Where's everybody and a new machine

[Frankenhippie]

Just wondering why there's so little activity in the Sharp forum lately. Seemed like it was going strong in here then.... poof! LOL I liked coming and lurking here. the lack of activity has prompted me to post though. LOL

Just took delivery of a 2412S yesterday. Hope to have everything setup and running by the weekend. Really anxious to start flingin' chips. May have some questions for those experienced with this machine soon. LOL It's been about 8 years since I've touched a fanuc control and the manuals are a bit....daunting. LOL


Mike

[PBMW]

Did you get the 0i Mate control or the 0iMc?
Ask away, I have one and may just buy another.

[Frankenhippie]

It says it has the Oi-Mate "MC" control but I believe it's the Mate. Electric is being finished today so maybe tomorrow I get to start playing. I'll post back with some initial impressions hopefully over the weekend.

[PBMW]

Did you buy it with AI NANO? that would be the high speed machining option that gives you 120 blocks of look ahead....
I wouldn't be without it myself. But I do a lot of surfacing....

[Frankenhippie]

No. I don't do much surfacing anymore. This is mostly going to be a production machine with some R&D/Proto work in 3 axis. I looked hard at what I really expected to do with the machine and, while those features would be to have, why pay for them if I really don't see this machine doing that work.

[spock]

'Daunting" is one way to describe the newer fanuc manuals. Bloody awful is another. I wonder who fanuc pays to do their technical writing? I could understand the mid 80's thru mid 90's books, but these new ones arent very clear to me.

[Frankenhippie]

Tuesday report.....

Machine is installed, setup, and running perfectly. Actually, it was at that point Saturday morning. Spent the weekend playing with the machine and the control so I would have some intelligent questions for the software/controls guy when he came out yesterday for training. To say the manual sucks would be a compliment, I think, but between what I did figure out and the training, I'm even more excited about this machine. It's nice to have a machine with a control that's not neutered. LOL I've been running Haas machines for the last 6 years. The base control on the Sharp is way better than the base control on Haas. The Haas is very user friendly but you pay for it. Of course, this is all my opinion. LOL

I will have more to report this week. Just thought I would post some quick thoughts.

[Frankenhippie]

OK.... here's my first probably stupid question.... LOL

When loading the tooling carosel, is there a faster way to load multiple tools then having to go to MDI and type in M6T1, close door, cycle start, M6T2, clsoe door, cycle start, etc, etc..... On the Haas, I could just toggle to the next position with the door open. Not that I can't do it this way but it just takes a lot longer to get all the tools loaded and I figured I must be missing something. LOL It should be faster than this.

Ran the first real program yesterday. I must say that my expectations as far as being able to push the machine harder/faster than the Haas were realized. I ran the same cutters, same program, same feeds and speeds as I have been on the Haas. As the machine was running, I kept bumping the feedrate up. Got to 200% and the machine virtually sounded no different than at 100%. Not that I couldn't run the Haas like that but you would hear the machine/cutter protesting. LOL The Sharp just hummed along.... which is pretty much consistent with what others have said about this little machine. Final part finish and quality were right there too. I very happy so far.


Mike

[BrdrsLangCultre]

Mike,
The easiest way to load multiple tools into the carousel is to use the left side door access point and the accompanying carousel index button/E-stop on the back left corner of the machine.
With the machine in "JOG" mode, tools can be loaded directly into the back of the carousel through the door, press the index button, and load the next tool, and so on.
You can then go into the tool library and enter the tools, length offsets and diameter offsets. Just be sure to know what you put where!

[Frankenhippie]

Just be sure to know what you put where!

I guess that's my point.... shouldn't there be a easier, more direct way. I will give that a shot though. Seems easy enough and, although I knew that was what that was there for, I hadn't thought about loading from the side door until you mentioned it.

Still impressed with this little machine. I'm still in the process of tooling and fixturing things up. Having the opportunity to start everything fresh just how I want it is great.

[dgentmach]

Am considering a sharp 2412s. Would be dealing with action machinery in Pa.
Am also considering a bridgeport XV760. I have been a toolmaker for 30 years and only have experience with a centroid control.I am a little worried about parts and service on the sharp. I would definitely have a learning curve with either control. Any advice?

[PBMW]

Service has been outstanding. I can call the LA office and get a problem resolves in moments. There have been very few problems in almost two years.