Jeffries like it. You’ll find checkerboard tiles on
the floors, neon signs on the walls and large model airplanes
hanging from the ceilings. Every machine in the shop – from the
smallest drill press to the biggest CNC mill – sports a matching
gray-and-red paint scheme and bright chrome trim. Grinning is
pretty much automatic. “We’re here to make a buck,” Jerry
Jeffries confides, “but who says we can’t have fun doing it!”
CNC MACHINING | 3
“We ship nothing with a blemish on it,” jeffries says,
“and that has earned us a great name in quality. . ”.
Double JJ Enterprises has been making quite a few bucks
for quite a few years, now, as a leading name in big-rig truck
accessories. Dual-headlight systems, marker-lamp housings,
steps, gauges and safety products are the company’s main
fare . . . which explains the classic hot rod out front. Small
Fageol trucks were the predecessors of the modern Peterbilt
line – the prime beneficiary of Double JJ’s bolt-on products.
“Hands down,” says Jeffries, “we sell more Peterbilt parts
than any other line. We work with most of the dealers in the
U.S. and Canada, and some abroad. We also sell to many of
the Kenworth dealers, and to most of the big chrome shops –
more than 500 outlets in all.
“I’ve been involved in businesses with trucks and
manufacturing all my life,” Jeffries continues, “but Gayle and
I got involved in this 10 years ago as kind of a semi-retired,
fun thing to do. It’s been a wonderful deal,” he says with a
smile, “and this little business has become quite a ride.” Of
course wonderful hasn’t always meant easy. For a “relaxing”
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business, the Jeffries have set very high standards for
themselves. “Nothing short of perfection,” in fact.
Most Double JJ products are based on heavy, 356
aluminum castings that are precisely machined, and then
impeccably finished. “Everything’s polished to the nth
degree and shipped as top quality,” Jeffries explains. “But
when you make quality parts from rough castings, it gets
a little stressful at times. Some of these are tough casts to
pull off, and the foundry work isn’t always as consistent
as we’d like.”
Last year, three weeks of heavy rain in California
prompted Jeffries to suspend all of his foundry deliveries: The
high humidity was causing surface pitting in the castings. “We
ship nothing with a blemish on it,” he says, “and that has
earned us a great name in quality, although sometimes at the
expense of our production. In the end, though, when
customers see the double Js in a circle, they know the product
has the best reputation in the trucking industry.”
CNC MACHINING | 5
It’s hard to argue with a business ethic based on absolute quality,
especially when the business is so successful.
Castings for Peterbilt drop-headlight brackets are typical
of the work done on a Haas VF-3 vertical machining center
that’s tucked into the tight end of the long machine shop. The
pieces are generic in their raw state, but become matched leftand right-hand pairs after machining. “We mount these [in
the machine] four at a time,” says Jeffries, “and the lefts and
the rights get determined by the angles in the jig. The surface
is planed with a 3" face mill, taking a 200-thou’ rough cut,
followed by a 60-thou’ cleanup pass. Then we do the 20 holes.
We have to take 10-degree angles on either side to make the
pairs. We designed these to bolt right into the factory holes in
the Peterbilt grills, so they’ve got to be exact. This machine
has upped our accuracy and really cut the time: We complete
two pairs in a total cycle time just over 6 minutes.”
The long, flat marker-light bars that hold stoplights and
turn-signal lamps on Peterbilt and Kenworth trucks are
another sand-cast product that demands perfect machining
on the VF-3. ”When these pieces are polished, they reflect
just like mirrors,” says Jeffries, “and any ripple at all in that
long face spoils the look.” Even though all of the company’s
bolt-on accessories are fully functional, they’re still
fundamentally appearance products, so Double JJ’s
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passionate attention to detail makes a lot of sense. “They
have to be both accurate and beautiful,” says Jeffries. “That’s
how we’ve built our name.”
That name is held in high regard by the friends,
customers and business neighbors who regularly drop by on
“chili day” (most Thursdays) to take in the sights, and enjoy
a bowl of “Gayle Ann’s Downwind Chili.” First-timers, as
expected, exclaim: “Wow!” Even in a purely social setting the
establishment works its magic. “Our business increased by
31% last year,” confides Jeffries offhandedly, “but then, we
increase every year. It just grows and grows.”
It’s hard to argue with a business ethic based on absolute
quality, especially when the business is so successful. For the
same reason, it’s just as hard to trivialize the somewhat
eccentric workplace. “There’s been a lot of manufacturing in
my life,” concludes Jeffries. “I just like to make things. And I
guess I like to collect things, too. So now we make these truck
parts, and have fun creating our work environment. One thing
kind of led to the other. But we figure, if you’re going to make
fine products, you may as well have a fine place to work.”
Few would argue with Double JJ’s remarkable success on
both counts.
Tastefully cluttered and thoroughly
colorful – exactly the way owners
jerry and gayle jeffries want the
place. "She's the boss," confides jerry,
only half jokingly.
CNC MACHINING | 7
Story and Photos by Matt Bailey
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Parveen Oilfield is investing in U.S. machine tool technology to stay ahead of the
competition in the booming oil-engineering industry. U.K.-based business and
industry journalist Matt Bailey braved the monsoon season to investigate.
W
ith the price of a barrel of oil at an all time
high, and in order to meet burgeoning global
demand, the world’s big oil companies are
embarking on major new programmes of exploration.
New wells are being bored, new pipelines laid, new
rigs constructed, and new extraction and refinery
equipment is being designed and manufactured.
Compared to other industry sectors, the projects and their
capital expenditure are frequently vast, and can mean
lucrative contracts for product and component
manufacturers with the necessary technical capability
and experience.
The origins of Parveen Oilfield can be traced back to
the year 1960, when the family business was founded to
manufacture metallic conduits for electric cables. In 1983,
the company diversified to meet increasing demand from
the Indian oil industry. In the two decades since, it has
grown to be a leader in the design, development and
manufacture of oilfield equipment. Its name is
synonymous with quality and high-precision machining,
and as a one-stop shop for its global customer base.
Works Director Mr. N. H. Jeswani has been with the
company from the early days.
“Not long after our first few contracts with
companies in the oil and gas sector, we started designing
and manufacturing products ourselves,” Jeswani says.
“We began by producing basic wire-line service tools and
pipe fittings for the oil industry in India, before gradually
increasing our product portfolio for the export market.”
Today, Parveen Oilfield has its headquarters – with
110 employees – near Mumbai, another smaller facility in
the older part of Mumbai, plus a further two facilities in
Delhi, where a third is shortly to be constructed. Across
all facilities Parveen employs around 500 people, who
help the company meet demanding delivery schedules
for its range of around 300 different products.
CNC MACHINING | 9
The Parveen portfolio includes the design and manufacture
of a wide range of equipment – for cementing, coil-tubing
pressure control, gas lifts, rotary drilling, sub-surface flow
control, sucker rods, well heads, Christmas trees, “fishing” and
logging tools, and valves. In fact, the company does almost
anything and everything needed above and below the surface
during all phases of oil and gas exploration.
The Technology Leap
About three years ago, the company decided the time had
come to replace some of its older Indian-manufactured machine
tools with CNC technology. Mr. Jeswani had seen Haas machines
at an exhibition in Mumbai, where the Pune-based Haas Factory
Outlet, a division of Omira Marketing Pvt Ltd, had a stand.
“Cost and quality were the primary reasons why we opted
to purchase a Haas SL-30 big-bore CNC turning centre,” he says.
“Of course, so many oilfield products and components are
tubular that it made sense to start with a turning machine.”
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Such was the success of the Haas SL-30 that Parveen
recently added to its Haas armoury, purchasing a further
four machines in 2005: another SL-30, an EC-1600 horizontal
machining centre, a VF-5 50-taper vertical machining centre
fitted with a Haas HRT-450 rotary table, and an SL-40
turning centre with an SMW indexing chuck designed
specifically to allow machining of all the faces of steel valves
in a single setup.
“The Haas machines have proved very reliable,” explains
Jeswani. “The company works around the clock, so reliability is
a key factor. We have also experienced improved productivity
and higher output rates since the machines were installed.”
