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Hello You all
Kind of figured i be back again when i used this Microkinetics 13/40 lathe. I had given this lathe a rest after the ball screw nuts had fallen out last year.
The Cause i guess when the workers their made it they either forgot to use lock washers for the ball bridge tube on the x axis.
The Fix After hours of going thru the metal chips i had located all of them and after a hour or so got the nuts back together and another few hours adjusting and re assembling the X axis. The reason why i think they forgot to put washers on is because the only machine bolt that was tight and there was none the other was loose but no washer. This kind of figures because when i got the machine most every nut and bolt was loose. I had used loctite for the machine screws
The Cause this timeWell after about a few weeks of using this lathe It seem to perform as it should minor issues like the freezing of the controller which is a pain and adjusting the back lash for both the axis several times. Also fixing the G3 code that the wizard did it would go strait on the z axis and then out when it should of gone in the g3 direction with the radius.
This evening i had cleaned it up after making some cannons oiled everything and i was checking the axis with a indicator guess what they wer off again but this time off .128 on X and .206 on the Z and also the Nut was loose on that one also. So after 15 minutes or so it was fine. So i hit the return home on the program and guess what. The X axis went in the wrong direction and kept going and the 2 ball nut housing went off the ball screw Thank God i had cleaned the chip tray that save hours of going thru chips. This was at 4 pm took 3+ hours to get everything back together again.
OK Now i again checked the back lash naturally the x was off the z was fine. so i adjusted it and using the jog controler the x axis was fine and did severial times and pushed the home and that worked just fine. So i had used a center drill and drilled a piece of brass for a cannon and the x axis was home and i had a cutter in their to face off the end and when i used the jog key the ????ing cross slide shot off the ball screw again.
So like a mad man i just laughed i wasn't going to loose any more blood vessels in my brain getting mad so i sit here doing this post. I have had nothing but issues with this companies product 13/40 lathe, The only helpful person their is Mary Ann If she wasn't so nice and helpful i would say they are 100% useless. I have email the owners management and tech support on my many issues since but to no avial.
My past Issues which could of been prevented if the people that assembled the machine and the designers had a brain were
1) I bought this lathe with the threading encoder to do threads in which i have not been able to do because when the designed this they had used one of the flange bolt holes that on the housing for the spindle and i assume they either didn't tighten it or use a sealant or thread lock because oil from the housing seeped along the threads and went into the encoder and on the disc and it wouldn't read in the program i had email tech support in which i had paid for and then later requested a refund in which they did do. I had also emailed them a design for the bolt if they still wanted to use that method it was a post that extruded from the head so they could use thread lock and if it was removed it would be simple. To this day it still doesn't work meaning the encoder and i can't do threads.
Secondly is the z axis the split collet that holds the roller bearing in place had always slipped when the G00 rapid transverse was used and the ball screw would be loose and obvious off and then the end bolt on the right where they attached the end of the ball screw would always come loose even with lock nuts. I really don't think they have the Ball screw in line correctly because of the wobble. after the collect kept getting loose no mater how tight i had tighten it it always came loose until i had drilled and tapped the collet 1/4-28 for a set screw and that had fixed that issue.
Also another problem i had was that the x axis servo belt had a real bad resignation and the belt had been damaged from it one of the rubber splines had been chewed up and that caused it to skip and be of and i believe they had wanted 30-40 bucks for one which is crazy so i looked up the Gates # and found one for 4 dollars i bought 3 and extra belts for the z axis also.
So i thought that perhaps the belt was damaged and that could of been the reason for the vibration of the belt even tho it was taunt it still did it. So i had made a idler with a bearing and that solved that issue just fine. I had even emailed the tech people their and told them the problem and they should install them i have no idea if they did or not.
Also back to the issue of the Z axis slipping upon the G00 command i think if a torque coupling or even a lovejoy one that would help elevate that problem also if they had used pillow blocks instead of the roller bearings. Im buy no means a design expert but i think it would work.
Also some Information i think would make this lathe much better is to leave the z axis and the cross slide hand controls on the machine, also I wish i had found this company CNC 1440 Turning Center Lathe, 1440 CNC Lathe | cncmasters.com prior to spending 12-14 thousand dollars they have the same lathe loaded for $10,000 with spindle control splash guard threading and best of all it can be used as a manual lathe. I will be doing a website on this companies lathe with all my issues i have taken plenty of pictures and save all the emails. I feel that they shoud of replaced the encoder since it was their fault but they didn't offer.
