Milling machine

From TOI-Pedia

We assume the loaded NCP-file for the machine is correct. I.e., the top of the workpiece is (x,y,z) 0,0,0 and the workpiece is in the positive x-y area (See Milling).

Operating panel

Bediening frees01.jpg
  1. Indicators computer
  2. Emergency button
  3. Fault indicator
  4. Power button
  5. Start button
  6. Stop button
  7. Button for opening cover
  8. Acknowledge button
  9. Key

Powering on

Make sure the cover doors are closed. Turn the main switch on the side of the machine with a quarter of a turn. A blue light will lit up.

Bediening frees03.jpg

Press shortly on a black switch next to the screen of the computer to power on the computer. Indicators [1] light up.

Bediening frees02.jpg

Press the power button [4] if it is not lit up. Log on locally with the following credentials found on \\srv850.tudelft.net\toi\Projects\Modellen_Onderzoek\000.Documentatie\frees_LP.txt

Controller software

Start Remote. This is the programme for operating the milling machine.

After start up the programme will ask for a Reference run. Click OK and the spindle head will move to the left back of the machine to its home position.

Remote reference run.gif

The most important buttons for operating the machine are highlighted in the figure below.

Remote gui.gif

Remote open.gif Open a NCP-file

Remote save.gif Save a NCP-file

Remote graphic.gif Shows a graphic representation of the NCP-file

Remote reset.gif Resets the controller software after a fault. Fault indicator [3] lights up. Before resetting press the power button [4] when unlit.

Remote moveto position.gif Moves the head automatically to one of the pre set machine postions.

  • Parkpostion: a postion in the middle of the machine
  • WPZero: zero point on the workpiece i.e. front-left corner on the top of the piece to be milled.
  • HomePosition: the left back position in the machine

Remote edit position.gif Opens a dialog box to edit one of the pre set machine positions. In general only WPZero will be edited.

Remote move manual.gif Opens a dialog box to move the spindle head manually.

Remote spindle on off.gif Starts or stops the spindle.

Remote change tool.gif Changes the current tool, or gets a tool when there is no tool in the spindle.

Remote put away tool.gif Puts the current tool away in the toolholder when there is a tool in the spindle.

Remote measure tool.gif Measures the length of the current tool. After every tool change the length of the tool is always measured.

Remote toolholder cover.gif Opens or closes the cover of the toolholder.

Remote stop.gif Aborts the current milling operation

Remote pause.gif Pauses the current milling operarion. Click on start to resume.

Remote start.gif Starts a milling operation or resumes the current operation.

Milling

Clamp to secure the workpiece

Opening the cover

The cover button [7] lights up when the cover is ready to be opened. To open the cover keep the cover button [7] pressed to release the lock. While pressed move the handle of the cover downwards. If for some reasons the cover button does not light up, turn the key [9]. The cover button [7] and the acknowledge button [8] light up. Keep both buttons [7][8] pressed while opening the cover.

Securing the workpiece

Move the clamps towards the side of the workpiece. Fasten the clamps with an Allen key on the milling table. Before fastening the clamps make sure the levers are away from you. Turn the levers towards you to secure the workpiece.

Loading the NCP-file

  1. Remote open.gif Open the file and something like below will appear with a lot of code.
    NCP-file.gif
  2. Check which tool is needed in each position. Search with CTRL-F for similar lines with GETTOOL
  3. The next line must have a RPM value higher than zero.
  4. Remote graphic.gif Open the graphic representation of the file to check the position of the WPZero on the workpiece. It should be on the top left-hand corner of the workpiece.
    NCP-file graphic.gif

Changing tools

Milling toolholder.jpg

  1. Change the tools according to the NCP-file. See the picture for the corresponding positions with the tool numbers.
  2. Remote toolholder cover.gifOpen the cover of the toolholder.
  3. Remove the tool from the holder. Change with the approriate tools the milling bit and put the tool back in the toolholder.

Moving the toolhead

The cover needs to be closed at all times, when you want to move the toolhead.

  1. Close the cover.
  2. Turn the key when the acknowledge button [8] still lights on.
  3. Press the power button [4] if unlit.
  4. Remote reset.gif Reset the machine to be sure. You will hear a click from the machine.
  5. Remote move manual.gif Move the toolhead anywhere you want.

Setting the zero point

Milling z-position.jpg

In general you have only set the zero of the Z-axis. This is the top of your workpiece. The settings for X and Y axes are in most cases fine. These are the left side and the front of the workpiece as well as the milling table.

  1. Remote edit position.gif Open the Machine positions dialog box.
  2. Select the highlighted row (WPZero) and click on Single axis.
    Remote edit wpzero dialog.gif
  3. Select CAN-Z to set the zero point of the Z-axis.
    Remote edit z-axis.gif
  4. Move the tool somewhere on the top of your workpiece with the X and Y axis buttons and lower the toolhead towards the workpiece with the Z-axis button. Click first on Endless to move the toolhead continuously. When the toolhead is very close on the top of the workpiece you can move the toolhead gradually. You may choose 1.00 to move the toolhead per millimetre towards the top of the workpiece or lower values to lower the steps.
    Remote move dialog.gif
  5. Confirm with OK on all open dialog boxes.

Milling operation

  1. Remote move manual.gif Move the toolhead manually somewhere away from the workpiece.
  2. Remote start.gif Start the milling operation. The spindle starts turning and moves towards the workpiece.

For some reasons you may want to pause the milling operation and continue later on.

  1. Remote pause.gif Pause the milling operation. The head stops moving.
  2. Remote spindle on off.gif Stop the spindle spinning.
  3. Remote spindle on off.gif Start the spindle before resuming.
  4. Remote start.gif Continue with the milling operation.
Do NOT close the controller programme, open the cover or power down the machine if you want to continue with the paused milling operation
Personal tools
Actions
Navigation
Tools