Parveen operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Where
in western companies this would represent a three-shift system,
astonishingly, Parveen operates just two shifts, with employees
working 72 hours a week across six, 12-hour shifts, with just one
day off a week on a rotation basis. With labour already working
at maximum capacity at Parveen, investment in CNC machine
tool technology made perfect sense.
“Our biggest challenge is keeping up with demand. Once a
customer has placed an order, it’s invariably required yesterday,”
quips Mr. Jeswani. “We make everything to order rather than for
stock, so now that we have reliable machines, meeting tight
delivery schedules is far easier.”
With business swift, Parveen’s Rabale site is at near capacity.
An expansion representing an increase in floor space of 50
percent is currently being commissioned. It will house the latest
CNC machining equipment, including a total of 13 new Haas
machine tools, which are presently on order. The company’s
order book is so healthy that Mr. Jeswani is confident he can keep
the new machines and extra staff just as busy.
Low labour costs have certainly helped Parveen, as has
the relative abundance of young, highly skilled engineering
graduates passing through India’s university system. But it’s
also the company’s willingness to invest in technology and
quality processes that enables it to win and retain customers
in the long term.
Parveen has embraced CNC technology and is reaping the
rewards. The company has also achieved ISO9001:2000 quality
accreditation status, and holds 13 API (American Petroleum
Institute) licences to manufacture oil industry products, which
it claims is the most held by any company in India. Add all this
to its 25 years of experience in the oil sector, and it’s easy to see
why Parveen’s services are so popular.
Around 70 percent of the company’s production is
exported, sold via Parveen’s extensive network of agents. As
an oilfield supplier, it should come as no surprise to learn that
the company’s chief export regions are the U.S., Canada and
the Middle East.
“Our customers are interested in quality, delivery and
trust,” says Jeswani. “We have an ISO audit every six months,
and an API audit every two years. Price is less of an issue,
given the high cost of oil, a factor that is driving the entire
sector, making it very buoyant and providing most suppliers
with a profitable period,” he concludes.
CNC MACHINING | 11
Creek
Up a
Paddle
Without
a
Story and photos by
Richard Berry
Outdoor photos courtesy Mokai
S
mall boats make us smile, with an allure all their own. It’s
hard to put a finger on exactly why, but we stare at them,
imagine and dream. In our minds, possibilities abound and
independence tempts. Finally, we acquire a calm, clear gaze and
drift away in a daydream of self-reliance.
Such a daydream resulted in a dream product for a company
called Mokai Manufacturing – a modern business, making
modern boats in a very modern manner. “We’re busy today,”
explains owner Rick Murray, “and that always puts me in a good
mood.” For Murray, “There is nothing – absolutely nothing – half
so much worth doing as messing around with boats!”
CNC MACHINING | 13
In this instance, he’s messing around with the Mokai, a high-tech, take-apart jet boat that’s
making a lot of people smile. “You’ve never seen anything like this before,” bets Murray, quietly.
And he’s right. The small jet boat is a one-piece structure stretching about a dozen feet long and
spanning 3 feet at its widest shoulder. It is a beautiful example of form following function. A
central, rimmed cockpit with internal controls steps to a narrow stern section that contains a
6-horsepower engine and an axial-flow jet-propulsion pump.
Modern adventurers and weekend outdoorsmen alike view the unique craft with just
one notion in mind: wilderness exploration. That’s exactly what it’s built for: taking on the
shallow lakes, rivers and coastal waters previously accessible only by hand-paddled craft.
The modular design of the Mokai allows a solo adventurer to launch the boat, drift with the
current, motor upstream, remove the engine, and then lift and secure the lightened hull for
car-top transport – all unassisted. They’re very big on self-reliance at Mokai.
You might imagine an enterprise like this being rooted in the wilds of Alaska, or the
virgin lake-country of Nova Scotia. Instead, you’ll find them in the Hudson Valley in
Newburgh, New York, only an hour north of Manhattan.
CNC MACHINING | 15
Murray and his partner, Marie Sprock, came up with the idea for the Mokai while
working in a tiny office in Mid-Town, where they operated a small Manhattan financial
venture. “We used to sit on top of our desks holding a tape measure, imagining just how big
the boat had to be,” says Sprock. “It was kind of crude.”
“We’d both been in manufacturing most of our lives, and wanted to get back to it,”
continues Murray. “I had experience with a company that made sport watercraft, and had
learned the idiosyncrasies and subtleties of that type of manufacturing. Their design was
very nice,” he notes, “but I always felt there was a market for a nooks-and-crannies type of
boat for exploring and fishing.
“The essence of our original idea was the kayak,” Murray explains. “The name Mokai
originally meant motorized kayak. But we discovered a lot of limitations in kayak design
when adding an engine, so we came up with something new, something more stable while
stationary, and more efficient under power. It grew out of the kayak, but we always called
our concept a small jet boat.”
When the chance to sell their Manhattan financial venture
came along in the late ’90s, Murray and Sprock seized the
opportunity, and set up shop to manufacture the Mokai. From
a 9,600-square-foot brick-and-block building, a crew of seven
turns out $100,000 worth of product each month, shipping out
boats to most of North America, and to places as distant as
Chile and New Zealand. Two full-time machinists are
relentlessly busy, and everyone pitches in to help prepare and
finish parts. The owners work the assembly lines, sweep
floors, take phone orders, challenge the designer and
generally help everyone “get boats out the door.”
Roughly one fourth of the building’s space is dedicated
to machining, with a Haas TM-1 Toolroom Mill and an SL-10
CNC lathe filling most of the area. The setup isn’t
extravagant, yet you can’t help but notice the remarkable
variety of work this shop turns out. “We’re not making two or
three parts,” smiles Murray, “we’re making more than 80
parts, each specifically designed to fit the bill. They’re not all
big pieces or complex castings, but each is unique. Our
materials range from polyethylene and nylon, to aluminum,
brass and stainless steel.”
The biggest of the big pieces is the roto-molded
polyethylene hull. “It’s a high-impact, very durable plastic,”
notes Murray, “and we add spars for stiffness. It’s mainly
hand finished with a router and drill, but we use machined
fixtures to ensure each unit is identical to the next.” Nearly
everything else in the boat, except control cables and seat
cushions, is fabricated using the two Haas CNC machines.
The rotor casting for the jet pump qualifies as one of the
most complex parts. “This is an investment casting,” explains
Murray, “which means it starts with an aluminum tool that’s
injected with a wax-type substance. There are actually two wax
halves here that get glued together and dipped five or six times
into ceramic slurry to build up thickness. Then it’s fired in an
oven. The wax melts out, and then 316 stainless is poured into
the resulting hard cavity. When the ceramic is broken off, we
get a piece with nice, accurate profiles. We machine the outer
dimensions and bearing clearances, and then drill the center.
We used to do it all on the lathe, but we found we could set
them up two at a time on the mill and cut 50 units without
having to make any adjustment,” says Murray.
“We measure to a thousandth or two,” adds machinist
Guy Blum, “and we can easily hold that. We use probes both
here on the mill and on the lathe. It may take 40 minutes to set
up the machine, but then we get great productivity.”
Over on the lathe, machinist Jim O’Leary is chucking up
the casing for the stator venturi. It pretty much fills the
compact SL-10. “Yeah,” he notes, “it’s a close fit. We put on
CNC MACHINING | 17
this special bracket so we can register it. Then, as the tool comes over and moves in, we have
about 1/4" clearance. But it works perfect.”
“We did a lot of homework before we chose the SL-10,” Murray adds, “and it has
worked out great.”
The lathe also produces stainless steel drive shafts and bearing shafts, which are bored
and threaded to fit together. “We hold about two or three tenths on these,” says Murray, “and
in an ideal situation, we like to make enough for 150 units. It’s only a couple of dollars worth
of steel, so I can put that many in inventory without the big investment we had when we
jobbed them out.”
To automate production somewhat on the SL-10, explains Murray, “We use a bar puller,
which isn’t the most efficient way, but it keeps up with our production right now. We have an
automatic parts catcher, so the machine runs unassisted on this shorter stuff. We cut the stainless
bars to about three-foot lengths, so we get three drive shafts per bar. But things like washers, we
make hundreds of those with the puller. As our production grows, we may be looking at an
automatic bar feeder.”