Also i have not even mentioned all the MN400 issues and the turn master pro software like freezing the radius wizard problems the total disregard to the customers concern by the tech support and management Like i mention earlier the only person their that is honest and sincere is Maryann' Just think for the time it took to write this post i could of made a cannon but no i have to spend at least 3 hours again fixing the ball screw nuts again and more time adjusting it. In my opinion this machine is poorly designed and not worth the headaches i have had from it if they paid me for my time i had to spend fixing it and rewriting the CNC code that got lost when i upgraded it last year i could but the CNC masters lathe.
I would think twice about buying this unless they had resolved the issues i had pointed out but i had read other post on this lathe and mine are not the only ones. Thanks for reading and please reply to this post if you are able to help me.
Now on a positive attribute to them. The lathe when the issues are not at hand works as it should and i do give the company some credit. Because CNC machines are expensive and they offer a affordable priced for the small business that doesn't have $100,000 dollars. But in this case the Pros are over come by the cons
thanks Austin
Home Page
Thanks for posting the issues you have had with the MicroKinetics.
I have been looking at some of their lathes since they offer a small 6 tool turret. If it actually worked as advertised, it would solve a lot of problems for my little shop. Looks like I will have to keep looking. I cringe at paying 40K for a small turret machine to make little parts in small quantities......
Thanks,
Patrick.
Here is my new message to them on the threading issue date Aug 14 2012
Dear Austin
We have received your message below and will respond as soon as possible.
Thank you,
Microkinetics
Your Message:
Hello Norm This was when i first got the achine and the threading has never worked at all i removed it and there was oil from the spindle flange that had seeped down to the encoder len\'s andwas all over the optics i had tried to clean it but the only thing the program would say is waiting for the encoder and timed out for the signal I had contyacted maryann several times about this and all i got was i have to pay for it. This issue is well documented on CNC Zone with y complaints on this The last time i asked about this was 2 weeks ago. The main reason why i had bought this was because of that option that never worked and i had given the machine a brak for a few years because of health issues related to the service and in just the past 8 months or so i had started back up and now i use a tap and die to do the threading for the cannon trunnions and the initrupted threaded breach but the threading option would make the job a lot easir to do. Like i said in my earlier email i feel that the encoder should be replaced due to the fact that it wasn\'t my fault but the leakage of the oil from the spindle flange. Below are soem images in which i need the threading to work.On this machine. Also if your open for some ideas liek the idler on the axis to prevbent slipage on them i\'d be glad to send you the drawings on the parts. In general i\'d be a happy customer if the problems were resolved come on its been close to 3 years and dozens of emails on this problem. The machine works great when all the bugs are worked out and thats why i might use the same controler in the design of the induction machine i\'m building for a customer and thats why i needed the code to show him. Thanks Austin Also the CNC Zone post Problem Microkinetics 13/40 CNC lathe more problems - CNCzone.com-The Largest Machinist Community on the net! Microkinetics 13/40 CNC lathe more problems Hello You all Kind of figured i be back again when i used this Microkinetics 13/40 lathe. I had given this lathe a rest after the ball screw nuts had fallen out last year. The Cause i guess when the workers their made it they either forgot to use lock washers for the ball bridge tube on the x axis. The Fix After hours of going thru the metal chips i had located all of them and after a hour or so got the nuts back together and another few hours adjusting and re assembling the X axis. The reason why i think they forgot to put washers on is because the only machine bolt that was tight and there was none the other was loose but no washer. This kind of figures because when i got the machine most every nut and bolt was loose. I had used loctite for the machine screws The Cause this time Well after about a few weeks of using this lathe It seem to perform as it should minor issues like the freezing of the controller which is a pain and adjusting the back lash for both the axis several times. Also fixing the G3 code that the wizard did it would go strait on the z axis and then out when it should of gone in the g3 direction with the radius. This evening i had cleaned it up after making some cannons oiled everything and i was checking the axis with a indicator guess what they wer off again but this time off .128 on X and .206 on the Z and also the Nut was loose on that one also. So after 15 minutes or so it was fine. So i hit the return home on the program and guess what. The X axis went in the wrong direction and kept going and the 2 ball nut housing went off the ball screw Thank God i had cleaned the chip tray that save hours of going thru chips. This was at 4 pm took 3+ hours to get everything back together again. OK Now i again