WTB small CNC machine for school

A local Highschool is looking for a smaller CNC machine for the Tech department. They're looking for either a lathe or mill, and have 208v 3ph available.

They want something relatively simple to use, if the control system has an ethernet or USB port thats a huge plus. The purpose of this machine is to get students some kind of backround knowledge of CNC machines and manufacturing. They've bought a CNC mill from Flashcut, and were pretty disapointed with it.

Now here is the real kicker. Any machine has to fit in the freight elevator, then go through a doorway 33" wide....

Feel free to give me a call or shoot me an email

630-209-8102
[email protected]

RevetsP said:

They've bought a CNC mill from Flashcut, and were pretty disapointed with it.

Click to expand...

Why were they disappointed with Flashcut? Knowing this will help narrow the options.

I have a small cnc lathe for sale, but it will not take USB or E-net.

QB

RevetsP said:

A local Highschool is looking for a smaller CNC machine for the Tech department. They're looking for either a lathe or mill, and have 208v 3ph available.

They want something relatively simple to use, if the control system has an ethernet or USB port thats a huge plus. The purpose of this machine is to get students some kind of backround knowledge of CNC machines and manufacturing. They've bought a CNC mill from Flashcut, and were pretty disapointed with it.

Now here is the real kicker. Any machine has to fit in the freight elevator, then go through a doorway 33" wide....

Feel free to give me a call or shoot me an email

630-209-8102
[email protected]

Click to expand...

Won't HAAS sell a machine to a school at a reduced rate?
Worry about the door later.

Let the students move it, and the door won't be an issue. Rebuilding it might...

Might check out Tormach CNC mills.

behindpropellers said:

Won't HAAS sell a machine to a school at a reduced rate?
Worry about the door later.

Click to expand...

ill send that to the teacher in charge


There is another room where we can put the machine(s) besides the classroom with all the computer desks with wider doorways, they fit driving simulators in the room the engineering department would be using.


I tried talking to HAAS, but being a total outsider to them, and not having any contacts there, i have trouble getting anywhere with them (nothing against HAAS)


I know i should not talk about this too much, but the Flashcut mill uses Stepper motors, and is a retro-fitted Mill/Drill from grizzly. The worm drive for the quill was not cut right, and has worn asymmetricly. The quill is the only live Z-axis, the column fir the head is round like a drill press. There is no encoder on the spindle and no VFD, and no E-Stop came with the package. The Flashcut program proves to be difficult to use with CAM software for writing G-codes and our Flashcut with a PC really does not like to use sub-routines, our tech guys cannot figure it out.

With that aside.... the machine still makes a hell of a pinewood derby car


I figure with all the businesses out there buying new machines and needing to move out their less productive machines, theres got to be something out there for use, either cnc mill or lathe. Personally I see alot more value in a CNC lathe, as anything round is alot harder to do by hand.

Actually, any decent old-school manual lathe work come in handy quite a bit, for making odd-ball parts, and could be done alot easier for many things.

I have no problem dissmantly a machine to move it around, but i am an engineer, not a member of the public education system, where taking a mill table off the machine or disconnecting more than three wires would be totally obscene....

Is it possible to take out a Floppy drive and fit in a sort of emulator instead?

So do I understand this right? School has no basic machine shop or instruction and you want to turn a bunch of kids with no knowledge loose on a CNC machine and expect them to become some kind of machinist?????? Its a pipe dream
Bob

That is a very good point. The idea is to get some of them thinking (at least the ones that WANT to think...) of how to fabricate and really spark their engineering creativity. Not many of them are lucky enough to have a lathe at home or some workshop space and a decent set of tools.

out of the 200 kids in the engineering program, we'll say maybe 20 or 30 will really get something out of having this exposure that they wont get anywhere else untill college.


20 years ago, the complete machine shop was thrown out..... oops




Back on topic, what might be a good way to get in touch with some of the bigger companies, even some kind of lease program would be great

RevetsP said:

I know i should not talk about this too much, but the Flashcut mill uses Stepper motors, and is a retro-fitted Mill/Drill from grizzly. The worm drive for the quill was not cut right, and has worn asymmetricly. The quill is the only live Z-axis, the column fir the head is round like a drill press. There is no encoder on the spindle and no VFD, and no E-Stop came with the package. The Flashcut program proves to be difficult to use with CAM software for writing G-codes and our Flashcut with a PC really does not like to use sub-routines, our tech guys cannot figure it out.

With that aside.... the machine still makes a hell of a pinewood derby car

Click to expand...

Sounds like the asian mill/drill is the larger part of the problem. However, your problem with the CAM software working with the Flascut controller is unlikely to go away when you get a new machine. The Flashcut control is about as user-friendly as they come.

If you care about solving your sub-routine problem then you could post a new thread in the CNC section. My Flashcut control runs subs with no problem.

QB

maybe another idea is to buy some good cad cam.Solid works and lets say mastercam.
kids learn how to draw parts ,print code .Then find a local shop that is willing to donate some time on a machine that is seeing less than full time use.Kids get to see part run on machine .Shop gets tax receipt for donation.Very little money spent.Shop gets to see if there are any kids with some potential coming through the system.
reality will be 200 kids , maybe 2 will show interest.