Obviously, jet pumps, couplings and drive shafts demand a lot of attention, but similar
care is also required for many of the shop’s small parts – from stainless spacers to multi-part
fittings on the removable engine. “You might think, ‘Why go to the trouble to make this,’”
asks Murray, holding up a beautifully finished, quick-disconnect fitting for the throttle, choke
and steering cables. “Well, you can’t buy it with the low spring-tension and long throw that
we want,” he answers, “so we make it ourselves. Our customers can work these easily, even
with cold or wet hands wearing gloves. And see how this thread is done? We put a little
groove here so it runs out to zero. That’s a far better way of doing it, a much better design.
“This control fitting . . . we could buy these,” he continues,
“but not to the quality we want. So we said, ‘The heck with it.
We’ve got the machines; we’ll spend one day and make a
whole year’s supply of them.’ We turn them on the lathe, part
them off with this nice little radius, and then they go on the
mill and get a two-stage drill. Then they get a perfect side cut.
With this equipment, we can do anything a big operation can.
It’s phenomenal.”
And on it goes. From decorative vent plugs to hidden fuelline inserts, Mokai delivers top-quality parts by making them
themselves. “They’re doing – with only two machines – what
I’ve seen shops with twenty machines shy away from!” says
Marty McGill of Haas Factory Outlet, Allentown (NY), Murray’s
local Haas representative. “These guys had limited CNC
experience when they started, so we didn’t encourage them to
do all that. But they’ve surprised a lot of people,” McGill says.
Some of the advantages of doing it themselves surprised
even Murray. “We like being self-sufficient now,” he says, “but
we originally purchased the equipment simply to lower our
manufacturing costs. We were spending about $600 per boat
on farmed-out machining before. Today, we make everything
in-house for about $95. That’s astronomically better. We made
a strictly financial decision, but truly, the biggest benefit we got
was being able to customize designs and tighten up our specs
Photo courtesy Mokai
to a degree we never could have done in the outside world. We
can actually shift volute clearances on the rotor by about 5
tenths. That makes a surprising difference in a pump, and now
we can do it! The fit and finish of our products today is much
better,” he adds. “Our inventories are held tighter, and our
designs are constantly looked at and improved. Those are
benefits we didn’t even take into account originally, yet now
they’re our biggest payout.
“I’m fortunate to have worked for 17 years in the auto
racing business,” Murray reveals, “and the pinnacle was at
[famous ’60s driver] Dan Gurney’s operation in Santa Ana,
California. We’d build complete custom-designed racecars
there, making everything ourselves – even nuts and bolts
when we had to. It was a superb education. I suppose that’s
where I acquired the skills and ideas we’re able to apply
here. Back then, it was mostly prototype, building one-of-akind stuff. But today, with these machines, we can bring that
same type of thinking to production manufacturing. We can
make everything.”
With his hands on his hips in the middle of the Mokai
shop, Murray’s independence personifies self-reliance.
“Virtually every bit of this boat is made in the USA,” he points
out, “and virtually every piece we can tackle is made right
here.” The possibilities abound.
CNC MACHINING | 19
Crazy-
Efficient
– Fixtures and Forethought
Story and photos by Richard Berry
The catchy expression wasn’t intended as a left-handed compliment – it just got
bent that way. Crazy-Efficient’s rapid rise to buzzword status has many machinists
simply – and sadly – missing the point.
“Of course it’s crazy,” scoffs the cynic. “Spend a ton of time making a
complicated fixture? Why bother?”
The short answer is: MONEY!
Just ask Dana Cox, owner of Automated Manufacturing, a small but highly
productive shop in Chatsworth, CA. With past experience as an engineer at Haas
Automation, Cox knows his machines and their capabilities better, perhaps, than most. So
when the opportunity to bid against an army of larger shops for a big lock-parts contract
surfaced, he knew exactly how to make his 2,000-square-foot operation competitive.
Cox concluded that the key to keeping costs down on this high-volume, threeop’ job was to design a set of special fixtures that would speed the work and
guarantee accuracy by allowing his machines to do their jobs with as few operator
intrusions as possible. “CNC, by its nature, is very accurate,” asserts Cox. “With
good fixturing, you only have to measure a couple critical things; and by using
probes for that, you pretty much eliminate operator error. If you keep a tight reign
on the few things that are all-important, the machine will carry through on
everything else.” It’s an approach that paid off.
CNC MACHINING | 21
“Keeping a tight reign,” though,
meant fabricating a pair of precision, castiron fixture plates, each with cap-screw
hold-downs clamping 168 stainless steel
parts per load. Cox made one plate for the
first operation, and an equally complex
second plate for op’ two. Mounting space
for the third operation was split between
the two big fixtures. “I organized the
tightest possible arrangement,” Cox
explains. “There was a right- and a lefthand part, so I did them as pairs, and it
worked out really well.” The precision of
the fixtures assured the inherent accuracy of the machining, and
allowed Cox to routinely turn out 700 parts per day for nearly
seven months. “I was able to do the work very cost-effectively.
That’s why I won the bid.” And for a person passionate about
efficiency, he reveals, “That was really the perfect job.”
Today, Cox’s perfect job is making and marketing his own
line of products: high-performance cylinder heads for
motocross bikes. They’re unique assemblies comprising a
separate outer shell and a number of various-sized
combustion-chamber domes that fit inside. “Instead of having
only one compression ratio to work with,” says Cox, “riders
can easily change their combustion chambers to match the
engine’s performance to the riding conditions.” They can
configure their bikes with high compression for competition, or
lower compression for general riding using less expensive fuel.
Given the wide assortment of bike manufacturers, engine
sizes and compression ratios, Cox produces more than 40
different versions of these precision parts, with each dome
mating perfectly to its matching shell. But they’re still
consumer products, so these precise assemblies must be
produced cost-effectively to be profitable.
As before, fixtures and probe systems play a major role in
making this idea a practical undertaking, although now there’s
a far wider range of parts being cut in much smaller quantities.
This time, a big fraction of the efficiency comes from the
product design: Cox designed each head assembly to exploit
the special capabilities of a specific machine: a Haas VF-3APC
with integral pallet changer.
“Design the product to use the machine? Who does a
crazy thing like that?” sneers our detractor.
Again, Dana Cox demonstrates that it makes a lot of sense
for a small shop to take this “crazy-efficient” approach. “It has
proven to be a very cost-effective product,” smiles Cox. “That’s
one of the big advantages you get when the designer has a
manufacturing background.”
Quickly mounting billets into simple vise fixtures atop the
VF-3APC’s pallets allows the shop to load and machine a lot of
parts in a short period of time. Although the undemanding
vises allow an operator to easily keep the machine producing
at top capacity, they can’t be relied on to ensure the consistent
accuracy that a slower loading, bolt-on fixture would
guarantee – especially during the heavy cuts demanded by
aggressive machining. “When the dome is fitted up inside the
head,” says Cox, “a very critical differential in thickness must
be maintained.” But post-inspecting each part and rejecting
even a small number would wipe out all the efficiency gained
with the quick-loading pallet system.
The simple solution would be to reduce the feedrate to
lessen the chance of parts shifting in the fixture. But Cox’s
crazy-efficient approach was to design the parts with enough
extra material to allow an additional “re-dress” pass if the
CNC MACHINING | 23
machine’s auto-probing system finds it’s necessary. “Probes
measure the differential during the operation, and if it’s off, they
call up two tools which re-machine the surface to correct it. This
not only compensates for shifting after mounting,” explains Cox,
“it also eliminates any operator loading errors. We’re pushing it
hard for maximum efficiency, yet the VF-3 holds the height
differential within 10 microns. I believe in Haas equipment, and
I don’t worry about quality, because all the critical dimensions
are measured and corrected by the machine.”
Production never stops. “The beauty of the palletchanger system,” says Cox, “is that, with the probing and fast
set up, you can run the machine with the spindle turning all
day long. The operator loads parts up front, and the spindle
never stops working. His only job is to make sure that
machine is constantly running; it’s much easier to monitor
that way. When the spindle stops for a guy to change parts,
you’ve lost a lot of time there.”