checked the back lash naturally the x was off the z was fine. so i adjusted it and using the jog controler the x axis was fine and did severial times and pushed the home and that worked just fine. So i had used a center drill and drilled a piece of brass for a cannon and the x axis was home and i had a cutter in their to face off the end and when i used the jog key the ????ing cross slide shot off the ball screw again. So like a mad man i just laughed i wasn\'t going to loose any more blood vessels in my brain getting mad so i sit here doing this post. I have had nothing but issues with this companies product 13/40 lathe, The only helpful person their is Mary Ann If she wasn\'t so nice and helpful i would say they are 100% useless. I have email the owners management and tech support on my many issues since but to no avial. My past Issues which could of been prevented if the people that assembled the machine and the designers had a brain were 1) I bought this lathe with the threading encoder to do threads in which i have not been able to do because when the designed this they had used one of the flange bolt holes that on the housing for the spindle and i assume they either didn\'t tighten it or use a sealant or thread lock because oil from the housing seeped along the threads and went into the encoder and on the disc and it wouldn\'t read in the program i had email tech support in which i had paid for and then later requested a refund in which they did do. I had also emailed them a design for the bolt if they still wanted to use that method it was a post that extruded from the head so they could use thread lock and if it was removed it would be simple. To this day it still doesn\'t work meaning the encoder and i can\'t do threads. Secondly is the z axis the split collet that holds the roller bearing in place had always slipped when the G00 rapid transverse was used and the ball screw would be loose and obvious off and then the end bolt on the right where they attached the end of the ball screw would always come loose even with lock nuts. I really don\'t think they have the Ball screw in line correctly because of the wobble. after the collect kept getting loose no mater how tight i had tighten it it always came loose until i had drilled and tapped the collet 1/4-28 for a set screw and that had fixed that issue. Also another problem i had was that the x axis servo belt had a real bad resignation and the belt had been damaged from it one of the rubber splines had been chewed up and that caused it to skip and be of and i believe they had wanted 30-40 bucks for one which is crazy so i looked up the Gates # and found one for 4 dollars i bought 3 and extra belts for the z axis also. So i thought that perhaps the belt was damaged and that could of been the reason for the vibration of the belt even tho it was taunt it still did it. So i had made a idler with a bearing and that solved that issue just fine. I had even emailed the tech people their and told them the problem and they should install them i have no idea if they did or not. Also back to the issue of the Z axis slipping upon the G00 command i think if a torque coupling or even a lovejoy one that would help elevate that problem also if they had used pillow blocks instead of the roller bearings. Im buy no means a design expert but i think it would work. Also some Information i think would make this lathe much better is to leave the z axis and the cross slide hand controls on the machine, also I wish i had found this company CNC 1440 Turning Center Lathe, 1440 CNC Lathe | cncmasters.com prior to spending 12-14 thousand dollars they have the same lathe loaded for $10,000 with spindle control splash guard threading and best of all it can be used as a manual lathe. I will be doing a website on this companies lathe with all my issues i have taken plenty of pictures and save all the emails. I feel that they shoud of replaced the encoder since it was their fault but they didn\'t offer. Also i have not even mentioned all the MN400 issues and the turn master pro software like freezing the radius wizard problems the total disregard to the customers concern by the tech support and management Like i mention earlier the only person their that is honest and sincere is Maryann\' Just think for the time it took to write this post i could of made a cannon but no i have to spend at least 3 hours again fixing the ball screw nuts again and more time adjusting it. In my opinion this machine is poorly designed and not worth the headaches i have had from it if they paid me for my time i had to spend fixing it and rewriting the CNC code that got lost when i upgraded it last year i could but the CNC masters lathe. I would think twice about buying this unless they had resolved the issues i had pointed out but i had read other post on this lathe and mine are not the only ones. Thanks for reading and please reply to this post if you are able to help me. Now on a positive attribute to them. The lathe when the issues are not at hand works as it should and i do give the company some credit. Because CNC machines are expensive and they offer a affordable priced for the small business that doesn\'t have $100,000 dollars. But in this case the Pros are over come by the cons thanks Austin Link to the threading i need Howitzer's ----- Original Message ----- From: Norm Nisbet To: Austin M Gilson Jr. Sent: Monday, February 08, 2010 11:24 AM Subject: RE: The lathe Austin,
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