I am having some issues I think with my X3 with CNC Fusion ballscrews. Not with the CNC part, it is working great, but with cutting.

For the past week I have been trying to cut a part from some 1" thick 6061. And I messed over a 12" of material trying to cut a 2" part. I just can not profile cut to any DOC that seems resonable. The deepest profile cut I can make before the noise and viberation is ungodly is .025" / pass. Is that normal? Shoun't I be able to cut a deeper DOC. I am using a 3/8" 2 flute HSS end mill @ 2000 RPM. I have tried everything from 1 IPM to 15 IPM.

I will also note, the finish on my X axis cuts are nice, but the Y-axis finish SUCKS! Even after .02 finish cut.


Need assistance badly.

Is it a new endmill or a worn out used one?

Are you using any mist or coolant?

How long is the endmill? Trying to take a deep cut with a 3 inch long 3/8" diameter endmill would be bad...

It is mostly dry cutting now, still working coolant setup.
DOC I have tried started at .0625 and got smaller. End mill is chinese junk, but only about 2 long. About 1.1" sticking out of spindle. It was not used very little, but I have sense threw it away and I have a new one I used. It did the .025 DOC nicely, but when it would do a full profile it was noisey and would viberate, not as bad as the old, but it was allot less DOC.

Check your gibs on your Y axis to make sure they are snug. Perhaps you are getting some wiggle on the Y axis that is causing the bad cut? That's the only thing I can think of that would give you a bad cut on 1 axis but a good cut on the other.

Wade

I was thinking that too, but I was leaning toward the Z. I will check both again. This is frustrating me, I am trying to get ready to start cutting my Belt conversion parts.

I was using the gold Chinese endmills(EM) and they were very loud and got dull quickly and then sounded like it was beating the material off instead of cutting it.

I bought some cobalt end mills and the beating sound went away. I used them(3/8, 1/2, 3/4 EMs) dry on a lathe conversion I did and they are still sharp and cutting good. There's still some noise from the sharp cutter, but no beating sound.

I haven't pushed my X3 very hard yet so I don't know what depth of cut I can get away with. I haven't done any plunging with the new EM's yet( the Chinese ones didn't like it).

I did all my milling in pockets at .050" depth of cut and step over at 1/2 the cutter diameter and leaving .050" on the profile for a finish pass and spring pass and repeat until depth reached.

All climb cuts

Here's what I use on my Syil SX3 for DOC and speeds in 6061 aluminum.

.125" EM - .035 DOC @ 6ipm
.25" EM - .08" DOC @ 11ipm
.50" EM - .10" DOC @ 13ipm

I don't use any EM's over .5" so I can't comment on that. I also use the Tormach tool holders which are AWESOME and give a WONDERFUL finish.

Wade

If you're sure it's properly trammed and the gibs are tight, have you checked that you're not getting aluminium welding to the cutter and dulling it instantly?

According to ME Consultant, you probably want 2,000 rpm, 9IPM with a 3/8" 2-fluter.

Oh yeah, my RPM is 3400. I forgot to add that. I also use a fogbuster coolant system (www.fogbuster.com) which makes a huge difference in the life of the tool.

Wade

Wade what setup do you have for your 3450 rpm?

Thanks,

Ron

I got the new pulley's with my Syil America SX3. Works great with not much loss in speed and power. I'd love to get closer to 5000-6000 rpm, but 3400 works for now.

Wade

I got the new pulley's with my Syil America SX3. Works great with not much loss in speed and power. I'd love to get closer to 5000-6000 rpm, but 3400 works for now.

Wade

5000-6000 is a lot of fun - I've done a few test cuts with a 10mm (3/8") endmill, 1mm deep (0.04") at 1100mm/min (44IPM) (not on an X3 BTW) and it was like the preverbial hot knife through butter. Well, except that butter doesn't weld itself to the knife - I really need to get flood coolant going again!

