Running lights out-chip bin clearing

Gobo · May 25, 2017

We are running a lathe lights out on the weekend cutting aluminum and creating lots of chips. The problem is, no matter how big the bin is, chips still pile up directly under the conveyor and are then pulled back into the machine. In order to continue running, someone has to show up every three or four hours and clear the chips. I am sure we are not the first shop to deal with this. How do you?

WILLEO6709 · May 25, 2017

if you have a high pressure cooant pump and the holders with the built in nozzles I find it brreaks up turning chips nicely. drill chips either peck it or push more feed so they break.

Gobo · May 25, 2017

WILLEO6709 said:
if you have a high pressure cooant pump and the holders with the built in nozzles I find it brreaks up turning chips nicely. drill chips either peck it or push more feed so they break.

The machine is equipped with 1000 psi coolant. Our chip control is excellent. It is simply the large volume of chips piling up that is the issue.

Philabuster · May 25, 2017

A low buck solution would be to rig up a tined wheel hooked to another conveyor type motor/gearbox to distribute the chips throughout the chip bin.

I'm envisioning an old antique metal wagon wheel directly attached to a slow moving gearbox held horizontally just under the chip bin top edge. The spokes will move the material around and there is no sharp edges to catch on stuff.

DDoug · May 25, 2017

Portable conveyor on wheels, rolls up for weekend work, goes in place of bin,
takes it farther away to a big enough bin.

Potatoe people do this all the time with harvest time conveyors set-up on wheels,
portable wiring with plugs etc.

pcasanova · May 25, 2017

new conveyor. A repair tech we use went into a shop to repair a lathe and the guy had a special conveyor built that went up like 12' to drop into the bin. Same issue running lights out.

litlerob1 · May 25, 2017

Another conveyor at the bottom of your chip bin that runs to THE big 'un. You have to get rid of the chips under the conveyor, easy right? :icon_bs:

D Dubeau · May 25, 2017

Vibrating chip hopper might distribute the chips more evenly. The bonus part is that nobody will be around to hear it run.

Rotating hopper might work too, and be quieter.

charlie gary · May 25, 2017

So is Doug related to Dan Quayle? ;-)

WABOOM · May 25, 2017

Let the chips land on the floor.

Tonytn36 · May 25, 2017

A simple guide rod pneumatic cylinder (Festo FEN-500 mm max stroke or DFM-400 mm max stroke) and a blade, set to a basic timer or M code in the machine called every x cycles mounted under the conveyor outlet, will push the chips away from the outlet every so often, cause that is all the guy coming in is doing.

Job Shopper TN · May 25, 2017

Maybe just fab up a chute that will disperse chips into two containers at once? I imagine something like a giant dust pan. You could probably make it by hand out of some pretty thin steel sheet. Bend by hand. Perhaps attach it with screws to the auger chute.

litlerob1 · May 25, 2017

Post # 12 brings up a good question, is it an Auger or a Conveyor? Bloody Augers are garbage.

CarbideBob · May 26, 2017

Make the bin lower, longer and flatter with a "rake out" triggered by a light sensor or timer.
If I understand your needs mostly you want to automatically do what a person would and keep the pile from touching the bottom return side.
Bob

Peter from Holland · May 26, 2017

briquette press

Peter

Dangle_kt · May 26, 2017

Depends how full the bin would be at the end of the full lights out, but assuming it wouldnt overflow if properly distributed then I'd make a platter that the chip bin sits on to slowly rotate it, bearing in the middle, wheels on the outside all angled into a circle - drive it with a small geared down electric motor for high torque low rpm. I bet one of your guys could knock it up in a few hours assuming you have the tools on hand.

WILLEO6709 · May 26, 2017

one place I saw actually put in a central conveyor system under the floor. machine conveyor led to the central conveyor through hatches in the floor, central conveyor ran directly to a semi trailer(s) outside.

Limy Sami · May 26, 2017

Dangle_kt said:
Depends how full the bin would be at the end of the full lights out, but assuming it wouldnt overflow if properly distributed then I'd make a platter that the chip bin sits on to slowly rotate it, bearing in the middle, wheels on the outside all angled into a circle - drive it with a small geared down electric motor for high torque low rpm. I bet one of your guys could knock it up in a few hours assuming you have the tools on hand.

Basically that is how many potato box fillers work, ......on the OPs app I'd work it so the platter indexes a fresh bin on a time basis.

DDoug · May 26, 2017

WILLEO6709 said:
one place I saw actually put in a central conveyor system under the floor. machine conveyor led to the central conveyor through hatches in the floor, central conveyor ran directly to a semi trailer(s) outside.

Or move the shop to a old cow barn, and it's already there for you.....

HuFlungDung · May 26, 2017

A screw auger resting on the edge of the bin should do it. This is done all the time in grain handling facilities. Motor and gearbox driven, of course. Motor on a timer.

Running lights out-chip bin clearing

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