Carrying out adjustment of machines with CNC systems. How to set the scale on a CNC machine A revolutionary method for setting up a CNC lathe

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

FEDERAL AGENCY FOR EDUCATION

St. Petersburg Institute of Mechanical Engineering (LMZ-VTUZ)

A.M.Alexandrov

ADJUSTMENT AND OPERATION OF CNC MACHINES

Tutorial

Recommended by the Educational and Methodological Association for Education in the Field of Automation of Mechanical Engineering (UMO AM) as a textbook for students of higher educational institutions studying in the following areas: “Design and technological support of mechanical engineering production”, “Automated technologies and production” and in the specialties “Mechanical Engineering Technology”, “Metal-cutting machines and complexes”, “Automation of technological processes and production in mechanical engineering

Saint Petersburg

UDC 621.9.06 – 52

A.M. Aleksandrov Setup and operation with CNC: Textbook. – St. Petersburg: Publishing house PIMash, 2009. - 124 p.

The training manual covers issues of setting up and operating CNC machines, including control of machines in various modes, technological setup and dimensional adjustment, as well as automation of control of the processing process.

The manual is intended for students of technological specialties, as well as for specialists in the field of operation of CNC machines.

Ill. - 69, library - 35 titles.

Reviewers: Doctor of Technical Sciences, Prof. V.V.Maksarov (North-West Technical University), Ph.D., Associate Professor. R.N.Bityukov (PIMash)

© St. Petersburg Institute of Mechanical Engineering 2009

INTRODUCTION

Setting up CNC machines is the final stage of technological preparation of automated production, which sums up all previous work on designing a technological operation and drawing up control programs.

To successfully set up and effectively operate a CNC machine, the operator requires high qualifications in various fields of technology. The operator must perfectly know the design of his machine and be able to control it in all modes. He must be well versed in technological equipment - fixtures, cutting and auxiliary tools. When introducing new programs, the service technician often finds himself in the role of a technologist-programmer, and during the daily operation of the machine he performs the functions of an electronics and mechanical specialist.

Without exaggeration, we can say that in modern production the CNC machine operator is one of the central figures. This is a generalist (preferably with a higher education) with in-depth knowledge and practical skills in mechanical engineering technology, programming, electronics and computer technology. In the profession of an adjuster, one cannot do without such qualities as creative activity and the ability to independently work with technical literature. This is required by the original nature of the problems being solved, as well as the constant improvement of CNC machines and various auxiliary devices.

The role of the adjuster is especially important when operating a GPS, where, in addition to setting up the machines themselves, it is necessary to ensure clear interaction of all production modules, including transport and loading devices and automatic control equipment.

The textbook does not claim to be a complete description of the entire range of tasks associated with setting up automated equipment. The presentation of the material is limited to the setup of CNC machines as separate technological modules. Sections 1 and 2 discuss issues of technological adjustment and dimensional adjustment. Section 3 reflects the features of automated control of the processing process.

1. ADJUSTMENT OF CNC MACHINES

1.1. Main setup steps

ESTD standards (GOST 3.1109-82, etc.) establish two terms: adjustment and subadjustment.

Setup - preparation of technological equipment and technological equipment for performing a technological operation.

Sub-adjustment is an additional adjustment of technological equipment and (or) technological equipment when performing a technological operation to restore the parameter values ​​achieved during adjustment.

In relation to CNC machines, setup includes preparing fixtures and tools, moving the working parts of the machine to a fixed position, setting program zero offsets and tool offsets, trial processing of the first part, correcting errors and shortcomings in the control program. Pre-adjustment consists mainly of making timely corrections to the tool (due to dimensional wear or replacing a dull tool). This assumes that the CNC machine is in good condition and does not require “electronic” adjustment, which is performed by representatives of the relevant engineering services or service organizations.

In the technological setup of a CNC machine, the following main stages can be distinguished:

- exit to a fixed position;

- installation of fixtures and tools;

- dimensional customization;

- input of control program;

- trial processing;

- evaluation of the program and its adjustment (for the new program).

The most critical stage is dimensional adjustment, which consists of coordinating the coordinate systems of the machine, program and tool. The dimensional adjustment technique requires a more detailed study and is discussed in detail in Section 2.

