Spindle direction

[deji]

Hi, I am taking a class to learn about cnc. Have had a very limited time so far actually on a machine. So yesterday we were on a haas lathe doing our tool offsets. Was making about .010 cuts on this piece with various tools and teacher came over and looked at the piece and said we werent running the spindle in the right direction. So my question is a very simple one. When in MDI mode, and enter either M3 or M4, along with a speed, then push the green cycle start button, will it use the M3 or M4 setting that I told it to turn the spindle in forward or reverse? Or would it choose the spindle direction based on some other setting? I know on the control pad there are spindle buttons, fwd, reverse, stop, etc. But just want to know if you can choose the direction using M3 or M4 when in MDI mode?


Thanks

[cncatj]

let me try to answer your question:
remember MDI means Manual Data Input so if you want to run your spindle
the machine need to know what speed and what direction to run ex.
s1500 m03

[deji]

Thanks for the reply.

[ltmquik]

They Let You Actually Operate The Machne?

[deji]

Originally Posted by ltmquik They Let You Actually Operate The Machne?

Of course. How else could you learn? Would be like teaching drivers education only from a book and sending the student to take the test without ever being behind the wheel. He will probably crash. Its a fun class. Good teacher too.

[mulcher]

that machine your on is probly baged out why only .010 you should bee cutting at .12 at least to rough and .010-.050 to finnish.

[deji]

We were just setting the x offsets when talking about .010 cut.

What the actual problem was when my parter was making a cut, he had it on the fastest jog speed and was turning the handle in spurts, because he did the same yesterday. After turning the jog down and cranking the handle smoothly, was fine.

[ImanCarrot]

I wish you all the best only way to learn is to try and experiment. Welcome to CNC... you will be hopelessly addicted soon and require regular parts to machine on a daily basis

When you start working weekends for free that's the time to consider thereapy lol.

[ltmquik]

Originally Posted by deji Of course. How else could you learn? Would be like teaching drivers education only from a book and sending the student to take the test without ever being behind the wheel. He will probably crash. Its a fun class. Good teacher too.

Point taken however, I think some practical knowledge of the machine and its operations would be usefull and would result in far less repair costs from crashes. Crash the Yugo then race the Ferrari.

[HuFlungDung]

Originally Posted by mulcher that machine your on is probly baged out why only .010 you should bee cutting at .12 at least to rough and .010-.050 to finnish.

I guess if the spindle is turning the wrong direction, .01 is about maximum depth of cut

Always think, Deji. Blind adherence to a memorized sequence is what seperates the operators from the machinists. Various lathes and certain types of lathe tooling can be set to run in either of the two possible rotational directions. So understand what you're doing when setting up the machine, and be sure that the cutting edges are opposing the direction of rotation of the work, else how will the cutting action be performed? Let that be lesson#1 in tool grinding: how will this tool be set for cutting?