[cwhiley]

So I'm new to manufacturing. New to machining. I'm a computer freak...but out of my element with manufacturing, metal machining, and the whole industry.

To boil it all down, I have 15 years of IT experience, and GIS experience and have a computer information systems undergraduate degree and almost completed a masters in geography. Back in 2008 I got in a load of legal trouble, so I am having major trouble finding work in my industry and passing a background check.So I took a job at my friend's and past school mate's company as a machine operator for $8/hr in his newly up and running CNC machine shop.

I've been there THREE weeks. I've mostly been trained by Mexicans that can barely speak the language. I have nothing against Mexicans, I think they're great people, with great values, and amazing work ethic (better than mine), but the language has been a barrier.

Today I was milling extruded aluminum in our Haas DT-1 machines. I walked away to go to the bathroom and get water. Apparently in my absent mindedness I neglected to clamp the part down in our Kurt vices inside the machine. The part slid free and went up against the far left of the sliding table. When the program continued to run it slammed up against the part and dented the OUTSIDE of the machine and completely boogered up the sliding table metal pieces that slide into one another to move along the X axis. Now when you hand jog the machine it hangs and wiggles unpredictably. Naturally, the machine is screwed up. I felt TERRIBLE. I thought I was going to be fired....but wasn't. I offered to take money out of my check each week to pay for the repairs. I know I messed up badly.

Does ANYONE have ANY IDEA what this repair will cost? Is it just the metal table pieces that need to be replaced or have I done even greater damage? There are significant dents in several of the collapsing metal sliding pieces along the X-axis. I imagine this whole assembly will have to be replaced. Is this serviceable? I am beside myself. I am considering building a new website for the company from scratch by myself, on the side, FOR FREE, because I can't figure out a way to make up for what I damaged. I feel 100% responsible.

PLEASE HELP.

Thank you.

[cwhiley]

As a smaller issue, naturally the tools associated with this program are also broken. But that's a much smaller issue than the machine damage itself.

[FinnCNC]

Dont worry, stuff like this happens every now and then. I have done similar thing too and i know the feeling. Actually your boss should have insurance that covers accidents like this, at least thats how it works in our shop. Some time ago co worker managed to crash VF2-SS so hard it took out Z-axis ball screw and spindle

Luckily Haas parts are relatively cheap. By "metal table pieces" you mean way covers right? Im not sure about DT-1 but for VF2 they were couple hundred dollars for X axis.

Edit: X-axis way covers are also very easy to replace, its quite literally just couple screws and some adhesive sealant holding things together. Whole sliding telescopic assembly is replaced as one piece.

[cwhiley]

Thank you for the response. I'm not sure what I mean. These are the metal parts that colapse upon one another like an accordian that allow the part to move left and right along the X-axis. They aoppear to be steel and are part of the Haas machine beneath the fixture that holds the Kurt vice. Not sure what is involved. Not sure about insurance. This man's machine shop is only a year old. I am a computer guru and hoping to move up into programming, but just "spaced out" on operation this day.

[FinnCNC]

Attachment 248474

So they are way covers then. They come like this when you get spare parts

[mactec54]

cwhiley

Is it on the Axes that is facing you when you open the door, if it is that is the Y Axes, The X Axes only has a single metal Shield/cover, on each end of the table, which is easy to change , it would not cost much at all for that part, the Y Axes Cover is easy to change as well, but would cost a lot more for that part

[viking73]

Well, you've just learned that it's not a good idea to walk away from your machine as an apprentice while it's running.

At three weeks none of my trainees would be unattended, I know that's not everybody's policy though

[cwhiley]

It's the way covers alright for sure. That's what they look like. And no it's not the ones facing me. Its the ones to the left when you open the door. That allow the fixture to move left and right.

