welding equipment

[fourperf]

can welding damage a vmc if the cnc machine is not turned on when you are welding?

Mark

[ltmquik]

I would suppose that depends on where one is welding. Inside the control cabinet would definetly cause damage to the electronics if they were not properly covered. In or around the enclosure is fine just be sure to cover whatever you do not want damaged by the weld splatter. We weld molds while they are still bolted to the table. I know they moldmakers do not even shut the machine down. The machine is grounded so there shouldn't be any problems.

[Geof]

Originally Posted by ltmquik .....We weld molds while they are still bolted to the table. I know they moldmakers do not even shut the machine down. The machine is grounded so there shouldn't be any problems.

I hope you attach a good ground directly to the mold you are welding. If you rely on the grounding of the machine itself you can get arcing inside bearings or the linear ways. This is very bad news.

[fourperf]

Originally Posted by Geof I hope you attach a good ground directly to the mold you are welding. If you rely on the grounding of the machine itself you can get arcing inside bearings or the linear ways. This is very bad news.

I weld about 3 feet away from the machine, not on it

mark

[Geof]

Originally Posted by fourperf I weld about 3 feet away from the machine, not on it mark

That is no problem; I was referring to welding the part on the table as mentioned in the other post.

[ImanCarrot]

Never weld with an electrical contact through bearings (what Geof said)... cos the ball bearings inside the bushes only contact at a small surface area it localises the heat and messes them up. And things stop working, usualy noisily.

Dunno where you have the electrical connections but just pointing it out.

[Geof]

Originally Posted by ImanCarrot Nevber weld with an electrical contact through bearings (what Geoff said)... cos the ball bearings inside the bushes only contact at a small surface area it localises the heat and messes them up. And things stop working.

And the big Italian guy who thinks you are welding through bearings scares the hell out of you when he comes running over screaming stop and waving a big wrench.

[fourperf]

thanks for the replys fellas

mark

[ImanCarrot]

LMAO Geof, I got that picture in my head now and it's disturbingly amusing lol.

Cheered me up though hehe am sat on me ownsome all day machining and designing and programming with my hand constantly hovering over the E- Stop in "Engineer Stress Mode", which I'm sure we all know about

Thanks man! hehe