To approximate the time spent on setting up CNC machines, you can use simplified formulas (Table 1.1), which establish a connection between the preparatory and final time TPZ (min) with the number of tools in setup K (pcs) and the duration of the automatic work cycle tTs (min). When setting up robotic technological complexes (RTC) or flexible production modules (FPM), it is recommended to increase the standard values ​​of TPP by 5%.

Table 1.1 Formulas for calculating preparatory and final time

for setting up CNC machines

Machine type

Formula for calculation

Lathes:

roughing

TPZ = 24

ZK +1.5+ tC

finishing

TPZ = 36

ZK + 1.5+ tC

Drilling machines

TPZ = 28

0.25 K + tC

Boring machines

T PZ

47+ K + tC

Milling machines

T PZ

36+ K + tC

1.2. Exit to fixed position

Among the basic (characteristic) points of a CNC machine, one should highlight the fixed position (FP) and machine zero*.

The fixed position is the reference point of the measuring system and is determined by special devices (travel stops, limit switches, position sensors, etc.), which are rigidly fixed to the machine guides. As a rule, FP sensors are installed at the stroke limit for each coordinate.

The machine zero corresponds to the origin of the machine coordinate system. Ultimately, all programmed movements are converted to the machine system and processed by servo drives precisely from the machine zero.

For some machines, the FP and the machine zero are the same, which is the reason for mixing these concepts in many manuals. However, in the general case, the FP and the machine zero are different from each other and should be considered separately (Fig. 1.1).

Fig.1.1. Examples of the relative position of the machine zero and FP:

A - for a lathe; b - for a milling machine

* Depending on the design of the machine to the base points from -

They also carry a tool change position, a table change position -

satellites, control position, etc.

For example, for lathes (Fig. 1.1, a), the zero of the machine M is combined with the axis of rotation of the spindle (Z axis), and the FP is located at the stroke limit along the X coordinate. For milling machines (Fig. 1.1, b), it may be convenient to take the zero machine M in the central position of the table, which does not coincide with the FP in two coordinates X and Y. Relationship between the zero of the machine

And FP is set in the form of machine parameters X FP, YFP, ZFP, the values ​​of which are recorded in the energy-protected memory of the machine. Adjustment

And The AF sensors are secured at the manufacturer's factory. Additional adjustment of the sensors during everyday use is allowed only if absolutely necessary. Usually limited to changing the values ​​of the X parameters FP, YFP, ZFP, with the help of which you can position the machine zero at any point in the workspace.

After turning on the machine and the CNC, the installer must bring the working parts into the FP for each coordinate. This is necessary to link the machine coordinate system to the machine measuring system. The FP exit command is set manually by pressing special buttons on the control panel. Typically, each coordinate has its own button to exit the FP. In some CNC models, to enter the FP, you need to specify not only the coordinate, but also the direction of movement ("+" or "-"). Automatic selection of the sequence and direction of exit to the FP is also used. In this case, there is only one button on the remote control, regardless of the number of coordinates. The exit of the working bodies into the FP for each coordinate is confirmed by a light indication or a special message on the display screen. In most modern CNCs, it is possible to enter the FP not only manually, but also automatically using a special G-command.

The movement of the working bodies in the FP is carried out, as a rule, at high speed with braking when approaching the precise stop sensor. In addition, the machine is equipped with warning and emergency sensors

stop. One of the options for the constructive implementation of these stops is shown in Fig. 1.2. A ruler 5 with grooves is attached to the guides of the machine, and a block of limit switches 4 is attached to the moving element. Emergency cams I and 7, warning cams 2 and 6, and a precision stop cam 3 are installed in the grooves of the ruler.

Fig.1.2. Ruler with travel cams and limit switch block

The action of cam 3 on the corresponding limit switch gives a command to slow down the moving speed (preparing for an exact stop). The stop itself occurs from the zero mark signal of the feedback sensor. Between two adjacent zero mark signals there is a gap of 2 to 10 mm of travel, depending on the type of sensor. In this regard, it is not indifferent at what moment in relation to the precise stop signal the limit switch from cam 3 is activated to slow down the speed of movement.

In Fig. 1.3. shows a graph of the movement speed V of the working body from its path S, explaining the various stopping conditions depending on the interval between the braking command and the precise stop signal.

