CNC Lathe best setup with CAM
I am looking for recommendation how to setup a CNC lathe with a Fanuc 0i-TD for general turning jobs.
Explaining better: In our workshop we do very small quantities jobs, 1 to 4 equal parts are probably the most common. Sometimes we get 200, 500, but it is quite unusual. Therefor our CNC lathe (that have the size and travels to do 90% of all the parts that arrive to us) is standing by while we have all the manual lathes working, all day long.
To invert this situation, that depends on the availability of the turning mans behind the manual lathes, I am looking for recommendations on software and tooling system so that we can change quickly the setup of CNC lathe so that more parts can be done on it, hoping to improve quality and speed. Our lathe have a 10 tools bolt on turret. If I could make 30% off the turning jobs that appear to us on the CNC lathe, it would be a winning bet.
I am willing to invest a reasonable amount of money in tooling so that I can have a "library" of tooling on the software with fixed offsets like we do on the CNC mills, although the bolt on turret does not help so much on this.
Any ideas or examples of what you do would be nice to know about.
Thank you
Re: CNC Lathe best setup with CAM
Sandvik make Capto tool holders for quick changing. You can pre-bolt other tools into tool holders so you just bolt on a holder with the tool already in there. You still have to set it but that only takes a few seconds.
On a lathe I find FAPT/CAPS on the machine to be plenty good enough to do all of my programming for the last 28 years. Never needed CAM software.... but I know G-code like the back of my hand so I can just edit the program to my needs if it doesn't give me exactly what I want.
If you do complex milling PC-based CAM software is really needed, and that's where it excels.
If you want to use PC-based software you absolutely must know how to use it very well and very quickly, which means a lot of hours learning on a PC while the machine sits, whereas with FAPT/CAPS you learn at the machine while making programs and doing jobs, which is more productive. FAPT/CAPS on the controller is super-quick if you know how to use it and it keeps a library of tools and can even select processes (rough/finish etc) and pick the tools automatically after it is set up and configured with a large tool library.
It's pretty slick if you know how to use it.
also, having worked machines with 10 tool turrets, I can say you will find the 10 tool turret quite restrictive.
almost all of our machines have 12 tool turrets and we do 100% of our turning on CNC lathes. definitely the more tool spaces you have the better.
but dont fall into the trap many people do and put a bigger chuck on the machine because that will restrict tool-chuck clearance (especially with boring bars) resulting in less tools being available. if you stay with the standard size chuck for your turret set-up you can load all tools in the turret (10) and all tools will clear the chuck no matter what.
Re: CNC Lathe best setup with CAM
Re: CNC Lathe best setup with CAM
Thank you for the reply (once again). I will look about the conversational that I saw it before on the lathe, but never used it. Nice to know that others do all the work on a CNC lathe, although I do not know if you also have small quantities to produce.
Regarding the turret, I have worked with VDI turrets that I find quite nice for a quick tool change (each tool on its own VDI). I will definitely take a look on sandvick capto system (I think I did years ago, but prices were high).
Re: CNC Lathe best setup with CAM
we do any quantity, small, large, medium, even 1
with todays software programming technology, faster and smarter cnc machines and an expert programmer even making 1 part on a cnc machine is better than doing it on a manual machine. some jobs like custom tapered threads or special form threads are impossible except on a cnc machine. manual machines are still good, but really only for simple jobs.
yes, capto is expensive. but it can save a lot of time if you are changing tools a lot for small batches.
or even large batches. with capto you can use 2 or more different tools in the same tool position (by using different geometry+wear offsets)
do some work with one tool, M00, open door and change tool (no need to re-set it because capto locates exactly), close door press start, same tool position but different tool (with pre-set geometry offset) does some other work. that gives you more than 10 tools in your turret....
vdi is ok too but it depends on the exact type and manufacturer. some versions are better than others. that is basically like what I said above. you have a tool set in a holder and you just bolt it on, be it vdi or some other type of holder. even with vdi you would still need to set your tools. even more so if you are working to tight limits or if its an old machine that has been abused and the vdi location pin is less than perfect.
Re: CNC Lathe best setup with CAM
