Billet V-Belt Pulley on Vertical Mill

[GG5X]

Does anyone have any experience machining a 6 groove, V-ribbed aluminum belt pulley from billet on a vertical mill? Before anyone asks I know this is not the preferred method (by far) but management wants to keep machines running no matter what.
I'm just looking for ideas as to how others would approach this project. As I see it this endeavour will require special EOAT for the robot, special tooling, and fixturing.

Thanks.

[Geof]

You don't mention the diameter and you don't mention whether you are doing one or hundreds.

I think it would be a big waste of time devising the tooling and programming for one but it could be worthwhile doing it for making lots of them.

My approach would be three operations:

1) Clamp the stock down on the table or a plate bolted to the table and do the hub, bore and whatever material removal you want for reducing weight between the hub and rim on the accessible size.

2) Flip it over and clamp again to finish the weight reduction machining on the other side.

3) Make/modify a toolholder to act as a mandrel in the spindle and secure the partly machined pulley blank on this mandrel. Make holders for some lathe tools clamped to the table and machine the OD and grooves like it would be done on a lathe.

The programming for step 3) would take a while and I doubt it would be possible to devise it using a CAM system, but it is quite doable.

Actually once the fixturing, tooling and programming is done they could come off the mill faster than off a lathe.

[GG5X]

You don't mention the diameter and you don't mention whether you are doing one or hundreds.

I think it would be a big waste of time devising the tooling and programming for one but it could be worthwhile doing it for making lots of them.

My approach would be three operations:

1) Clamp the stock down on the table or a plate bolted to the table and do the hub, bore and whatever material removal you want for reducing weight between the hub and rim on the accessible size.

2) Flip it over and clamp again to finish the weight reduction machining on the other side.

3) Make/modify a toolholder to act as a mandrel in the spindle and secure the partly machined pulley blank on this mandrel. Make holders for some lathe tools clamped to the table and machine the OD and grooves like it would be done on a lathe.

The programming for step 3) would take a while and I doubt it would be possible to devise it using a CAM system, but it is quite doable.

Actually once the fixturing, tooling and programming is done they could come off the mill faster than off a lathe.

Geoff,
Thanks for the feedback. I should have mentioned that this is for a five spoke aluminum pulley with a 9" diameter. Quantities are upwards of three thousand a year. The problem is management doesn't want to shell out the cash for proper lathe for the pulleys, but rather would prefer our CNC mills not to be idle when not producing our other products.

Thanks for the information!

[txcncman]

No. I do not have experience machining a 6 groove, V-ribbed aluminum belt pulley from billet on a vertical mill.

This project would not scare me one bit.

[mactec54]

GG5X

This should be a good job to do on a mill, I have made them before this way & on a lathe
You need to have the correct tooth profile, on the tool you are going to cut it with, one pass around & it's done, the cutter for milling is made like a thread mill , So the 6 ribs get cut with one pass around your pulley

[GG5X]

GG5X

This should be a good job to do on a mill, I have made them before this way & on a lathe
You need to have the correct tooth profile, on the tool you are going to cut it with, one pass around & it's done, the cutter for milling is made like a thread mill , So the 6 ribs get cut with one pass around your pulley

Thanks for the advice Mactec54!