Fig.1.3. Graph of changes in the speed of movement of the working body when reaching a fixed position

At the beginning of movement in section OA, the speed increases to a given value V. An exact stop based on a signal from the feedback sensor must be carried out at point B. The standard conditions for braking and precise stop will be met if the command to slow down the speed occurs at point B.

If a braking command is issued prematurely at point B1, the working body will move for a long time at low speed and may stop at point B1 instead of point B (due to the unstable and jerky nature of movement at low speeds).

If the command to decelerate is late (at point B2), despite sharp braking, the working element will cross point B and only after reversing the movement at point B2 will it reach the specified point B. In this case, due to the unclear operation of the limit switch, the reverse may not occur. The working element will move at a slow speed further until the next zero mark signal.

This situation is unacceptable, since the location of the FP (and therefore the zero) of the machine becomes uncertain. The working body stops in one or the other FP, the distance between which is equal to the step between the zero mark signals. This uncertainty can be overcome by slightly moving the precision stop cam along the ruler groove.

At the boundaries of the working stroke of the working body, emergency stops are provided to protect the nuts of the lead screws from hitting the supports, the rolling screw pairs from scattering balls, tables and supports from moving off the guides, etc. But the operation of the limit switch from cams I or 7 (see Fig. 1.2) in itself is already an emergency situation, since the machine has two types of warning stops: from cams 2 and 6 or by limiting the working area using settings. In some cases, it is necessary to change the position of the warning stops, for example, when replacing a chuck or moving the tailstock for lathes. At the same time, the position of the precision stop cam should not be changed, especially if the machine is equipped with lead screw error compensation.

1.3. Installation of fixture and tools

When installing fixtures and tools, the installer is guided by the following list of technological documents:

- adjustment card (KN/P);

- operating card (OK);

- sketch map (KZ);

- information encoding card (ICC).

The main documents here are the setup card and sketch cards that illustrate the setup process. It should be noted that the standard form KN/P (GOST 3.1404-86) is not entirely suitable for modern CNC machines, the adjustment of which is characterized by an increased level

))) This is a very long story about a machine placed backwards.... I already got it all this way.... But there is an approach to the button, I’ve already checked it.

I create UE in Artkam Pro 9
Machine control program WinPC-NC

I posted what came out of it in a photo, set it up over the phone with specialists from CNC Mashine, and purchased the machine through them. But there they don’t approach this with much care, they’ve been brainwashed for a long time, they seem to have made it work, but now I’m mastering everything on my own, there’s a lot of information that’s already making my head boil, and there’s a lot of things I don’t understand...
For example, I cut everything according to the standard, where I cut it straight to finishing with an engraver, that is, I don’t change any speeds and so on, I only adjust the feed rate in the control program, as I understand it, it changes the speed of the spindle along the axes. I'm about 60% done and cutting... Now I'm studying the technical documentation for the program, but the translation leaves much to be desired, it's like listening to Chinese radio...

Hello, Alavyan."
I see your message late, but I’ll probably be useful: A year ago I was “given” a small animal - Raptor X SL 2200/ S150, this is the next generation of machines after yours. They also have the same manufacturer. The machine arrived without setup, support, and even the documentation attached to it was for machines for the HIGT-Z series. In general, the men successfully saved money and decided that as soon as the machine arrived, it would work. It didn’t work out. He stood there as if dead. We translated the documentation, including PC-NS instructions, connected it to the computer, reconnected the wires, went through half the city of craftsmen and adjusters on German machines - to no avail. As a result, I was sent to Germany to stay with my manufacturing fathers. By this time, it became clear that WIn PC-NS requires a lot of attention, and that MASH installed on a German computer is much more efficient. As a designer, I went through a bunch of drawing programs trying to find the optimal result of combining my ideas and the German mind of the machine. So, having arrived at the factory and communicating with the German, I tried with all my might to understand where the connection was in the programs that they sent with the machine. I wrote everything down, everything I looked and at the end of the conversation the German asked me: What do you use to work with the machine? To which I, as an advanced user, answered: MASH 3 and ArtCAM 2008. He laughed and said: forget everything we talked about - MASH + ArtCAM is the best combination for your work. I came home and threw WIN pc-NC, ConctruCAM and all the incomprehensible demo versions that they offered to buy from my computer. I draw vectors in CorelDROW (it’s very flexible), raise the volume in Art CAM and create a UE, the machine works in Mach3 with a specially configured profile and axes calibration. I also draw in AUTOCAD, but this is when you really want to get confused. Good luck with your work.