Cox uses carefully conceived fixtures and probe routines
on all his equipment. “I don’t know how an operator can run
a machine efficiently without them,” he smiles. “And it’s not
crazy to design your parts efficiently by reducing critical
measurements to an absolute minimum,” he adds. “You still
have to pay attention to what you’re doing, but with this
approach, and a little forethought, you don’t have to worry
about a lot of other things. You can let the machine take care
of that.”
SUPER
charger
In the latest
amalgamation of engineering talents and machining expertise,
Dana Cox and a partner have decided to “get into the
automotive performance thing,” by designing and manufacturing a compact, high-performance,
bolt-on supercharger.
This isn’t your standard automotive blower – its much more sophisticated than that. In a design
evocative of the front end of a jet engine, Cox has devised an elegant, progressive-stage, axial-flow
compressor that’s about the size of a football – a 46,000-rpm football.
Planned initially for the new Mazda RX-8 and Honda S2000 engines, this planetary-drive
screamer is currently undergoing development and performance testing at Automated
Manufacturing. Not surprisingly, the unit is specifically designed for efficient production on Cox’s
existing Haas machines.
“By doing this on the mill,” says Cox, “we’re able to keep expenses low. The reason you don’t
usually see items like this in the automotive aftermarket is that the conventional costs of production
are prohibitive. Eliminating high-precision investment castings and complex 5-axis setups allows us to
simplify the manufacturing and get around the high costs.
“I’m excited about this,” smiles Cox. “It’s a great product!”
If you go there . . .
. . . we go there, too.
No matter where you purchased it, how far you moved it or when it was
built, if it’s a Haas machine tool, your local Haas Factory Outlet will
provide the same quality service and parts replacement as if it were
still under warranty and right down the street.
That goes for every machine ever built.
B y Wa y n e R e i l l y, A p p l i c a t i o n s E n g i n e e r, H a a s A u t o m a t i o n , I n c .
A little history
P
rior to numerical control (NC) and computer numerical control (CNC), machining
complex shapes was a three-step process. First, you had to lay out the shape you desired
by scratching (scribing) lines onto the material in the form of the finished shape, usually
following a template. Then you had to manually machine away the stock up to the scribed lines.
Lastly, you had to file or sand away – by hand – any remaining material up to the scribed lines.
This was a very time-consuming and inaccurate process.
In 1948, an enterprising rotor-blade manufacturer named
John Parsons received some drawings from the U.S. Air Force
for an integrally stiffened aircraft wing. Mr. Parsons realized
that the parts for the wing could not be made using
conventional machine tools, but he had an idea for controlling
machine tool motions numerically that would allow him to
machine parts to the required exacting precision. He
presented his idea to 11 experts from the Air Force on
December 3, 1948, and was granted the contract for the job the
following June.
Mr. Parsons started with three primary contractors to
develop his NC machine: Snyder Corporation, to build the
machine; IBM, to furnish the card or tape reader; and MIT, to
supply the servomechanism.
Although his name is not often recognized, John Parsons
is considered by many to be the father of CNC.
Some 35 years later, a young Gene Haas had the idea to
apply numerical control in a different way. He built the firstever, fully automatic, programmable collet indexer – a device
for positioning parts with very high accuracy for machining.
The Haas 5C collet indexer was an instant success, and Haas
Automation, Inc., was founded to produce the innovative
product. Over the next four years, Haas Automation
expanded its rotary line to include a wide variety of indexers,
rotary tables and machine tool accessories.
In 1987, Haas Automation began developing its first
vertical machining center – the VF-1. The first prototypes
were completed in 1988, and made their debut at the IMTS
trade show in Chicago that same year. It was priced at an
unheard-of $49,950.
At that time, industry scholars and members of the trade
press were skeptical that an American-made machining
center could be sold for less than $50,000. Haas not only
delivered on the price, but delivered the product as well –
something other manufacturers often were unable to do.
Today, Haas Automation is the largest manufacturer of
CNC machine tools in North America, shipping more
machines per month than any other builder in the U.S., if not
the world.
Machine Types
There are many types and sizes of CNC machines on the
market today. Some are general purpose, and some are highly
specialized. Some of the most common types are turning,
milling, drilling, electrical discharge and routing machines.
There are many others, but these are the most common.
Although all of these machines are very useful, and do
their specific tasks quite well, the one type of machine that
stands out is the CNC milling machine, more commonly
known as the machining center.
Machining centers are very versatile, and
contribute in some way to producing nearly every
product on the planet today. Some people
say they are the only machines capable of
replicating themselves. This is quite a
stretch: Although they may be able to
produce most of the parts
needed to replicate
themselves, there
Pictured below is an early version of the Haas HA5C collet
indexer, the product that launched the company. Right is the original
VF-1 vertical machining center – the machine that changed everything.
CNC MACHINING | 27
Tool length and toolho
lder length should be
kept as short as poss
should be no longer th
ible. They
an necessary to do th
e required cutting. If th
toolholder are too lon
e tool or
g, the tool may chatte
r,
re
d
ucing cutter life and
producing poor finish
es.
are components that simply cannot be made on them, such as ballscrews, spindles and motors.
There are two common types of machining centers: vertical and horizontal – typically
referred to as the VMC and the HMC, respectively. The vertical and horizontal terms refer to the
spindle orientation of the machine. Thus, a VMC has its spindle mounted vertically, and the
HMC has its spindle mounted horizontally.
The most common of these is the VMC. It can be found in many different configurations
and sizes. Configurations vary from single-table designs, to multiple-table, pallet-changing
systems, to C-frame and bridge-style machines. A VMC can be small enough to fit on a
tabletop, and some gantry and bridge-style machines can be as large as a building, with
worktables exceeding 140 feet.
The biggest advantage of the VMC is cost. Generally, a VMC is far less expensive than
an HMC of comparable size, and setting up a job on a VMC is usually less complicated than
on an HMC. Because of its relatively low cost, the VMC is the machine of choice for most
contract manufacturers.
Haas Automation’s pallet-changing VMCs are available in two-pallet or four-pallet
configurations. These systems allow the operator to schedule each pallet individually. When
scheduled, the system shuttles a pallet from the work area to its load station, and then
shuttles the next scheduled pallet from its load station to the work area, where the machining
operations continue.
The HMC can be found with similar configurations to the VMC. The two predominant
types are single-table designs and multiple-pallet-changing systems. The single-table design
is generally used for large or odd-shaped workpieces. The pallet-changing system is used for
optimum productivity, since the machine does not have to wait for the operator to load
and unload parts. It simply puts the next scheduled work platter into the machine and
continues production.
Left is a current version of a Haas VMC – easily
10 times the original VF-1 at a lower price. Below is an
EC-400 HMC showing one of its pallets with a multi-part
tombstone ready to be moved into the machining area.
The pallet-changing system on the Haas EC-300, EC-400
and EC-500 HMCs is a two-pallet system. It works by simply
rotating the pallets in and out of the work area. While one
pallet is in the work area, the other is in the load station.
Machining continues in the work area while the operator
unloads and reloads parts at the load station.
To simplify operation, Haas HMCs and VMCs equipped
with pallet-changing systems have a Pallet Schedule Table in
the Haas control. This allows the operator to assign a status to
each pallet, and schedule each pallet according to its status. It is
even possible to have a user-defined status.
The EC-400PP Pallet Pool (pictured above), a new machine
from Haas, gives shops the ability to have six pallets ready for
high-productivity machining on a single HMC. This allows for
optimum use of company resources in today’s highly
competitive manufacturing environment.
To achieve true “lights-out manufacturing,” the Haas
control has a valuable feature called Advanced Tool
Management (ATM), which is of great benefit on any palletchanging system. With ATM, the operator can load multiples of
the same tool in the machine and assign them to a group. The
control can then be programmed to replace the current tool with
the next tool in the group when some preset condition is met.
The operator can select from many preset conditions, including:
the number of times used, the number of holes machined, the
total feed time or the maximum spindle load.
CNC Machining Basics
There are a few basic concepts that can be applied to
almost all successful machining processes. The following is a
short list of the most important ones:
Your workholding is the foundation that your machining
will be based on. If your foundation is inadequate, it can lead
to repeatability problems, finish problems or even
catastrophic failure that may result in damaged equipment or
bodily harm. The importance of proper workholding cannot
be stressed enough.