[mactec54]

cwhiley

Take a photo, your fixture will be mounted on the table, which moves left & right,( X Axes ) the table on the DT1 does not have way covers like what's in the photo above at the most it would only have ( 1 ) sliding piece & ( 1 ) Fixted piece, the DT1 is almost the same as the MinMill2 & they don't have way covers on the X Axes Just a sheet metal cover, that moves with the table, it most likely not as bad as you think

[cwhiley]

It is for certain a DT-1.

Not saying the covers look like those pictured....but it is basically that type of assembly.

[mactec54]

cwhiley

Should look like this, which are very simple covers, & easy to fix

[cwhiley]

This is not our machine but it looks exactly like it. I'm running a Macbook and don't have mspaint or photoshop right now so I can't circle the area, but look to the left of the fixtures where two sections are exposed.

[mactec54]

cwhiley

Is your machine new or has been in use for a while, what you have in the photo is what I said in the other post, it just has ( 1 ) sliding section, very simple & easy to fix

[cwhiley]

It was purchased new a little less than a year ago.

[mactec54]

It was purchased new a little less than a year ago.

It is a nice machine very fast, You have to remember because everything moves very fast up to 2,400 IPM Rapid, The Parts will Fly Out of the Fixture if Left Loose, just by the Rapid movement, they should have slowed down the Rapid movment for you, when you are new on the job, look on the control down at the bottom left, you will see some buttons that have 5% 25% 50%, Press the 25% this will slow the Rapid movement down untill you get used to the machine, I'm sure they want it run at 100% but at 100% you get a bigger crash if something like this goes wrong

[LeWhite]

As a computer geek consider the purchase of a program called rosetta stone it has helped me immensely.

[cwhiley]

Ah yes, I'm familiar with the rapid settings. Yea, this machine runs at 100% and has a cycle of only 40 seconds. The other DT-1, which I am much more familiar with, has a cycle of 5 minutes and 50 seconds at 200% rapid. It's a totally different fixture that mills cast aluminum chassis whereas the one I had trouble with does a much simpler job to extruded aluminum pieces....and MAN ARE THEY SHARP. It's like handling razor blades!

[cwhiley]

It's difficult to see in this picture because I didn't even want to power it up to turn the light on but there are a couple of bright spots at the edge of the way covers on the left where it is turned up and bent (impact points).



What you also can't see is the damage created by the impact on the outer wall...it's dented and paint is missing a bit. Feeling around on the top section of this set of covers suggests it is bent up a bit as well. Apparently the replacement parts have been ordered and are due to arrive tomorrow.

I busted my ass today to be as efficient as possible on the other functioning DT-1. I'm making a wage just above minimum wage but I believe this may increase after 60 (or so) more days. I've begun my 4th week today. I'm also spending some free time at home learning milling basics, G-Code, MasterCAM, and SolidWorks. I have 15 years of IT experience so I'm hoping to make a real run at this career change and succeed. That's why this bothered me so, to have caused our production on this machine grind to a halt like this, due to my absent minded mistake.

We also have a Hass VF-4ss and I've run it twice for two different jobs. That machine is IMPRESSIVE. Hell, they all are really.

Thank you everyone for the information.

[G59]

Your boss is a cuke. What you did here is cosmetic damage to sheet metal. Remove the bent components and straighten them out with a hammer and block. Re install. That's what would of been done here at our shop. The supervisor would of got his machine up and running and making money until the new replacement parts came in. Mactec54 is right, your boss should also of turned the rapids down with new guy on the job. He is partially to blame.

[mactec54]

cwhiley

What I can see is not a big deal, as G59 has said, they should of just taken the covers off, & straightened them out, even if the machine is still under warranty, this was an easy fix, to get the machine running, your Boss needs to get it together, he's just trying to make you feel bad, when it is his fault for not getting it running

That is good you are learning SolidWorks Etc this will be easier for you having the computer experience you have, plus is a big plus, if you can master it, just remember Crash's start from the cam program output, this is more important to get right, if the programming is wrong, it will cause a much bigger Crash, than the crash you just had