Mach3 is a program for controlling a CNC machine that allows you to automate workpiece processing processes. The use of CNC machines is relevant for large enterprises and small workshops. The difference lies only in the characteristics and sizes of the machines that are used in certain situations. Let's consider the issue of using Mach3 at the initial stages of its development.

  • A modern milling machine equipped with a CNC module allows it to interact with a regular personal computer or laptop;
  • By installing the Mach3 driver on your PC, you can develop control programs;
  • After development, the program is loaded into the memory of the numerically controlled module;
  • The computer’s task is to configure all the necessary parameters for the CNC operation;
  • In addition to automating processes, through a PC you can manually control the movements of the cutting tools of the machine, control their movements relative to the workpiece or work table;
  • The operation of Mach3 is based on the following scheme: computer - master - milling equipment. To carry out such management, you will need the appropriate program;
  • Mach3 is an excellent example of modern software that controls and configures machines;
  • Mach3 is designed to work with all Microsoft operating systems;
  • The program works like a regular windowed application;
  • Mak3 is distinguished by wide functionality and an intuitive interface;
  • At the same time, beginners for whom CNC setting is something completely new should carefully study the instruction manual. It takes a minimum of time to adapt to working with CNC through a special program. This is due to a well-designed interface and an understandable control principle.

Preparing to work with Mach3

Photo Mach3 - programs for controlling a CNC machine

Numerical program control, that is, CNC, is an advanced development in the field of machine tool construction. The program simplifies management and automates all processes. Proper CNC setup using a program via a PC allows you to minimize the human factor and reduce the likelihood of errors to zero.

It is important to understand that if the settings are performed incorrectly, you can break the cutters, incorrectly process the workpiece, and damage the CNC module and other equipment components.

To avoid such mistakes and unpleasant incidents, you should start with proper preparation for operating CNC machines.

  1. Completely connect the machines. You must make sure that the machine is prepared for work and receives high-quality power from the electrical network. For many machines, special programs are available that allow you to check the condition of the equipment and the serviceability of its individual components via a PC.
  2. Install Mach3 on your personal computer or laptop. However, make sure that your PC meets the minimum system specifications. Mach3 is not a “heavy” program, so almost any computer can easily handle it.
  3. The program may require Russification in some cases. The licensed version is in English, but special localizations are widely available online. It is not recommended to use pirated programs like Mach3, since such software can have serious errors that can damage your machine even if the settings were done correctly. The license costs about 12 thousand rubles.
  4. Try to optimize the operation of the operating system by disabling all kinds of pop-ups and unused programs. Nothing should interfere with you while working with the machine.
  5. Do not run third-party programs in parallel with Mach3. This is especially true for computer games, watching movies and other content that requires impressive resources from a PC. Otherwise, the setting may be incorrect, which will affect the quality of processing and the machine itself.
  6. If at the same time you want to compose control programs for a CNC machine, or use your computer not only to work with Mac3, then divide the hard drive into subpartitions. For software for a CNC machine, install a separate operating system. A logical subdivision of the hard drive must be completely dedicated to machine control. This will allow you not to occupy the entire PC with CNC control issues. Use this operating system specifically for hardware settings, do not load extraneous software there, minimize the set of programs.

Working with the program

When the preparation stages are over, you will need to start setting up the Mac3 program itself.

  1. Carefully study all the buttons that are available in the Mack3 menu. Many are frightened by their huge number. But having a Russified version will allow you to quickly figure it out.
  2. Depending on the type of machine, you need to open the appropriate tabs. For milling equipment, you will need tabs for parameters of electric motors, part speeds, port parameters, spindle parameters, etc.
  3. Once you purchase the licensed version of the software, you will find all the descriptions of the settings in the user manual. Or it can be found on the World Wide Web.
  4. If you have conditionally correctly configured the machine through the Mak3 program, when commands are issued from the keyboard, the electric motors of the equipment will begin to rotate and move. It is important that the portal moves without jerking, neatly and freely. This indicates that the setup was done correctly.
  5. Perform a run. This is what is called a trial manual movement of tools. There is a corresponding button for running in the Mac3 program.
  6. The run is determined by the corresponding icon, which allows you to turn this trial mode on and off.
  7. Pay attention to the jog ball. It should light up when running. It is used to control machine tools using the mouse. The closer the cursor is to the jog wheel when clicking, the higher the rotation speed of the electric motors will be. In addition to the mouse, you can use the keys on the keyboard to activate the tool.
  8. Control of tool movements can be step-by-step or continuous. In the case of continuous, the machine tool moves constantly while you hold down the corresponding key or mouse button. The step-by-step mode assumes that after pressing the button the portal will move a strictly specified distance. You can set the step size yourself.

