HEF MILLING ( HIGH EFFICIENCY MILLING )

[inkedupbigboy]

HEY WAS WONDERING IF ANYONE COULD GIVE ME ANY INSIGHT ON WHETHER OR NOT THE MACHINE I HAVE IS RIGID ENOUGH TO WITHSTAND LONG PERIODS OF HIGH SPEED MILLING USING VOLUMILL SOFTWARE. I HAVE A 2001 HAAS VF-3 VERTICAL MILLING CENTER AND WOULD LIKE TO START IMPROVING MY CYCLE TIMES, HOWEVER I DONT WANT TO RUIN MY MACHINE. ANY COMMENTS WOULD BE HELPFUL AS I AM PRETTY NEW TO THIS. THANKS TO ALL THAT RESPOND.

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[djm77]

Does you machine have the high speed machining option turned on? Does it even have a high speed option being an older machine. Parameter 315 (I think) is the high speed machining option. Check if you have it first. It depends on what material you want to cut too. If it's something like stainless steel you should be ok as you won't need high spindle speeds, but with the likes of aluminium you want higher spindle speeds to get the good out of the high feed machining.


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[inkedupbigboy]

I don't believe it has that parameter but it will take whatever code I put in it...the reason I had asked the question of rigidity is a tool salesman told me running programs such as volumill at the feeds and speeds they recommend would cause premature spindle wear on my machine due the lack of rigidity in haas machines in general. I was really just wanting to know it the guy knew what he was talking about. I have already ran a few programs using the software and wasn't seeing spindle loads above 25% which I didn't think were too bad. However I wasn't sure if the higher rpm's had something to do with it or if some other factors were issues.

[Matt@RFR]

Complete bull****. My '07 VF-2ss has spent its entire life at max RPM and 100% rapids, and 120% spindle load is my goal any time I get a chance to push it. I have run an unbalanced 2" facemill on an extended arbor at something like 8" gage length, 8,000 RPM and somewhere around 80% spindle load if memory serves for many, hours straight... just generally beating the hell out of the machine according to some other machinists. To date, the only issues this machine has had was a board in the cabinet when it was just out of warranty and a spindle motor that was taken out by a TSC rotary union breaking.

These machines are built to work. Babying them only makes you less money. Clean dry air, high quality way lube and coolant, and generally keeping the thing maintained and clean will do wonders.

An aside, using the term HSM (High Speed Machining) seems to be much more popular and accepted than HEF. That should help you as you search for information on the subject.

With all that said, your '01 is not exactly ideal for HSM. You'll find that you can't go much over about 200 IPM or so before the machine starts to stutter, and even then the machine will be cutting corners bad enough to need to leave a lot on the walls and use two finish passes, at least. There's no getting around this whether you have the HSM option turned on or not. I believe you have G187 with P input and no E input. Do some research on that. G187 P1 will be very handy for HSM.

[mcode]

I would get the HSM option. That option gives you more look ahead so the control can calculate the acceleration-deceleration in advance which will make the machine run smoothly

[mcode]

Sorry duplicate post

[inkedupbigboy]

I had told my tool salesman I was wanting to go with Helical Solutions end mills because the milling adviser software I'm using is based on their end mills and I was having trouble with end mills sounding bad or chipping when doing helical interpolations entering my parts. Also Volumill told me that the parameters in the milling adviser coincide with their software. When i told him this he told me my machine isn't rigid enough to run these feeds and speeds associated with HSM toolpaths constantly and that I would have problems, however when i suggested just backing off on the feeds and speeds while still utilizing the optimized toolpath generated with Volumill his only response was this would cause premature tool wear. I don't think he had a good understanding of rpm to ipm ratios and chipload.

[mcode]

It sounds like your helical plunge feeds & helical angle on the plunge moves need to be adjusted. I would also let your sales rep let you try different tools until you find something that works.

[cygnus x-1]

I had told my tool salesman I was wanting to go with Helical Solutions end mills because the milling adviser software I'm using is based on their end mills and I was having trouble with end mills sounding bad or chipping when doing helical interpolations entering my parts. Also Volumill told me that the parameters in the milling adviser coincide with their software. When i told him this he told me my machine isn't rigid enough to run these feeds and speeds associated with HSM toolpaths constantly and that I would have problems, however when i suggested just backing off on the feeds and speeds while still utilizing the optimized toolpath generated with Volumill his only response was this would cause premature tool wear. I don't think he had a good understanding of rpm to ipm ratios and chipload.

Some of the more modern tool coatings are designed to be run at higher SFM and can actually wear faster if they are run too slow. But this is highly dependent on the situation so without more specific information on what you're doing it's impossible to tell.


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