I'll get there eventually. For now, 3400 works for prototyping.

Wade

ZrN coatings also work when machining aluminum. It helps to keep the aluminum from sticking to the tool. When I ran my shop I ran tools at highest rpm's available. Worked very well and I had good tool life.

I'm running an X3 with a 1/2HP VFD belt drive, typically run about 3200 RPM,
1/2" two flute HSS endmill cutting Alum, .030 DOC @ 35IP works good for pocketing / profile, Just using compressed air to clear chips. With no coolant much more then .030 DOC . chip welding becomes a real big problem.

OH, it vibrates like hell when it's plunging... no matter what feed!

Once the x/Y cut begins it sounds sweet.

I nice sharp quality cutter makes all the difference!

My Site:
http://www.rlberg.com

Bob

Thanks for all the input guys, I got sick and have not had a chance to mess with it.

Bird E
What exactly are you using to get "X3 with a 1/2HP VFD belt drive, typically run about 3200 RPM," I am working on a belt drive and looking for motor upgrades.

Do a ramping cut of some sort instead of a straight down plunge cut. Or plunge at 1 ipm and you won't have as much of a vibration issue.

Wade



I'm running an X3 with a 1/2HP VFD belt drive, typically run about 3200 RPM,
1/2" two flute HSS endmill cutting Alum, .030 DOC @ 35IP works good for pocketing / profile, Just using compressed air to clear chips. With no coolant much more then .030 DOC . chip welding becomes a real big problem.

OH, it vibrates like hell when it's plunging... no matter what feed!

Once the x/Y cut begins it sounds sweet.

I nice sharp quality cutter makes all the difference!

My Site:
http://www.rlberg.com

Bob

I'm running an X3 with a 1/2HP VFD belt drive, typically run about 3200 RPM,
1/2" two flute HSS endmill cutting Alum, .030 DOC @ 35IP works good for pocketing / profile, Just using compressed air to clear chips. With no coolant much more then .030 DOC . chip welding becomes a real big problem.

OH, it vibrates like hell when it's plunging... no matter what feed!

Once the x/Y cut begins it sounds sweet.

I nice sharp quality cutter makes all the difference!

My Site:
http://www.rlberg.com

Bob

Bob,

You could try pre drilling your plunge holes. If the pocket is .5 deep drill to .49or so. Then at the final end mill plunge do so at 1 or 2 IPM.

Serge

On my Shizuoka bedmill, which is 6000 to 7000 lbs, I plunge with a half inch endmill at no more than 2IPM in aluminum. Endmills are not really meant for drilling, they are best at side cutting.

Well I got to spend a little time as I finished up a project for someone to take a look. It appears my Y axis gib has worked it's way a little lose, so I am sure that is affecting my finish on Y axis cuts and viberation. I hope to get more time today to tighten it up and recheck some other things too. Will report back shortly.

My X3 (Grizz) would cut just like you describe just a few days after i got it. I couldnt do any depth without a lot vibration, and the surface finish was horrible. I finally tracked it down to the spindle, the "C" nuts that hold the preload must have moved just a hair out.

After i cleaned it up (since it was out) and readjusted the preload, the finish went from the worst I've ever seen, to mirror like. I was also able to get huge DOC's again. Worth a shot.

Good info, I already to need to replace my bearings I think, they make noises badly. So I will check all that when I open the spindle up sometime. Kinda scared to take that appart.

Scared to take it apart...

OK. Get the set of instructions put togather by the fine folks at Arc Euro Trade. They explain everything in great detail with color pics.

I'm not going to link directly to the PDF, but it is right there on there X3 mill (http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Machines-Accessories/Milling-Machines/Model-X3-Small-Mill) page.

I just wish there was a good US distributer that offered there level of prep service in the U.S.

Not really scared but with my luck something always be wrong or go wrong. I don't have good luck at all. I have there PDF, it doesn't look to hard other than I don't have a press.