options on a machine

[ssrmr2]

Guys,

I am looking to buy my 1st machine however there are options galore. The machine I am looking to buy is the Haas TM-1P. Sorry if these are newby questions but looking for recommendations.

options:

rigid tap-Yes
6 month warrentee-Yes
pump upgrade to 3/4-Yes
chip auger- I dont know
Renishaw probe- I dont know (came very recommended)
power failure detection-Is this really necessary?
16 MB ram- Is this a necessity? I will be doing some surfacing but nothing with 4th and 5th axis.

if everyone sends me 2 cents then i might be able to buy the machine sooner.

[PBMW]

I wouldn't have a machine without a chip conveyer.
16 meg is nice but I rarely have a program over a meg. I do a lot of surfacing.
power failure detection can save a big dollar part.... Your call on that one.
I have probes on two of my turnign centers and none of my mills. I'm getting it on my new horozontal though.
Rigid tap? Of course.
Bigger pump. Of course.

Get it ready for a fourth also. More money but well worth the effort.

[fourperf]

probe, no question. I was going to pass on the probe on my vf 2 but decided to get it. That was the best decision I made. It makes setup so much faster and accurately (for me anyway). I have my machine in my home shop and went without the chip conveyer and that is just fine for me. I am thinking about adding p cool but cant decide
mark

[HelicopterJohn]

Hi fourperf,

I put a used PCOOL on my TM-1P.

Please check out this post for pricing information.

PCOOL (Programmable Coolant Nozzle)

The PCOOL Option costs approximately $1595.00 when you purchase it as an option.

The cost of the PCOOL nozzle was $695.00 the last time I checked. The cable for my TM-1P was $12.00 plus shipping. Of course you have to install it and make the appropriate bracket. A friend of mine and I did the whole project in one day. I love it and even added a air nozzle to it while I was at it. Just something to consider. You should check with your HFO to verfiy the associated costs.

John

[Cory]

Originally Posted by ssrmr2 Guys, I am looking to buy my 1st machine however there are options galore. The machine I am looking to buy is the Haas TM-1P. Sorry if these are newby questions but looking for recommendations. options: rigid tap-Yes 6 month warrentee-Yes pump upgrade to 3/4-Yes chip auger- I dont know Renishaw probe- I dont know (came very recommended) power failure detection-Is this really necessary? 16 MB ram- Is this a necessity? I will be doing some surfacing but nothing with 4th and 5th axis. if everyone sends me 2 cents then i might be able to buy the machine sooner.

Chip Auger-ABSOLUTELY! We didn't get it on our VF-1, and not having it is a huge pain in the ass/waste of time.

Probe-it's been worth every penny for us.

[ssrmr2]

keep the discussion going guys, this is all good info.

I do have a question of pcool. Does the nozzle actually move in 2 directions?
How does it differ from the regular coolant nozzles? I am thinking with 3 nozzles you would be able to have enough coolant aimed at the tool to do both spray away the chips and to keep everything cool enough. Am I missing something?

PBMW,

thanks for the heads up on the upgraded memory. I dont think any of my designs are that crazy or complex. If i were to make a billet mouse cover do you think that would be over a meg of memory on a 3 axis?

-steve

[Cory]

Originally Posted by ssrmr2 keep the discussion going guys, this is all good info. I do have a question of pcool. Does the nozzle actually move in 2 directions? How does it differ from the regular coolant nozzles? I am thinking with 3 nozzles you would be able to have enough coolant aimed at the tool to do both spray away the chips and to keep everything cool enough. Am I missing something? PBMW, thanks for the heads up on the upgraded memory. I dont think any of my designs are that crazy or complex. If i were to make a billet mouse cover do you think that would be over a meg of memory on a 3 axis? -steve

It just moves up and down.

Yes, the 4 nozzles it comes with are enough to clear chips out. The issue is with multiple tools you're going to need to adjust your lines to different lengths. Generally you can get your lines to adequately cover all tools with no adjustment after the initial setup. With the programmable you can have it move to the correct position for each tool length.

Mainy I run into problems with small cutters in short toolholders. I use enough tools that I need the other 3 lines to cover my other tools, and if I dedicate more than 1 line to the small cutter, I can't cover my other tools. If I leave it with only one line though, I often find it loading up in pockets due to not getting enough coolant, and end up having to aim more nozzles in there, and then move them back once done with that tool.

[fourperf]

Originally Posted by HelicopterJohn Hi fourperf, I put a used PCOOL on my TM-1P. Please check out this post for pricing information. PCOOL (Programmable Coolant Nozzle) The PCOOL Option costs approximately $1595.00 when you purchase it as an option. The cost of the PCOOL nozzle was $695.00 the last time I checked. The cable for my TM-1P was $12.00 plus shipping. Of course you have to install it and make the appropriate bracket. A friend of mine and I did the whole project in one day. I love it and even added a air nozzle to it while I was at it. Just something to consider. You should check with your HFO to verfiy the associated costs. John

Hi John, I followed that one. It doesnt seem like too much of a pain in the ass (is it?)

mark

[HelicopterJohn]

Hi John, I followed that one. It doesnt seem like too much of a pain in the ass (is it?) mark

Hi Mark,

On my TM-1P the biggest issue was taking off the spindle shroud and getting it back on. I had to drill a little hole in the bottom of it and put a grommet in there to prevent chaffing of the cable. Make sure you have the power turned off to the machine when running the cable back to the appropriate pin out on the control board. The Control Cabinet is VERY DANGEROUS place and is filled with some VERY HIGH DC VOLTAGE that can KILL YOU if you get in contact with it. THESE HIGH DC VOLTAGES ARE STILL PRESENT EVEN IF THE POWER HAS BEEN TURNED OFF. If you don't fully understand where these points are and how to avoid them you should get an authorized HAAS Technician to run the wiring and hook it up for you.

John

[timan]

Originally Posted by HelicopterJohn Hi Mark, On my TM-1P the biggest issue was taking off the spindle shroud and getting it back on. I had to drill a little hole in the bottom of it and put a grommet in there to prevent chaffing of the cable. Make sure you have the power turned off to the machine when running the cable back to the appropriate pin out on the control board. The Control Cabinet is VERY DANGEROUS place and is filled with some VERY HIGH DC VOLTAGE that can KILL YOU if you get in contact with it. THESE HIGH DC VOLTAGES ARE STILL PRESENT EVEN IF THE POWER HAS BEEN TURNED OFF. If you don't fully understand where these points are and how to avoid them you should get an authorized HAAS Technician to run the wiring and hook it up for you. John

How did you get around the Haas Code to activate the PCOOL unit?

[HelicopterJohn]

timan,

It has been a while since I turned everything on. I will take a look tomorrow and let you know what I did. I think??? there was a parameter that actually turned it on. There also was a setting that allowed you to put in the number of coolant positions your particular PCOOL unit has. i.e 20 for the old unit like I have and about 34 or 35 for the new PCOOL units.

This was not a pay code like rigid tapping. Just change the 0 to 1 in the correct parameter and you will activate the coolant position in the tool offset page so that you can edit the PCCOL coolant position for each tool in your tool library. I think I had to turn the parameter lock off then change the parameter push the emergency stop button and reboot the machine and then turn the parameter lock back on. Guess I should have written it down somewhere for reference purposes.

Maybe someone else here can help with the particulars.

John

[timan]

You are totally right, I was thinking it was a numbered code! I checked on my machines this morning and their is not a numbered code to go with PCOOL.

Thanks,

Mike