Tool length and toolholder length should be kept as short
as possible. They should be no longer than necessary to do
the required cutting. If the tool or toolholder are too long,
the tool may chatter, reducing cutter life and producing
poor finishes.
Many people tend to use a small portion at the tip of an
endmill to do most of their machining. This is a waste of the
remaining cutting edges of the tool, and can lead to higher
CNC MACHINING | 29
Plan your machining
strategy. Know how yo
u want to machine th
and how you will hold
e part from start to fin
the part for each oper
ish,
ation – prior to writing
many times, I have se
any program. Far too
en someone start mac
hining parts without co
follow, then realize to
nsidering the steps th
o late they have no w
at
ay to hold the part for
the remaining operatio
ns.
tooling costs. Whenever possible, use as much of the cutting length of the tool as possible.
Chip or “swarf” evacuation is very important, and often overlooked. The process of recutting swarf is very damaging to tools, and may cause poor part finish. The HMC has a
distinct advantage over the VMC regarding swarf evacuation during the cutting process:
gravity. On an HMC, gravity will cause most of the swarf to fall away from the cut. On a
VMC, swarf evacuation is best accomplished using a stream of cutting fluid or an air blast.
Using the proper spindle speed and feedrates for the type of material being cut and the
type of cutting tool being used, will produce longer tool life. The speeds and feeds can be
adjusted to achieve a good balance between machining time and tool life. Always refer to the
tool manufacturer’s recommendations for the material being cut. Exceeding
recommendations can lead to premature tool failure. To help determine the proper spindle
rpm, feedrate and power required for a cut, the Haas control has a built-in machining
calculator for various materials. On late-model Haas controls, the Current Commands screen
also displays the tool surface speed and feed-per-tooth of the cutting tool.
Plan your machining processes to keep non-cutting motions to a minimum. In many
cases, this can be done by keeping the number of tool changes to a minimum.
Balancing tools will improve part finishes and extend the life of the tool and spindle,
particularly at higher spindle speeds. An unbalanced tool has a bias to the heavy side of the
tool and will cut heavier on that side, producing an uneven finish. This bias will also produce
a radial force on the spindle bearings proportional to its speed. As spindle speed increases, the
side force increases on the bearings, resulting in greater wear.
It’s not enough to buy a pre-balanced toolholder, because the balance will most likely
change when you put a tool into the holder. There are two common ways to balance a tool: by
drilling holes in it or by using balance rings. In either case, a tool-balancing machine is required.
Use the proper holder for the tool. Heavy cutting with an endmill in a collet holder can
lead to the tool slowly pulling out of the collet and
causing damage to the part, the machine or the
operator.
Climb cutting is preferred over conventional
cutting on CNC machines; it produces longer tool life
and better part finishes.
CAD/CAM Considerations
Many people are impressed by CNC machines
that have some sort of CAD/CAM package on them.
This can have a negative impact on machining time
because, in many cases, the machine sits idle while the
operator writes the program. Many companies see this
as undesirable. Their view is that when the machine is
not running, it’s not generating revenue.
Now, to answer the question that everyone asks:
What is the best CAD/CAM software? Many people
have their own opinions regarding this subject, but the real
question should be: “What is the best CAD/CAM software
for me?”
To answer this, you need to do a little research to
determine the best choice. Consider the following questions
as a guide to help you make the right decision:
• How much am I willing to spend?
• What type of work do I do? Is it mostly 2D machining, 3D
surfacing or 5-axis?
• Will I be able to add features later that I do not need now?
• Will I be able to import common CAD files to the system?
• Does the software manufacturer offer training? If so, does it
cost anything, and where will the training take place?
• Do they offer local support?
• Do they have proven post-processors for my machine?
• Will I have to pay for the post-processor?
With this little checklist, you can narrow the selection
down to the CAD/CAM system that suits your business best.
Always remember – you don’t have to spend a lot of money
to get a package that will do everything you need it to do.
Programming Milling Machines
Most people are intimidated when it comes to writing
their first CNC program, especially if it is for a brand-new
machine. One thing to remember, though, is that the machine
will only do what it is instructed to do.
All programs are constructed of some very basic
instructions. Generally, these instructions are in the form of
what is called G code. This code is usually a letter designator
with a numeric value. In its simplest form, it tells the machine
where to go and how to get there, but it has a lot of other
functions, as well. For example, you will need to command
the spindle to run at the appropriate rpm, and you may want
to turn on the coolant. For more details on all the instructions
available, please review the G code and M code sections of
your Operator’s Manual.
A good machine programmer must consider the
following:
Workpiece – size and type of material to be machined
Part configuration – tolerances, wall and/or floor
thickness
Tool to be used – type, diameter and minimum length
required
Workholding – will it keep the part rigid, and how will
the part be held in subsequent operations?
When all of these items have been considered, writing
the program should be a little easier. You should develop a
plan to remove the stock material in the most efficient
manner. The most common approach is to rough machine,
then finish machine. Some materials, like titanium, may
require a semi-finish pass prior to finishing.
I prefer to write down my approach on paper before
writing a program. I will first sit down and review the
blueprint, identifying datum points, tolerances and features
that may require special attention. The approach usually
follows a pattern similar to the following:
• Face part at datum A.
• Rough and finish machine outside profile to datum B.
• Rough pocket in zone B2.
• Rough window in zone F4.
• Finish pocket in zone B2 and window in zone F4.
• Drill holes for 1/4" - 20.
• Tap 1/4" - 20 holes.
Use high-volume removal rates when roughing the part.
Ask the tool manufacturer for the recommended feeds,
CNC MACHINING | 31
Vises are probably the
most common type o
f workholding in use to
especially on VMCs. T
day,
hey come in almost a
ny configuration you c
imagine, and most ha
an
ve replaceable jaws th
at can be machined to
each particular job.
suit
speeds, depths-of-cut and widths-of-cut for the material being machined – or refer to the
manufacturer’s catalog. Keep in mind the limits of the machine being used (maximum rpm,
horsepower, torque and thrust).
If you cannot get the cutting data from the tool manufacturer, then the next best source
is the Machinery’s Handbook. This is one book no one in the metalworking industry should be
without. It covers almost everything, but you’ll probably find the sections on machining to
be the most useful. The Milling Calculator in the Haas control is a great basic guide for
determining the rpm, feedrate and power required for a particular cut.
Plan your machining strategy. Know how you want to machine the part from start to
finish, and how you will hold the part for each operation – prior to writing any program. Far
too many times, I have seen someone start machining parts without considering the steps that
follow, then realize too late they have no way to hold the part for the remaining operations.
Machine Set Up
Setting up the machine can take a few minutes or several hours, depending on the
complexity of the job. Often, this can take much longer than the part cycle-time, and can take
value away from the products being run. That’s why it is a good idea to develop a standard
set-up procedure to help minimize the impact of the time spent on your setup.
A good setup starts with a setup sheet that typically shows how the part or stock will be
held, where the part origin or origins are, a detailed list of the tools to be used and the tool
numbers assigned to them.
The set-up process I have found to work best is the following:
• Prep the work area on the machine by cleaning and stoning, if necessary.
• Mount the workholding in the proper orientation.
• Load tools into the machine in the proper locations.
• Locate the part origin.
• Set the tool lengths.
• Test the program.
On many machines, using a probe system can
reduce set-up time. The typical system includes a
tool-setting probe and a spindle probe. The toolsetting probe can set all your tool lengths and
diameters in a fraction of the time it would take to
do this manually. The spindle probe can locate your
work origin just as easily.
The Haas Visual Quick Code Probing System
software has templates for nearly every possible setup scenario. It allows you to set your tool lengths
and work origins through an easy-to-understand,
graphical interface. In most cases, you simply locate
the template for what you would like to do, fill in the
on-screen questions, press the Enter/Write key and
then hit the Cycle Start button.
Using a tool probe for tool offsets.
Workholding: The Foundation of Quality Work
Your workholding is the foundation for all of the work to
be performed. If your workholding is well thought out, you
can make the most difficult jobs look easy.
Some of the keys to making your workholding
successful are:
• It should keep your part as rigid as possible throughout the
machining process.
• It should allow you to machine as much of the part as possible,
reducing the need for additional machining operations.
