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  1. Y

    Okuma Program Scheduler pauses between programs, is that normal?

    We use schedule programs in all our Okuma lathes. We don't do any repeats though. The program call is repeated in the schedule program each time it is run. I wrote a C# executable that lets the operator scan a barcode tag for program and specify how many parts, start part number on tray for...
  2. Y

    Halter automation universal 35kg system, is it as good as they claim?

    I have posted this before, but as far as cobot vs industrial robot, cage versus scanners, there is not a one size fits all answer to is it OSHA legal and is it safe. There are ANSI/RIA standards for safety assessments that are supposed to be done for robotic implementation. It is an exercise...
  3. Y

    looking for name of a part of machine

    https://www.trustycook.com/products/spindle-liners/
  4. Y

    Automation options for a 50lb turned part

    Technically there are specific safety assessments called out in ANSI/RIA standards for whether or not a cobot can run next to humans. Just because the robot senses force doesn't make in safe. We have parts that are both heavy and have very sharp corners after machining. The force the robot needs...
  5. Y

    Automation options for a 50lb turned part

    We have Pilz in one cell and DataLogic in another. They are essentially the same scanner rebranded. They are made by a German company and rebranded by like 3 or 4 other companies. They are relatively easy to use and set up. You put the scanner into setup mode with the software on your PC and it...
  6. Y

    Automation options for a 50lb turned part

    That is why we like safety cages around all of our robot cells. You can build a safety cage with dual contact safety switch for a couple grand. That is well worth keeping employees safe IMO. Even in our one cobot cell we have a floor scanner and the robot stops moving if a person enters the...
  7. Y

    Automation options for a 50lb turned part

    I have only tried 1 time to have a robot open the machine's door and I gave up after too many false overloads and just put a pneumatic cylinder on the door. Any chips on the door rail will start to make the door bounce and then it triggers a false overload. That was with a Doosan H2017 trying to...
  8. Y

    Automation options for a 50lb turned part

    You cannot set load limits to run in a collaborative mode. There are options for 3D model driven safe zones/etc. We just put up cages around our cells, simple and reliable. We do have one cell that has two cnc machines and we use floor area scanners to allow operators to get to one machine while...
  9. Y

    Best CAM milling software to use

    I haven't read through all posts here, but I will make a few points even if I am repeating someone else. 1. The best CAM software is a very subjective idea. CAM software varies so much as does the end users needs. I don't think you can say what is best without a lot of info. 2. If I had to...
  10. Y

    Automation options for a 50lb turned part

    ABB IRB4600 40/2.55 https://new.abb.com/products/robotics/robots/articulated-robots/irb-4600 We have have 9 ABB's and three more on order. They have been great for us. We run them 24/7. Seven of them are 20-40kg loading lathes and two 200kg loading pallets in machining centers.
  11. Y

    Automation options for a 50lb turned part

    Whenever we have looked into gantry systems in lieu of robots we found that either the price or lead time was prohibitive. We just ordered a 40kg/2.55m reach (88 lbs, and over 8 feet of reach) robot for $65k with an 8 week lead time. Also add in the flexibility of having 6 full axis of freedom...
  12. Y

    Swiss questions

    In a typical swiss chucker conversion mode, there is a max part length roughly about 1-1.5 x the max diameter the chuck can hold. When the guide bushing is removed the spindle collet nut fits closely into the sleeve mounted where the guide busing normally is. The length of the collet nut...
  13. Y

    Degree vs. Knowledge

    I think it would be interesting to add a poll to this thread and see who has engineering degrees versus who doesn't and how that effects their opinion of whether or not you will benefit from one. JM2C, I worked my way up in the shop and programming. Went back years ago and got a 2 year in...
  14. Y

    chip compactors/briquetting machines

    I won't share the specific numbers but it is for a 1000 size machine (1000 lbs aluminum per hour capacity) with custom dumper to accommodate our existing chip bins. The quote is in the quarter mil range.
  15. Y

    chip compactors/briquetting machines

    We have an old RST600 from ARS out of Texas. We bought it used and it was refurbished by a third party company. It has it's quirks with the non-ARS parts of the machine. ARS as a company has been great for support and parts. We just recently got a quote on a new machine and are considering it...
  16. Y

    "Milled" parts on a mill-turn center. What are your experiences?

    +1. We have Horizontals with big FMS and millturns that are robot fed. Because of the load/unload labor for the FMS we only run lower volume parts in the FMS. Higher volumes go in the millturns for less labor.
  17. Y

    Doosan Cobot for entry to automation?

    +1 on getting extra reach and payload. The difference in cost is usually minimal to go one size bigger than you think you need. We have the H2017 which is 20kg payload and 1700 reach.
  18. Y

    Possible to automate swapping a long tool in and out of lathe?

    MD Tooling makes a live tool motor actuated turret mounted steady rest. The live tool motor running in one direction engages steady, other way disengages. My guess is they could do the same for some type of tool mount, Capto/HSK/etc. I would reach out to them.
  19. Y

    Doosan Cobot for entry to automation?

    We have a Doosan H2017. It is the biggest one they make. We added it to our toolroom fixture building machine so we could get some unattended runtime at night. It does a decent job but we have had a lot of intermittent communication issues. The controller to pendent and controller to robot...
  20. Y

    How Does Your Shop Keep Track of Employee Productivity?

    We track machine productivity, not employee productivity. We use www.scytec.com for machine monitoring. We have different targets for lathes, VMC, or HMC, ranging from 60% in cycle to 80%. That is based on a 24/7 schedule. We normally can hit those numbers relatively easy if we don't have any...

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