Mach3 is offered to customers with detailed operating instructions. Based on the official manual, you can adapt the program to a particular machine. Proceed strictly according to factory instructions. Only they make it possible to correctly set the operating parameters of CNC equipment. If the setting turns out to be correct, the compiled control program will allow you to automate the machine and adapt it to perform certain operations with workpieces.


Now we have smoothly reached the third and final guide to creating a CNC machine. It will be full of useful information about setting up electronics, machine control programs, and machine calibration.
Be patient - there will be a lot of letters!

Software

Since we won’t be able to fully test the assembled controller without a computer with a configured machine control program, we’ll start with it. At this stage, no tools are needed, all you need is a computer with an LPT port, hands and a head.

There are several programs for controlling a CNC machine with the ability to load control code, for example, Kcam, Desk CNC, Mach, Turbo CNC (under DOS), and even an operating system optimized for working with a CNC machine - Linux CNC.

My choice fell on Mach and in the article I will only consider this program. I will explain my choice and describe several advantages of this program.

Mach has been on the market for several years and has established itself as a very worthy solution for controlling a CNC machine.
- Most people use Mach 2/3 to control their home machine.
- Due to its popularity, there is quite a lot of information on the Internet about this program, possible problems and recommendations on how to fix them.
- Detailed manual in Russian
- Possibility of installation on weak. I have Mach 3 installed on a Celeron 733 with 256MB of RAM and everything works great.
- And the main thing is full compatibility with Windows XP, unlike, for example, Turbo CNC, which is designed for DOS, although TurboCNC is even less demanding on hardware.

I think this is more than enough for you to choose Mach_e, but no one forbids you to try other software. Perhaps it will suit you better. Another thing worth mentioning is the presence of a driver compatible with Windows 7. I tried this thing, but it didn’t work out very well. Perhaps due to the fatigue of the system - it is already two years old and overgrown with all sorts of unnecessary garbage, and Mach is recommended to be installed on a fresh system and to use this computer only for working with the machine. In general, everything seems to be working, but the motors regularly skip steps, while on a computer with XP the same version of Macha behaves great.


Let's consider only the X axis, and you can configure the rest yourself according to the same principle. Parameter Steps per indicates how many steps it takes your motor to complete a full revolution. The standard SD has a step of 1.8 degrees, i.e. we divide 360 ​​degrees (full revolution) by 1.8 and get 200. Thus, we found that the engine in STEP mode rotates 360 degrees in 200 steps. We write this number in the Steps per field. Accordingly, in the HALF-STEP mode there will be not 200, but 2 times more - 400 steps. What to write in the Steps per field, 200 or 400, depends on what mode your controller is in. Later, when we connect to the machine and calibrate, we will change this parameter, but for now set it to 200 or 400.

Velocity– sets the maximum speed of movement of the portal. For reliability, I set it to 1000, but when working, I decrease or increase it right on the fly in the main Macha window. In general, it is recommended to enter a number here that is 20-40% less than the maximum possible that your engine can produce without skipping steps.

Paragraph Acceleration– acceleration. The value entered in this line, as well as the speed, depends on your engine and power supply. Acceleration that is too low will significantly increase the time it takes to process a figure with complex shapes and terrain, while acceleration that is too high increases the risk of skipping steps when starting because the engine will start to stall. In general, this parameter is set experimentally. From my experience, 200-250 is the optimal value.

Step pulse and Dir pulse. From 1 to 5, but maybe more. If your controller is not very well assembled, then stable operation is possible with a longer time interval.

I forgot to say that most likely every time you start Mac, the Reset button will blink. Click on it, otherwise it won't allow you to do anything.

Ugh. Well, now let's try to download the control program, an example of which you can download at the end of the article. Press the button Load G-Code or go to the menu File/Load G-Code it is more convenient for anyone and the window for opening the control program appears.