• It should locate the part in exactly the same position every time.
Parts Changing Should be Easy.
Vises are probably the most common type of workholding
in use today, especially on VMCs. They come in almost any
configuration you can imagine, and most have replaceable
jaws that can be machined to suit each particular job.
On an HMC, the workholding is generally a little more
complicated, with angle plates and tombstones being the
most common types. Angle plates are fairly general-purpose,
and are commonly seen on single-table HMCs, whereas
tombstones make it possible to run many parts at once on a
pallet-changing system, with little operator intervention.
Bringing It All Together
Many topics of machining have been discussed here,
some in more detail than others. I hope that, at the very least,
I have been able to point you in the right direction to find the
answers you need to become successful in whatever area of
manufacturing you choose.
I have worked in the manufacturing industry for more
than twenty years, and grew up with a milling machine in the
garage. The best advice I can give you is to research every
aspect of your area of manufacturing.
Here are a few things that might help:
Learn all you can about your machine and the control; you
may not be using it to it’s fullest potential. If you own a Haas
machine, contact your local Haas Factory Outlet about training.
Contact your local tooling suppliers to find out which
cutting tools can give you an edge over your competitors.
Know the material you are machining, and how to cut it
as efficiently as possible. Check with the mill that produced
the material for information.
Many people think the process of cutting metal is simple;
but to be successful, you need to consider much more than
just the cut. You must understand what is taking place during
each cut you program: what is happening with the machine,
the workholding, the program, the material, the cutting tool,
the cutting fluid and the shearing action of the cutting tool in
the material. Each of these factors will contribute to your
success. I consistently research all of these things, and when I
find something that I feel will benefit me in any machining
operation, I put it to the test.
CNC MACHINING | 33
A
erry
dB
har
Ric
By
The skilled hands of a neurosurgeon are
the very personification of competence.
Why would we ever want to replace them
with something mechanical? The almost
mystical coordination between the human
hand and eye and mind has brought about
amazing advances in the operating room.
But no surgeon, regardless of his talent or
special expertise, has yet mastered the
ability to see around corners.
The operative word, here, is yet.
A
T this moment, talented people at the University of
Calgary are perfecting a robotic system that will add this miracle to the modern
surgeon’s bag of tricks. It involves a powerful imaging machine, a remote-controlled
robotic arm – a bona fide cousin of the space shuttle manipulator – and a remarkable pair
of “forceps that can feel” that were invented and built by students with a keen
appreciation for the exacting craft of CNC machining.
The University of Calgary is one of Canada’s newer institutions of higher education,
yet it already serves nearly 30,000 students. Its strong medical program and commitment
to healthcare studies have earned the university an enviable reputation in the sphere of
medical research and instruction, especially in the field of neuroscience. Through a
partnership with Calgary’s main teaching hospital, Foothills Medical Center, the
university has helped pioneer new techniques, including the use of magnetic-resonanceimaging (MRI) to monitor the progress of surgery.
It’s the MRI machine that affords us the ability to “see around corners,” but with one
very major drawback: There’s simply no room in the machine for the surgeon. Thus, the
remarkable see-through images appear only intermittently during planned gaps in the
operation, instead of continuously providing the surgeon with real-time guidance. This
is where the idea of the robotic arm comes in. Doctor Garnette Sutherland, Professor of
Neurosurgery and director of the school’s MRI research center, heads a team that’s
refining a precision robot (called the NeuroArm workstation) that can actually go inside
an MRI machine and perform the operation – instead of the human surgeon.
Actually, the surgeon is still in charge, precisely controlling the NeuroArm
workstation’s every movement from an adjacent room. The robotic arm is a collaborative
effort of the University and McDonald Dettwiler Associates, builders of the famous
Canada Arm that has performed flawlessly aboard the U.S. space shuttle fleet. Like its
CNC MACHINING | 35
University of Calgary students
Pete Rizun (center) and Brian
Cox (right) inspect a finished
forceps shell they produced
on a Haas Super Mini Mill
with the help of machinist
Clint Stern.
cousin in space, the NeuroArm is not an autonomous robot, but a controlled remote-manipulator
system that can go places and do things human hands simply can’t. The ultimate goal of the center’s
ambitious project is to perfectly re-create the sights, the sounds and the feel of actual surgery.
According to Dr. Sutherland, “Lots of folks are working on projects similar to this, both for
performing surgery, and for perfecting a virtual environment for teaching.” A realistic surgical
simulator with digital playback capability could revolutionize surgical training. Yet, while many
medical robotic systems are being developed, most rely on purely visual references to guide the
surgeon. “If we want to teach neurosurgeons their craft with a virtual brain or other organ that we
create,” Dr. Sutherland continues, “it’s important that we give them a haptic interface, one with a
realistic sense of touch. And if we want to perform actual robotic surgery on a patient,” he
emphasizes, “that requirement is even more important.”
Pete Rizun, the graduate student whose doctoral thesis formed the basis for the “feeling”
forceps that bring this project full circle, explains: “Haptic feedback means that a sense of touch is
relayed back to the operator. So in the case of our robot, the surgeon can feel everything the robot
feels – just as though he were actually over the patient, performing the surgery himself.”
“The real story here,” injects Dr. Sutherland, “is that a group of diverse students came together
with Pete as their leader, and over the short summer, actually built these very important forceps.”
Although conservatively designed as a simplified “proof of concept” prototype, the forceps
proved anything but simple to make. The system consists of a master and slave pair that contain
electronic squeeze-sensors to measure force, motion detectors to gauge distance and miniature
accelerometers to determine how quickly everything’s happening.
The prototype forceps didn’t have to be particularly small (that can come later), but they had
to be decidedly rigid and extremely lightweight. Excess momentum or inertia, both directly related
to the unit’s mass, would distort the realism of the sensory feedback, and mechanical slop anywhere
in the system would destroy it altogether. It quickly became
apparent that the students had a delicate and demanding job
on their hands.
Rizun describes the University of Calgary as a “regular”
university, not just a medical school or polytechnic institute.
Yet the school strongly supports these technical disciplines
with the most modern facilities, including a machine shop
with a variety of Haas CNC machines, including a VF-6/40TR
5-axis vertical machining center, an HL-2 lathe and a Super
Mini Mill. With the assistance of an expert staff machinist, Pete
Rizun and Brian Cox, an undergraduate engineering student,
set out to machine billets of 6061 T-6 aluminum into a pair of
thin forceps shells that could hold all the electronics, remain
strong and rigid, yet weigh as little as possible.
“We may not have realized exactly what we were in for,”
admits Rizun, “at least in the beginning.” The students
designed the forceps in SolidWorks, and performed a careful
finite-element analysis with COSMOSWorks. “Brian played a
large role in working with the experienced machinist to come
up with a design that both met our requirements, and could
actually be made,” says Rizun. “We’d heard all the stories of
how young engineers like to design things that just can’t be
machined – like square inside-corners!
“We used the 4th-axis capability of our Haas Super Mini
Mill to allow us to machine the four most complicated sides
of the forceps with a single clamping operation, for the
greatest accuracy. We first milled out the pocket where the
circuit board fits, and then we rotated the piece 180 degrees to
cut the other side. We removed a lot of material,” Rizun notes.
“I’m sure that eventually more than 90% was gone.”
Up to that point, careful planning had paid off, but the
students soon discovered that simply holding lightweight
parts in place during machining could be a real challenge.
“As the part got thinner,” remembers Rizun, “we started
struggling with vibration – not the machine, but the forceps
themselves. The pieces had become very delicate, and the
surfaces connecting the pockets were getting harder and
harder to cut.”
An idea from the machinist saved the day. “We
overcame the problem by filling the first milled pocket with
wax before rotating the piece to machine the other side,”
Rizun explains. “The wax added enough mass and rigidity
to the forceps to damp out the vibrations and give us a clean
finish – and it was easy to remove at the end.” The timehonored micro-machining technique of wax stabilization
allowed Rizun and Cox to produce the beautifully finished
parts they’d hoped for.
“This machine shop is used daily,” remarks Rizun, “as a
tool to teach engineers what can be built, how to prepare
drawings and how to plan ahead for the limitations of CNC
machines. But the shop’s also an important vessel for
researchers like myself to have things built – like these
forceps. The machine shop plays two very important roles.”
