TL1 Whishlist

[Radian Racing]

Still very happy with my TL1

Making lots of parts sometimes quantities of up to 200.
Have decided against the auto tool turrets and do all the tooling manual via Dorian toolpost. Did make all my tooling through coolant operational utilising the Dorian through coolant toolpost thus when changing tools no adjusting of coolant and it saves a lot of time.
I also realised that some of the parts i make do need more than 4 tools and then the auto changer becomes more of a problem that a solution.

But if I could whish for a few extras some at some optional cost and some at no cost just a software change:

I do not need the IPS. Has been going with pure G-code and since knowing nothing in November I am now able to program everything I need at the machine. This allows me to quickly make small adjustments and also optimise the program. So if the IPS could be optional please give me my money back for this software option.

Please provide bigger digit display for the machine positions. When using the lather manually and the interface as a DRO then those digits are just too small to see your positions. Easy software layout I am sure.

When on hand jog please retain the work position as used under the last job. So if you had used G54 in your last program then let G54 remain displayed also for position information. Do not let all the displays go to machine absolute position. This will allow me to hand jog and check where my offset goes to zero etc.
Even better would be allow me to enter a work offset to display when in hand jog. Even a tool offset. So when hand jogging I can easily verify that a tool or work offset is where I want it.

Please allow me the option to purchase a hydraulic chuck. Most time lost in production is not in tool changes but in chuck part change time. I would buy this option if available no hesitation.

I cannot see that one should purchace any other machine as a first purchase than the TL1 or TL2.

Thank you Haas.

[Geof]

Still very happy with my TL1

.... some of the parts i make do need more than 4 tools and then the auto changer becomes more of a problem that a solution............

Please allow me the option to purchase a hydraulic chuck. Most time lost in production is not in tool changes but in chuck part change time......

They are a very handy machine, and never mind "first machine', they are suitable as a tenth or twentyth machine; my company has three TL1 and one TL2.

Regarding the four tool limitation here is a way of getting around it with a bit of ingenuity; my record I think is eight tools.

TL1 takes up the slack

And here is a way to speed up your chuck opening and closing, and make it much more comfortable.

Easy Turn Chuck Handle on TL2

Also on the topic of chucks why not adapt a hydraulic chuck onto the machine yourself. You can buy both the chuck and hydraulic cylinder unit from several different manufactures and self contained hydraulic pumps are readily availabe or you can assemble your own. Controlling the hydraulics through the USER M codes is quite simple. You can use the M-FIN feature to check that the chuck opens and close correctly and you can wire pressure detetctors in the door hold circuit to stop the machine if the hydraulic pressure is lost.

[Radian Racing]

Thanks Geoff. Great ideas.

Will surely try to get the hydraulic chuck resolved. But would be great if Haas included that as an option. Now an aftermarket option

Oh and I would so much like to have speed up to 3000RPM. Really struggle to get a nice finish on small diameter parts.