Considering buying flat turning option

[ProToZyKo]

Hi all

Im considering to buy the "Flat Turning" option for a Okuma LU300M.
Since the dealer here haven't used it and doesn't quite know what it is i figured i should ask here instead

Is this option any good? Do the mill need to be bigger than the workpiece?
What can i create with it except what the manual says ?
Can i create splines?

Hope someone out there can give me answers

[Algirdas]

"Flat Turning" option for a Okuma LU300M
congratulations, good choice.
doesn't quite know what it is
They have presentations on CD, do they?
Is this option any good?
sure, if You need it. Otherwise it is just money waste.
Do the mill need to be bigger than the workpiece?
first of all it's not quite a mill. It's a special tool, similar to mill a bit. It doesn't needs to be bigger than a workpiece, but it happens often, especially in case of smaller LB series lathe.
What can i create with it except what the manual says?
Can i create splines?
I would not expect to create something asymmetrical. Technically it's possible. You need to figure out the G M commands for that and maybe some combination of that "mill" cutter.

[ProToZyKo]

Thanks for your reply


Well if they have any presentations i wouldn't know, they kinda backed off when i asked about it
Well i could live without it, but i feel that it would be a quicker and better way to create hexagon, and if i can create splines it would be awesome.
Not a standard mill? Do you have any pictures off it?
Is splines asymmetric? Are we thinking the same?
I can program 1:6 ratio at most, don't know if this would be enough to create something like that, maybe i need a mill with 6 cutting bits? Or if i can manual program the speeds of the spindles? If not a live tool with ratio 1:2 :s

[Algirdas]

if they have any presentations i wouldn't know
data bank, sales and service information CD's are optional for distributors. However, I can't imagine positive work without it.
a quicker and better way to create hexagon
of course, it is very normal way for hexagon (octagon, square and so on) cutting
Not a standard mill?
I will look more closely today (it's today here, You have still yesterday in America ) and I'll post some illustration or maybe a clip on youtube.
Is splines asymmetric?
not necessary. Cam turning can help with asymmetric splines
Are we thinking the same?
sure, we are. Spline is just spline. Flat turning doesn't allows free shape. It allows all evolvent shapes as the result of two rotating bodies according the geometry of the lathe

[ProToZyKo]

It's night time over here
One thing i don't understand is when looking up polygon turning etc on youtube you can see that they use hugh mills to create hexagon, but on some they use a small one's :S
What's up with that?

[Dropout]

There are special tools for rolling splines on a lathe. I can't remember who I bought it from, but a number of years ago, I used such a tool to roll splines on shafts using an old Myano 7BC lathe. It worked great.

The company was in the NE area of the US. The tool had three gears (for lack of a better term) in the head that could be changed for different shaft sizes and spline dimensions. It was centered at X0 and feed onto the end of the bar needing to be splined. Unlike some of the units that I saw while googling to try and find the company name, this tool was not limited to 1D length of spline.

[Algirdas]

here are short clips, as promised:
CNC_forum_Algirdas_clip#1
and
CNC_forum_Algirdas_clip#2
dont forget to click U.S.A. flag on the right top corner. Sorry for delay. I didn't managed to upload to Yotube. You can see the tool for hexagon cutting, how it looks like
Briefly saying, You need bigger diameter cutter to get flat surface.
with smaller cutter symmetric splines could be made combining two arks. It's not easy and not flexible.

[ProToZyKo]

Ah i hate pay for download site
Thanks for the clips.
From what i can think the mill has to be bigger than the surface i want to create?
I fell in love with the way this guy does it, [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNPojGFg9-8"]YouTube- CNC machine[/nomedia]
Creating two different hexagon same mill, and it looks like a standard mill, 5-6 cutting bits.

[Algirdas]

i hate pay for download site
considering the site, where I placed files, how did You managed to find pay there? I'll use the same on my site, to catch someone, who selects the link to pay at first.
Tell me, where to upload these files and I'll do it for You, no problem.
From what i can think the mill has to be bigger than the surface i want to create?
flatness accuracy only. If ark is good for You, cutter diameter can be as small as possible to program desired shape.
it looks like a standard mill, 5-6 cutting bits
first of all, it's special tool with three inserts
two different hexagon
Next, the bigger one is not hexagon. Third, pay attention, what an easy material he use for show.
You can use standard mill with collet toolholder. Considering chip volume, special tool is better. If You are not concerned about productivity, You can use just a milling function, and You will get flat surface for sure then

[ProToZyKo]

Hehe site is fine, i had to wait 10 mins to get the last file I saw the premium and something else i couldn't understand and assumed pay for download But i got the files no problem

Ah i see now, it has 8 or 10 surfaces.
Thinking im starting to understand this better now, i know brass isn't the most difficult material to cut But it's close to most things i machine hexagon on, beside titanium, don't know how that function would work cutting hexagon 19mm or 44mm in titanium grade2.

[Algirdas]

how that function would work cutting hexagon 19mm or 44mm in titanium grade2
This is the case, when Okuma pays out. Check the recommendation for insert:
chip thickness; cutting speed; cooling conditions.
Make program to satisfy these conditions as accurate as possible. That means, don't reduce the load. You know: the heat of cutting point is important.
Okuma makes Titanium.

[ProToZyKo]

Thanks for all help, looks like a good option i would like the opportunity to use.
Let's hope i get some more jobs i need to create hexagon etc on