In this instance, the shop served the university
particularly well. In addition to learning the practical side of
complex-parts design, the students also discovered special
machining techniques that made the fabrication possible.
And most importantly, the school’s MRI research center
gained a remarkable new tool that may well change the
future of neurosurgery.
CNC MACHINING | 37
A Compact, Precision CNC Lathe
Prototype Big-Bore Toolroom Lathe
300 mm pallets
What’s just released,
on its way or available today?
Find out.
Ask your local HFO for the 2006 copy of
“What’s New”
and discover them
for yourself.
New Sizes, New Capabilities, New Look
Coming Soon
The new EC-630 is the latest addition to Haas
Automation’s line of rugged, high-productivity HMCs. A
logical extension of the EC Series, the EC-630 is the
largest-capacity, high-production machine Haas has yet
produced. It features a 40" x 32" x 35" work envelope,
50-taper geared-head spindle, dual pallet changer with
630 mm pallets, 50-pocket side-mount tool changer and
a built-in 5-degree pallet indexer. A high-precision
1-degree indexer or full 4th axis is also available. Each
630 mm pallet handles a 2640-lb load, and the servodriven pallet-changer swaps pallets quickly. A separate,
protected load station allows the operator to safely load
and unload parts or change fixtures on one pallet, while
parts are being machined on the other – keeping spindle
run-time at a maximum.
A shop-proven lineup:
400 mm pallets
500 mm pallets
50-taper (available w/built-in 4th-axis)
Haas Automation, Inc.
2800 Sturgis Road, Oxnard, California 93030
Toll Free: 800-331-6746 Fax: 805-278-8540
www.HaasCNC.com
CNCMACHINING
cycle Time
Motorsports Buzz – Haas Racing is Hot
As the 2006 NASCAR season gets into gear,
aggressive driving and record speeds are attracting a lot
of attention for both of the Haas CNC Racing teams. Fans,
competitors and the media are all acknowledging that
Haas is a force to be reckoned with this year.
Even before the season began, there was a strong
buzz in the media about the Haas Nextel Cup team
combination of driver Jeff Green and crew chief Booty
Barker. Race fans filled Internet message boards with
comments like: “How come there isn’t more talk about
Haas CNC Racing’s Nextel Cup or Busch teams?”
“Weren’t they at the top of the speed charts in testing?”
“Could they be a dark horse this season?”
In the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Jeff Wolf wrote:
“While optimism isn’t rare among drivers with new
teams . . . Green’s feelings are valid. His car was the
fastest Chevrolet during pre-season testing . . . bested
only by two Fords. Green notes the importance of team
camaraderie and motivation, and he says Barker is the
linchpin.”
Veteran motorsports writer Jerry Bronkowski went
so far as to predict, before the season began, that “Jeff
Green could surprise some people as a dark horse in
2006.” Later, in a column for Yahoo! Sports, he reiterated,
“I was serious then – and I still am. I’m betting Green not
only finishes in the top 20 in points, but also comes close
to winning a race or two before too long.”
With similar conviction, legendary crew-chiefturned-FOX broadcaster Larry McReynolds wrote:
“Haas is hot . . . Crew chief Booty Barker is one of the
best-kept secrets in the Nextel Cup
garage.” He also predicted: “Johnny
Sauter is going to win some races in the
Busch car this year. There’s no question
that he knows how . . . Sauter and crew
chief Harold Holly should not be counted
out as championship contenders who will
also win their share of races.”
In a feature story on Sauter for
ESPN.com, Mark Ashenfelter further
illuminated the team’s quest for the Busch
title, noting: “[Sauter] thinks his time to
shine will be in the near future, and again
in June, when the full-time Cup drivers
will be traveling back and forth from Cup
venues to Busch venues, possibly missing
some Busch practice sessions.”
As a result of the interest they’re generating, Johnny
Sauter recently appeared on the NASCAR National Press
Teleconference (not often open to Busch drivers), and crew
chief Harold Holly was recently featured on
NASCAR.com’s Shop Talk.
Complementing two of the race media’s brightest
spotlights, Jeff Green shows up often on the front page of
NASCAR.com, and he and Booty Barker recently were
featured on the Speed Channel shows 7 Days and
NASCAR: Beyond the Wheel. Race fans are also seeing
Barker as a panelist on Speed Channel’s NASCAR
Performance, and in weekly “Booty Call” segments on
SPEED News.
American Chopper
Tours Haas Factory
Paul Senior and Mikey, two-thirds of the tumultuous Teutuls
from the hit TV series, American Chopper, stopped by Haas
Automation headquarters in Oxnard, California, recently to tour
the plant and shoot video for an upcoming Discovery Channel
episode. The father-and-son duo also were eyeing some new
equipment for their one-of-a-kind motorcycle shop.
Paul Senior, who’s seemingly never at a loss for words,
found his vocabulary temporarily failing when asked for his
initial impression of the million-square-foot Haas facility.
“Ah . . . awesome . . . just awesome,” was his uncharacteristically
reverent reply.
The two international celebrities took plenty of time
between video takes to chat with Haas employees, pose for
photos and sign autographs “for the kids at home.”
Later in the tour, the pair spotted a partially completed
EC-500 HMC on the assembly line and did some impromptu
signing for themselves. Led by the deviously smiling Senior, the
whole “Chopper” crew scribed their names with a message
proclaiming “this one’s MINE” on the side of the machine.
California’s colorful governator, Arnold Schwarzenegger, checks out a
Haas SL-20 lathe during his recent visit to San Diego City College. The
governor expressed genuine interest in the school’s Haas Technical
Education Center, and took a hands-on approach to inspecting the
many “maaahvelous” machines.
TRADESHOWCALENDAR
Want to see Haas machines at a trade show in 2006?
Find your location and mark the day on your calendar.
Shanghai, China
Moutier, Switzerland
Prague, Czech Rep
Belgrade, Serbia/Montenegro
Birmingham, England
Budapest, Hungary
Montreal, Canada
Moscow, Russia
Sao Paulo, Brazil
~
Guangzhou,
China
West Springfield, USA
Vilnius, Lithuania
May 8–12
May 9–13
May 10–12
May 10–14
May 15–19
May 16–19
May 22–24
May 23–27
May 23–27
May 23–26
May 23–25
May 23–26
Die & Mold China
SIAMS
Mach 2006
Technical Fair
MACH, UK 2006
INDUSTRIA
Machine Tool Show
Metallorba
MECANICA
Intl. Machinery
EASTEC
Balttechnika
Athens, Greece
Beijing, China
Poznan, Poland
Düsseldorf, Germany
USA & Canada HFOs
June 1–4
June 12–16
June 19 -22
June 20–24
June 21
Metallon
CIEMS & CMTF
Mach-Tool
METAV
Haas Demo Day 10
Shandong, China
July 24–26
CIEF
Shenyang, China
Aug 29–Sept 2
CIEME
Chicago, USA
Oslo, Norway
Istanbul, Turkey
Stuttgart, Germany
Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Besancon, France
September 6–13
September 12–13
September 14–17
September 19–23
September 25–30
September 26–29
IMTS
Technical Fair
Imak Tatef
AMB
ITM
MICRONORA
Bucharest, Romania
Brünn, Czech Rep
Shanghai, China
Vienna, Austria
Milano, Italy
Krakow, Poland
Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine
Frankfurt, Germany
October 3–7
October 2–6
October 10–12
October 10–13
October 5–10
October 12 -14
October 11 -14
October 17–20
TIB
MSV
Metalworking China
INTERTOOL
BIMU
Eurotool
Mashprom
AIRtec
CNCMACHINING
cycle Time
DemoDay Giveaway
It’s not every day that someone offers you a chance to
win a shiny new Haas Toolroom Mill or Toolroom Lathe, just
because they’re happy to see your face. But that day is
coming. Really! Mark your calendar for June 21, 2006. That’s
when participating Haas Factory Outlets throughout the U.S. and
Canada will host the “Tribute to American Ingenuity” Demo Day 10.