The UE is a regular text file in which coordinates are written in a column. As you can see in the list of supported file types, there is a txt format, therefore it can be opened and edited with a regular notepad, like files with the extension nc, ncc, tap. You can correct the G-code in the program itself by pressing the button Edit G-Code.

We load the UE and see that a code has appeared in the left window, and in the right window the outline of the figure that we will cut out.


To start processing, all you have to do is press the green button Cycle Start, which is what we do. Numbers began to appear in the coordinate window, and a virtual spindle moved across the picture, which means the processing process has successfully begun and our virtual (for now) machine has begun to process the part.


If for some reason you need to pause the operation of the machine, click Stop. To continue, press Cycle Start again and processing will continue from the same place. I was interrupted several times during the rain when I needed to turn off and cover the machine.

The speed is changed using the “+” “-” buttons in the column Feed Rate, and is initially equal to 100% of the speed set in Motor Tuning. Here you can adjust the speed of movement of the portal to certain processing conditions. The speed is adjustable in a very large range from 10 to 300%.

That's basically all about setting up Mach3, I hope I haven't forgotten anything. A little later, when we calibrate and launch the machine, I will tell you about some more necessary settings. Now grab some tea, coffee, a cigarette (whatever you like) and give yourself a moment of rest so that with new strength and a fresh mind you can begin setting up the electronics of the machine.


It is advisable to do this with the spindle installed because... It is unlikely that you will be able to make an absolutely even spindle mount at home and also screw it evenly to the Z axis.

Let's say you now align the Z axis, and when you make the mount and install the spindle, you will be surprised at how crooked it will be located there. The first thing to do is to secure a drill or cutter in the chuck. Now we move the portal to any place on our working (coordinate) table and use a square to see if we have 90 degrees between the table and the cutter. Depending on the design of the spindle mounting and the Z axis itself, adjust the position of the cutter, and having achieved the desired result, fix the spindle in this position.

Well, one more adjustment is to check whether your machine can draw a right angle when you tell it to do so. Otherwise, this is what you might end up with.


For myself, I have come up with two ways to check and adjust this; I will describe both of them.
1 - This is the most universal cutter - a broken off and re-sharpened 3 mm drill. In the absence of other cutters, it is used for both roughing and finishing. A huge plus of this cutter is its cheapness, but the disadvantages are: it cannot be sharpened correctly, and it has a very limited resource. Literally a couple of small pictures, after which she begins to burn the tree. From all this, it follows that the quality of the work performed is not very good, followed by mandatory refinement with sandpaper, and you will have to sand quite a lot.
2 - Straight two-flute cutter 3.175 and 2 mm. It is generally used for removing the rough layer of small workpieces, but if necessary, it can also be used as a finishing layer.
3 - Conical cutters 3, 2, and 1.5 mm. Application: finishing. The diameter determines the quality and detail of the final result. With a 1.5 mm cutter, the quality will be better than with a 3 mm one, but the processing time will also increase significantly. The use of conical cutters for finishing virtually does not require additional sanding afterwards.
4 - Conical engraver. It is used for engraving, and the alloy from which it is made allows engraving also on metal. Another application is the processing of very small parts that cannot be processed with a conical cutter.
5 - Direct engraver. Used for cutting or cutting. For example, you need to cut...the letter “A” from a sheet of 5 mm plywood. Install a straight engraver into the spindle and here you have a CNC jigsaw . I used it instead of a straight cutter when it broke. The quality of processing is quite normal, but periodically it wraps around long chips. You need to be alert.
All of the above cutters had a 3.175 mm shank, and now they are heavy artillery.
6 - Straight and conical cutters 8 mm. The application is the same as for 3 mm cutters, but for larger-scale work. Processing time is significantly reduced, but unfortunately they are not suitable for small workpieces.

All this is only a small part of the number of cutters that can be used in CNC to perform various tasks. I can’t help but warn beginners about the considerable cost of good cutters. For example, the above-described 8 mm high-speed steel cutters cost approximately 700 rubles. A carbide cutter is 2 times more expensive. So CNC toys cannot be ranked among the cheapest hobbies.

Photos

I’m posting for your consideration a few photos of what I managed to do over a couple of summer months.
First test pancake. Milling cutter No. 1. Scary right? And if the rest is of the same quality)))


The first serious check for the machine. Dimensions 17 by 25 cm. Relief height 10 mm, time spent - 4 hours.
Like the next job, this one was done with the same cutter No. 1. As you can see, the result is quite tolerable.


