New Milltronics owner MB-19D

New Milltronics owner here. I just got a MB-19D with a centurion 6 controller. I was able to get it unloaded after my loader wouldn't pick it up. I built a dolly around it from a haywagon axle and some I beams, then lifted the other end with my forklift.

I have moved it around with the jog, handwheel, and wrote a simple conversational program drilling holes in the air. I also ran a fow of the programs still on it without any tooling. I am starting to setup tools and planned to touch off on the table with a shim. I went back thru posts on here and think I understand that. I have the

What I am trying to do is setup 6 or so tools based on the table. When I put something in the vise measure from the table to the part and enter that as an offset or something. That would align all saved tools to the part. This is what was explained to me as the "right" way to do it from a coworker ho is using a Haas TL1 I think. I am open to other ways if they are better/easier/preferred.

I was surprised how many programs are saved on the controller. How do I tell the system information? I have never done any CNC milling before and am really looking forward to making things that I can manually on the Bridgeport with this.

Pictures

Pictures

Why set from the table? You're probably going to be changing parts quite a bit since you've got a bed mill. Probably not going to be running much production, am I right?
Simply put your part in the vise, select run program and tool set. Set all your tools to the top of the part with your shim and have at it.
Heck of a lot simpler.

I thought I would be less likely to make a mistake just changing the z offset. For example mill, center drill, then drill holes 2 different sizes on top of part. Flip part to front side, reset z, mill, center drill, drill... Only change 1 setting instead of 3+ settings. Also Same process for different small parts in vise.

I do have 2 parts that I plan to make a few hundred of. 1 is 1 setup the other is 2 I think. Plan was 2 vises g54 vise 1 flip part to vise 2 and g56. Simple part both ops 1 program to minimize manual tool changes.

Don't set your tools to the top of the part. What are you going to do when you break a tool after you've cut off the top of your part? You've got the right idea. Set all your tools to the table using a tool setter or similar, while g54 Z is set to zero. Then measure the distance to your Z zero on each part (coordinate system - 54, 55, etc.) from where you set the tools. Input these numbers into the Z value for your different coordinate systems. The one important thing to remember is if you have to reset a tool, make sure you're in g54 (or whatever system you were in when you set the tools) and that the Z value is set to zero in the offset table. Might sound confusing, but once it clicks, it makes sense.

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What are my options to get gcode foles exported from inventor to the mill computer? Do I just get an external floppy for my laptop or do something else?

Got an external floppy drive today. Copied 2 files to the mill and ran them successfully. file 1 faces off the top. file 2 profiles around. I played with editing them on the mill controller. I figured out how to copy/paste lines of code within 1 file. How can I copy from file 2 to file 1 and make a file with all the code in 1 file?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Brandon_OMA692

What are my options to get gcode foles exported from inventor to the mill computer? Do I just get an external floppy for my laptop or do something else?

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..There should be a RS232 Serial Com Port some where on the CNC. (DB9 or DB25 Plug) ....Use it to transfer/receive files to and from a PC with a USB to Serial adapter is one option.

DJ

I was using the floppy on the mill and an external floppy drive for the laptop. Setup a gotek usb and thought it was working correct. formatted usb with the software I found here. https://www.philscomputerlab.com/got...-emulator.html

It works great to move files from laptop to usb to cnc. cnc to usb gets corrupted and wont work on laptop. I was trying to backup everything on the cnc. I swapped back to the floppy and was able to backup my parameters. cnc to floppy to pc worked correctly.

Any idea what I am missing?

edit. in pictures drive a id the floppy and drive is the usb

Good you have save Params...that looks like the Baud rate maybe set wrong between cnc to PC try 4800 or 9600........also there were alot of cheap USB to RS232 converters sold that had bad chipsets in them and they just did not work. Get a name brand like Tripplite or there are other Options like RS232 to IP converter wireless or wired to network the cnc. Lets us know how things go.

DJ

sorry laptop and cnc are not connected. I removed the cnc floppy and replaced it with a usb to save to a thumb drive. usb works to copy from thumb drive to cnc. files from cnc to thumb drive are corrupt.

...read Post #4 may help.
https://www.cnczone.com/forums/millt...-software.html

By the way do you have any Cad Cam in house system you use?
here is a free one. It has Post Process for Mill tronics...I think

https://www.freecad.org/
DJ

Quote:

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Originally Posted by machinehop5

...read Post #4 may help.
https://www.cnczone.com/forums/millt...-software.html

By the way do you have any Cad Cam in house system you use?
here is a free one. It has Post Process for Mill tronics...I think

https://www.freecad.org/
DJ

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Autodesk Inventor for cad and cam.

Going to reach out to Bob and see about getting a some type of upgrade from him as the gotek usb is not working repeatedly.

Side note. HAAS info incoming......


We started up a 2014 TM-1P Haas that we shut down a few months ago to ship to another facility at work. Ended up not shipping it. I was given the task to run it. Got it moving yesterday and making holes today. I really like the tool change in MDI on my Milltronics. I really like the TLset for setting tools in MDI. I really love the screen telling me where the tip of my tool is in relation to the current G54 55 56 whatever work offset i am in.

Just change the tool and height offset changes too. Only way I could get the Haas to was something like this in MDI.

G0 G54
T2 M6
G43 H6
Z6.

And after all that once the z stops moving the G54 x and y are correct but the Z goes back to machine position plus or minus the G54 z offset. I would think you want to know where the tip of your tool is????? From what I have read this week looking at old forum posts this is just the way it is on a Haas?

You can run the program in graphic display or run it in real life. Why can't it do what these older Milltronics do where you can see on the screen graphically where you are, where you were, and where you are going? I can single block simple xyz moves and understand it but that does not work during an adaptive cam produced path with the lines of code flying by while milling.

Is this how most CNC's are? Am i just spoiled my first CNC experience was on a Milltronics? This is a serious question.


The only thing I have found I like better on the Haas is that now that I figured out how to set tools setting 64 (i think) tells it to ignore the G54 z offset. On the Milltronics I have to remember to zero my Z work offset, set the tool, and put the value back on for Z offset.

I thought I was going to be amazed by a 14 year newer machine. I am not.

O yea. I thought all them fancy buttons were nice. Till you have to hunt to find them. 12 buttons at the bottom of the screen that change based on what you are doing is far more intuitive to me.

And here are pictures (hopefully) of a part I made on my Milltronics.

Here is some good information and examples for tool length setting macros.
https://www.cnczone.com/forums/millt...628-posts.html