Stop by this semi-annual open-house event and drop off your business
card for automatic entry into the national grand-prize giveaway for a Haas
Toolroom machine. One lucky winner will take home either a Haas Toolroom
Mill or Toolroom Lathe valued at up to $25,000 – just for showing up.
As if that isn’t enough, two lucky guests at every participating HFO will
each win a $1,000 gift certificate from Kennametal for custom tooling. Haas is
determined to make this first day of summer a lucky one for a lot of people.
Of course, everyone attending Demo Day 10 gets to enjoy complimentary
food and drink, live machine demos and informative seminars on the latest
workholding, CAD/CAM and machine tool technology. Presented in the
tradition of spirited competition and creative problem solving, this event itself
will be a great example of American Ingenuity in action.
1,000 Machines in One Month? No Problem!
For almost three years, now, Haas Automation has
steadily ramped up production at their Oxnard facility to keep
pace with increasing worldwide sales. Despite the rapid
growth, however, “We will not compromise the quality of our
products,” says Haas Director of Operations Richard
Mountan. “We will only increase our production at a rate that
allows us to maintain the high level of quality that our
customers demand – and deserve.”
On March 30, Haas Automation reached the longawaited milestone of building 1,000 machines in a single
month – an all-time record for Haas, and possibly for the
machine tool industry. After a brief photo-op to
commemorate the event, employees headed back to build
more machines. By day’s end on March 31st, the count had
reached an unprecedented 1,118 machines!
The previous record of 905 Haas machines built in a single
month was set in February, a short month, following a record 904
machines built in January. According to Mountan, production
will continue to increase throughout the year, with a goal of
building 1,200 to 1,300 machines per month by year’s end.
Just last year, Haas Automation stunned the industry by
building more than 10,000 CNC machines in 12 months. With
production numbers continuing to climb, and sales showing
no sign of slowing down, this year should see that number
climb to between 12,000 and 13,000 machines.
Flying High at 1 Million Feet [squared]
What a difference a few hundred thousand square feet make
• Wire-guided, man-up turret-trucks for
narrow aisles
• State-of-the-art, quick-charging system
for fork trucks (1/2 hour vs. 8 hours)
• 10 loading docks and five ground-level
doors
• State-of-the-art Cisco wireless network
throughout the facility
In mid March – amidst showers of rain that never fall on
Southern California – the folks at Haas Automation formally
took possession of the latest expansion to the company’s
Oxnard, California, headquarters.
Less than one year ago, the Haas manufacturing facility
comprised a mere 820,000 square feet – with every square inch
being utilized to meet the increasing demand for the
company’s products. More space was definitely needed,
so after careful planning, a new addition to the facility
was conceived.
Construction of the expansion – the third since Haas
moved to Oxnard in 1997 – began in June 2005. Despite a brief
bout of inclement weather in the third trimester, the building
came to full term nine months later. The bouncing baby
Building 4 measures a healthy 211,000 square feet, with a free
ceiling height of 34 to 36 feet.
Here are a few more of Building 4’s vital statistics:
• 1.5 million pounds of pallet racking
• 17,000 pallet spaces
• Pallet racking is 26' tall by 48" deep
• Super-flat floors for narrow-aisle racking (6' aisles vs. 12')
The Haas facility now encompasses more
than 1 million square feet under roof, with an
additional 300,000 square feet of yard space for
storing castings, raw materials, finished
machines and much more. Building 4 will be
dedicated exclusively to inventory, serving as a
warehouse for components parts, as well as
finished machines. By the time you read this,
the transition to the new building should be
complete, freeing up space in the remainder of the plant for
additional manufacturing capacity.
CNC MACHINING | 43
CNCMACHINING
the ANSWER M N
Dear Applications:
Dear Applications:
How can I ignore an active work
offset (i.e., G54, G55, G129) command?
After the control reads a work offset
command, say G54, I want to be able to
ignore it so I can position from the
machine zero coordinates instead of the
G54 work coordinates.
Jim
What facilities are on the Haas
control to record/monitor machine
cycle times
Andrew
Dear Jim,
To perform a move defined from
the
absolute
machine
zero
coordinates, and then revert back to
the previously active work coordinate,
you‘ll need to program a G53 (nonmodal machine coordinate selection).
A common use for the G53 command
is to send the machine table to
a specific location, such as Y zero, for
part changeover. Below is an example:
T1 M06
G00 G90 G54 X1.25 Y-0.375 M03 S1000
(Command Work Offset G54)
G43 Z1.0 H01 M08
G81 Z-.2 R0.1 F10.
X-2.5
G00 Z1.0 M09
G53 G49 Y0. Z0. M05
(G53 Machine Coordinate system,
this block only, to zero Y for part
changeover)
M30
Hope this is of help to you.
Sincerely,
Haas Applications
•••
Dear Andrew,
The Haas control has a number of
built-in timers that may be used to
monitor cycle times. Under Current
Commands, page down to view the
“Program Timers Display” page, where
cycle times can be viewed.
Operation Timers Display:
This display shows the current
Power-On Time, Cycle Start Time (the
total time the machine has been
running a program), and Feed Time
(the total time the machine has been
feeding, i.e., G01, G02, G03, G12 or
G13). These timers can be reset to
zero by using the cursor up and
down keys to highlight the desired
title, and then pressing the ORIGIN
button. In addition, on a machine
equipped with the macro option, the
values for all timers on this Current
Commands display can be read using
macro variables:
#3020 = Power On Timer
#3021 = Cycle Start Timer
#3022 = Feed Timer
#3023 = Present Part Timer
#3024 = Last Part Timer
#2025 = Previous Part Timer
For more information on the macro
variables, consult your Programming
and Operator’s Manual. If you have
more questions, feel free to contact the
Haas Applications Department.
Sincerely,
Haas Applications
•••
Dear Applications:
I have a TM-1 Toolroom Mill. How
can I stop it from beeping when it
changes tools?
Terry
Dear Terry,
The beeping during tool changes is
a safety precaution. Because the TM-1 is
an open machine, an alert (the beeping)
sounds whenever the tool changer is in
motion and could pose a risk to the
operator. This feature cannot be disabled.
Sincerely,
Haas Applications
•••
Dear Applications:
I use Virtual Gibbs programming
software, and download programs into
the machine via RS-232 cable. I just
purchased a laptop computer, and I
need a cable to connect the laptop to
the machine. What kind of cable do I
need and where can I buy it? Does
Haas sell such a cable?
converter, and you will also need to
know which COM port has been
assigned to it.
To determine which COM port has
been assigned in a Windows Operating
System, make sure the computer is
connected to the machine and the
software drivers are loaded. Right-click
on the MY COMPUTER icon and click
properties. Select the HARDWARE tab
and click the DEVICE MANAGER
button. Now, click on the word PORTS
and this should show you the COM
port number assigned to your USB-toSerial converter cable. Data sent to
your machine must go through this
port. Set that port number in your
computer’s sending software program.
Sincerely,
Haas Applications
Dear Frank,
To connect your laptop to the
machine, you will need a USB-to-Serial
adapter, which is available from your
local computer supply store, such as
Radio Shack. You may need to install
some software drivers for the
•••
Dear Applications:
We just purchased a 1994 VF-3
with the programmable coolant nozzle,
but we’re not sure how to use it. Is
there any info on how to operate it?
Ed
Dear Ed,
On the Tool Offsets page, the
second
column
is
COOLANT
POSITION. Here, you can enter the
number for the position at which you
would like the coolant nozzle to be for
each tool. The position number is
shown as CLNT POS in the bottom left
corner of this screen page. Manually
adjust the coolant nozzle to the best
position for each tool using the CLNT
UP and CLNT DOWN keys on your
control panel. Note the CLNT POS and
input this number for each tool in the
second column of the Tool Offsets page.
Then, when each tool is called up by the
program, the programmable coolant
nozzle will automatically move to the
proper position.
By the way, this is the same way
the Haas P-COOL option works today!
Sincerely,
Haas Applications
CNC MACHINING | 45
CATCH THE NEXT WAVE . . .
of HAAS ROTARY TABLES and INDEXERS
Contact your local Haas Factory Outlet to get the new Rotary Brochure
from Haas Automation. New features, new look . . . same great quality.

volume 10 • issue 35 - Haas Automation®, Inc.

Transcription

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