And here the cutter became dull, and the wood began to burn.


I tried what a cone engraver can do.


My sister asked me to cut out a dog for her. Roughing – cutter No. 2 3 mm, finishing cutter No. 3 3 mm. Relief 6 mm, processing time about 1.5 hours.


Signs for the house. The relief is 10 mm, but already concave because this significantly reduces processing time. Not the entire area is processed, but only the inscription. Processing time is about 2 hours, using cutter No. 5 (direct engraver).


My attempt to make a three-dimensional wooden photograph. I made a mistake in pairing the man and the tree, but overall, I think it turned out well. Roughing - straight cutter 3 mm, finishing with a conical cutter 2 mm. The relief is 5 mm, but I don’t remember the processing time.

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A step-by-step guide to help you understand how to set up a cnc machine Right.


Setting up a CNC machine means bringing it into a state of readiness for processing the workpiece. You should make sure that the automatic tool changer has all the necessary tools to process the existing workpiece, that the correct g-code program is loaded, and that the entire machine is ready for operation.

Advice from the professionals: use setup cards

If you work as a CNC machine operator in production and set up machines, you probably have a setup chart at your disposal, which contains all the necessary information about the procedures and setup steps.

1. CLEAN THE MACHINE WORK TABLE AND OTHER WORKING SURFACES

Result: the machine is cleared of chips and other debris that can cause a decrease in the efficiency and accuracy of technological operations.

To properly set up your CNC machine, clean the machine's work table as well as the clamping fixtures of any remaining coolant, swarf, or other debris. To do this, you can use compressed air, a brush or a washing machine. You need to make sure that chips and debris do not fall into sensitive areas of the machine. A high-pressure jet of air can blow debris into machine working areas where it shouldn't be, which in turn can cause damage to machine parts.

2. LOAD TOOLS INTO TOOL CHANGER

Result: The automatic tool changer contains all the tools necessary to process the workpiece according to a given g-code program.


Tool trolley on
wheels for CNC machine

Note: If your CNC machine does not have an automatic tool changer, you will still need to have all the tools needed for the job ready so that you can quickly change them in the machine spindle when needed, and also to quickly set up the CNC machine.

In this case, our goal is to be able to secure the cutting tools in chucks (or simply have them on hand if your machine spindle does not allow for the use of several interchangeable chucks), and also to install these chucks into the device automatic tool changer or placed in a convenient place so that they are at hand during processing or manual tool replacement.

If you have a machine setup card for a specific process operation, it will indicate the necessary tools for processing that will help you set up the CNC machine correctly, as well as their numbers in the g-code program.

Typically, we place the tools required to perform a particular process operation on a tool cart or tool tray. You may have all your tools stored in a toolbox on the shop floor. You place all the necessary tools on the cart, roll it up to the machine, and then load the tools into the magazine.

Each type of chuck has its own requirements, compliance with which is necessary to achieve maximum operating efficiency and proper setup of the CNC machine. For example, ER collet chucks have a nut tightening torque requirement that must be adhered to.

3. WARM UP THE MACHINE AND SPINDLE

Result: The CNC machine is warmed up and ready to work.

To properly set up your CNC machine, you should consider creating a warm-up program for your machine and spindle at the start of your workday. This will help minimize thermal expansion during the transition from room temperature to operating temperature (the warm-up program will ensure a smooth transition of the machine to normal operating temperature), as well as good lubrication of the working axes and spindle of the machine.

4. SET THE TOOL LENGTH COMPENSATION INDICATOR

Result: The tool face of your CNC machine is configured with compensation values ​​for the length of all tools used.


Setting correction indicators to
tool length using
sizing device
tools

To set up a CNC machine, the machine needs to know how long the tool is based on a reference value called the “set point.” It uses this information to adjust the position of the spindle relative to the specified coordinates for each tool individually.

It is very important that the tool length compensation readings are correct and accurate for each tool. This is necessary to ensure maximum processing accuracy with each tool after setting up the machine. If the tool length compensation value is set incorrectly, it may result in damage to the tool and will most likely result in damage to the machine or fixture.

Some machines are equipped with a device for dimensional adjustment of tools. This is a special sensor that is used by the machine to automatically measure the length of tools. In other cases, the length of the tools is measured offline (i.e., not on the machine) - entered by the machine operator into the tool parameters table. Entering such data can be done in one of the following ways:

  • manual input on the keyboard located on the front panel of the machine
  • loading using a special g-code called G10
  • other possible methods
It is very important to follow all procedures so that the correct tool length compensation values ​​are entered into the tool data table.

5. SET THE TOOL DIAMETERS TO BE ABLE TO USE THE TOOL RADIUS COMPENSATION FUNCTION

Result: The table of tool parameters contains all the necessary information about the diameters of all tools used.

If the program will use the tool compensation function, the machine needs to know the diameter and length of each tool.

6. INSTALL CLAMPING FIXTURE

Result: The clamping fixture for securing the existing workpiece is properly installed on the machine.


Typical double vice, representing
consists of two pairs of vices assembled in one unit

At this stage, a device for securing the workpieces is installed. There is a wide range of clamping devices available on the market. The setup card performs another important function in this case - determining which clamping device is needed to secure the workpiece when performing a specific technological operation.

7. SET THE ZERO POINT OF THE WORKPIECE AND MACHINE

Result: the zero coordinates (0, 0, 0) of the CNC machine exactly match the required coordinates of the workpiece zero point. All zero points of the machine correspond to the required values ​​and are included in the control program.

To set up a CNC machine, you need to enter the coordinates of the zero point (see the article “How to find the zero point of a machine”) of the workpiece into the machine’s memory. There are a number of ways to accomplish this task. The purpose of using machine zero points is to have multiple workpiece zero point coordinate values. This is convenient in cases where it is necessary to process several workpieces, each of which has different zero point coordinates, or in cases where it is necessary to fix several workpieces on separate clamping fixtures, with each of the workpieces having its own zero point coordinates.

8. LOAD THE CONTROL PROGRAM INTO THE MACHINE

Result: the corresponding control program with g-code is loaded into the machine memory.

flash drive per unit
management

You need to load a control program with a g-code into the machine’s memory (see the article “Description of G codes”). - this operation is part of the machine setup procedure. Depending on the machine model, this can be done in several ways:

  • To load a g-code program into the memory of older models of machines, you may need a floppy disk or even punched paper tape (on VERY old models!).
  • Loading a program with a g-code into the memory of machines of more modern models is possible using a USB port.
  • Your machine can be connected to a local network, which will allow you to download the program by simply copying the g-code to a separate folder or downloading it from an FTP server to the machine's memory.
  • Your machine can be connected to a device containing a g-code program using the RS-232 protocol. In this case, the g-code can be loaded into the machine memory via this connection or transmitted step by step at several times per unit of time.
There are a number of important points that need to be checked:
  • Make sure you have the correct version of the control software. It's easy to get confused with so many different versions, so make sure you have the version you need at the moment.
  • Load all the necessary routines and their libraries that may be required by the main part of the program. For example, if the control program uses data received from sensors, its operation may require a subroutine library for taking readings from sensors.
  • You must clearly know what actions the control program expects from the machine operator during operation. Does it include the possibility of stopping? Do you need to run the program from the control unit? And so on. To set up a CNC machine, such information must be entered into the setup sheet.

9. CHECK COOLANT SYSTEM

Result: The coolant system check has been completed and you are now ready to run the g-code control program.

In order to set up a CNC machine, make sure that the coolant you are using is in good condition and suitable for use, which will be one of the preventative maintenance measures of the machine in order to prevent possible malfunctions in its operation before starting the processing operation blanks. Again, this is the last procedure to perform, however, you may have your own schedule for checking and replacing the coolant, which involves checking more frequently and ensuring that it is in good condition.

It is important to pay attention to the following points:

  • If the coolant has an unpleasant or rancid odor, you have a problem.
  • Is there enough coolant in the reservoir or does it need to be added?
  • Is the concentration of cutting fluid sufficient in relation to the amount of water contained in the solution? You can also use a refractometer to measure coolant concentration.
  • Do you filter the coolant to remove small chips and debris that could clog the supply system?
  • Check the machine to ensure that coolant is flowing freely and that the nozzles are in the correct position. A well-tuned coolant system is especially important for chip removal and can even allow you to slightly increase feed rates and spindle speeds.

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